Attorney: Oregon governor ignoring families of murder victims as she pushes for clemency
Melissa Grassl, whose fiance was killed in 2006, and attorneys Monique Despain and Kevin Mannix discuss Oregon governor's clemency plans.
Attorneys representing the families of Oregon murder victims slammed Democrat Gov. Kate Brown Friday for ignoring families as she pushes for clemency in some cases.
Attorneys Kevin Mannix and Monique DeSpain told "Fox & Friends" about their legal action to compel Brown to follow the law, look at each case individually and listen to the families.
"What the governor has decided is that she is the super-legislature and she's going to change the law across the board and retroactively release people who are murderers, rapists, and assaulters, who were convicted and sent to prison with specific sentence," Mannix said.
"She has sent 500 cases to the Department of Correction and said go ahead and release these people early. That is not how the law works, and we are asking a court to mandate that the governor follow the law and look at each case on its merits."
The progressive governor is under fire after nearly 1,000 convicts have been allowed to leave prison early since March 2020. Melissa Grassl found her fiance, Austin French, shot dead in her bedroom in 2006.
"I was nervous, scared, terrified, heartbroken. Kind of all the feelings come rushing to you in that minute," she said about learning of the possible clemency for the killer, her late fiance's brother.
Grassl said she's concerned for her safety if he's allowed out of jail, despite a restraining order in effect.
"He’s had 15 years to think about how I had played a part in getting him in there. He’s had 15 years to build up anger and frustration with me and the situation that put him in there," said Grassl.
DAUGHTER URGES OREGON GOVERNOR NOT TO GRANT CLEMENCY TO FATHER'S KILLER
DeSpain said the clemency could be issued in this case because the offender was a juvenile when he was convicted.
Other families have been taken aback by Brown's move to free criminals.
Dale Rost III was a father of five from Oregon when he went out to walk his dog just before Christmas in 2005 and encountered a couple of meth-fueled thugs who forced him to strip naked and tied him up.
Lynley Janet Rayburn and her then-boyfriend Gerard "AJ" Smith went out on the early morning of Dec. 23, 2005 – armed with the rifle and high on meth, according to court documents. Both were convicted of robbery and murder after killing Dale Rost III. (Yamhill County Correctional Facility)
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They ransacked his house, took his wallet, and shot him through the eye at point-blank with a .22 rifle.
His now-adult children say they are appalled that Brown is considering clemency for one of the suspects in the heartless murder of their father two days before Christmas 17 years ago.
The governor's office did not respond to a request for comment.
Fox News' Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
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