MICHAEL D HIGGINS CLEAR OF CLEMENCY PLEAS
Date Published: 04-Aug-2011
Galway presidential hopeful Michael D Higgins says he has never written to a judge in relation to any criminal matter
The Labour party nominee made the statement this afternoon as it emerged that Fine Gael nominee Gay Mitchell has made several pleas for clemency
In one in 2003 Mr Mitchell made an appeal for clemency to prevent a double killer being given a lethal injection in Florida in the US
Mr Mitchell wrote to then Florida governor, Jeb Bush but said today his plea was based on his strong opposition to the death penalty and it had no effect