Missouri Governor Mike Parson finished his term by addressing the extensive backlog of clemency petitions, granting 16 pardons and approving nine commutations. The governor's office has officially cleared all pending requests, as confirmed in an Office of Governor statement released yesterday. These decisions were made by the authority vested in him by Article IV, Section 7 of the Missouri Constitution.

The move ended a significant chapter in Parson's tenure, during which he inherited a clemency backlog of over 3,500 cases and faced hundreds more during his administration. In tackling nearly 4,000 clemency petitions, the governor emphasized the importance of giving individuals an answer. In addition to the pardons and commutations, 23 clemency petitions were denied. Despite the progress, this action leaves some applicants in a state of ambiguity regarding their cases.

Each pardon and commutation has been documented and the appropriate filings have been made with the necessary government agencies. The individuals who received these acts of clemency have been duly notified. Pardons formally forgive criminal offenses and restore the individual's legal rights, while commutations generally reduce sentences of those still serving time but do not expunge the convictions themselves.

Throughout his term, Governor Parson has been scrutinized for his approach to the clemency process, with advocacy groups pushing for more actions like these in a system grappling with issues of mass incarceration. As the governor's office has now zeroed out its backlog, the implications of his clemency actions and those left to ponder their fate hangs in the balance of Missouri's judicial and political realm.