[aimhigh]

Why else would he reject ~97%...

I'm guessing, but perhaps because they were guilty of murder, and the parole board was more liberal than he was.

[evolved_rage]

That would make sense for most normal people...But Davis did not do anything out of concern for anybody but himself. He would have pardoned Charles Manson if it would have helped him stay in office. I think the parole board was just something he could get away saying no to by design. I won't even grudgingly admit that Davis was tough on convicted murderers, it was not his motivation.