One thing that I read over and over is that....in accepting any pardon carries an assumption of guilt.
I don’t know if you can refuse a pardon. A governor(?), I don’t think it was Biden, gave pardons or commutations to some Death Row inmates and got them down to “life”.
Two of them are having their lawyers try to stop it. They are on a list to have their cases looked over again as they claim their innocence. Death Row inmate’s cases are put to the head of the line. They will be sent farther down on the list of reviews if they are off Death Row. (They have already been waiting for years.)
“One thing that I read over and over is that....in accepting any pardon carries an assumption of guilt.”
That is true...
But these folks are all being forced to plea bargain for a lesser charge and accept guilt anyhow even though they are not. So it is a catch 22 situation, lesser of two evils. I would rather be falsely considered guilty and out with no more court process than have to plea bargain for a lesser guilty charge and prison time anyhow.
If they turn down the pardon and stay and fight it they will never get out and be found guilty anyhow. The system is broken, once you are even accused you are considered guilty and almost always have to take a plea and confess guilt for less punishment guilty or not, there is no such thing as innocence anymore. Only millionaires with influence are ever found innocent.