FORT WORTH, Texas — A Fort Worth activist is calling on the governor to take action now to grant George Floyd a full pardon for a 2004 wrongful conviction, after the Texas Board of Pardon's and Parole voted unanimously to recommend it.
But, weeks have passed since the Board's vote, with no action on the recommended pardon. Because of the delay, Cory Session said activists, including himself, plan to send a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott "to encourage him to do the right thing," Session said.
"Justice delayed is justice denied and this is a delay," he added. "There is no reason to continue this delay."
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On Oct. 5, the Board, which is appointed by the governor, voted that Floyd should be posthumously pardoned for time served in Houston after a wrongful drug conviction. Floyd's case is one of more than a hundred overturned involving the same officer. Granting the pardon could have an impact all over the state.
"That conviction was in error," said Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, who represents in the Houston area. "The same prosecutor that sought the conviction and got the conviction is now saying that conviction was in error."
Ellis said he also plans to sign the letter, and encouraged other commissioners to write letters to Abbott ask him to follow through with signing the pardon.
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In June 2020, Governor Abbott attended George Floyd's viewing in Houston to support the family. According to attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Floyd family, the pardon will help bring some measure of closure. But Ellis said the move could also help the reputation of the criminal justice system in Texas.
"I think it will send a signal that the criminal justice system is imperfect, and that the government will at least admit, when imperfections are found they will admit the government made a mistake," he said.
For Session, even without the governor's action, the unanimous vote by the Board to pardon Floyd stands forever. Meanwhile, he told WFAA he plans to keep the campaign alive with or without the governor's support - even if it means presenting the George Floyd pardon recommendation to the next governor of Texas.