How about Huckabee read the facts before he considered commuting Clemmons' sentence to just the right amount that the parole board would let him out about one month later:
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-22564-Des-Moines-Conservative-Examiner~y2009m12d4-Huckabee-is-lying-about-cop-killers-criminal-record-in-Arkansas
There were also three separate courtroom incidents in 1990 where Clemmons tried to use a weapon against a judge, threw a padlock at a bailiff, and tried to take a guard's pistol. A judge ordered Clemmons be placed in leg shackles because he felt Clemmons has threatened him. Clemmons also displayed very erratic behavior during the trial, mumbling loudly throughout the proceedings. He also made an obscene gesture toward a state trooper testifying against him. There is a definite pattern of showing a complete lack of respect, and a lot of hostility, toward authority figures.
This is prior to the 2000 commutation. Clemency or commutation should be grated when there repentance present in the individual which doesn't seem to be the case in Clemmons' case because these aren't the only instances of bad behavior for Clemmons.
The trial judge was for the commutation - as nothing of the sort happened for 10 years since the 17 year old facing life blew up in court.
Again, once he raped the kid last May, Clemmons should have been executed, not let out pending trial. But the failure to give short stints of hard labor to young offenders (as well as first time offenders - separate from this case) is what has bred thousands of Clemmons’ and that has to stop.