Each year when the president did the White House turkey pardons it always seemed kinda funny, even from prison. Seeing the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles put on the same show was not funny, at least not if you’re one of the thousands of parole-eligible people in Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) custody.
On November 21, the Board and the Georgia Department of Agriculture hosted the state’s Turkey Pardon Ceremony. The five-member Board was represented by Chair Joyette Holmes and Executive Director Christopher Barnette. There were actually two turkeys: Tom and Jerry. Everyone seemed to find these names very funny.
Holmes, holding a large framed document addressed (presumably) to Tom, said that the board had been able to review Tom’s investigation and all the documents sent on his behalf, and decided to grant the pardon.
“Tom has lived a law-abiding life, since having his sentence previously commuted and being released from the initial farm where he was,” Holmes said before turning to the turkey on her other side. “I know you see Jerry over here and you’re thinking, ‘Well, where is Jerry’s pardon?’ Jerry has a couple more documents to submit.”
Everyone laughed. Stupid Jerry. No pardon for Jerry. Why don’t we actually remand Jerry to farm custody for not being able to figure out the electronic-only application. Hahahaha.
They couldn’t even bring themselves to pardon two turkeys. One was just there so they could make a point. There were also jokes about senators needing to stay on the Board’s good side in case their help would be needed later. Incarceration is a punchline.
It should be noted that Tom and Jerry weren’t standing during the 12-minute ceremony. Two handlers were hugging the enormous, strangely placid birds to their chests the whole time.
Pardons are for people who have completed their sentence, including parole. They’re nice but don’t actually expunge one’s record or confer any specific material change. Parole, on the other hand, allows one to leave prison and serve the rest of the sentence under supervision in the community.
In 2024 a total of 19,328 GDC prisoners were considered for parole. This means all had met the statutory requirements for release, including minimum time served. Only 5,443 were granted parole.
Though the Board has guidelines for its decision-making process of whether to grant or deny someone parole, it doesn’t have to apply them to lifers. In 2024 the Board denied parole to 1,953 parole-eligible lifers, and allowed 93 to go home.
The Board has lately been posting a lot of photos to social media, showing the members engaged in field trips around the state. Advocates and families are sick of seeing them. So much time showing the public how great and important their work is. So much investment in the propaganda that citizens must be protected from themselves. So few people being pardoned or paroled.
In 30-plus years of incarceration, I’ve never received a parole denial on time. After eight years of waiting for a decision that’s then a month or more overdue, the most you’ll get out of a counselor is, The Board’s running behind on its caseloads; just be patient.
While Board members make around $160,000 a year, GDC prisoners fight over food, clothes, shelter and any other basics that the state is supposed to provide people in its custody.
I didn’t want Tom to get pardoned. I wanted to eat him.
Top image (cropped) via Georgia Department of Agriculture/YouTube. Inset graphic via Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles.
