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Show Thomas Harrison Speaks At Kiivanis Club fleeting Mr. Thomas Harrison, a member of the Utah State Board of Pardons was guest speaker at the Kiwanis Ladies Night Dinner Last Saturday at the Copper Kettle Restaurant in American Fork. Mr. Harrison spoke interestingly in-terestingly and informatively about the functions and operations of the Pardons Board and how it fits into the State's Legal and Penal System. Almost all prisoners in the State Penitentiary are expected to eventually be free, and a prim function of the board is to determine when and how this can be effected in the best interest of the public and of the prisoners. All record, including in-cluding the personal history, of each prisoner are resear-, ched from all possible angles and carefully studied by this very important, but part time, three member board which now consists of a former state supreme court justice, an engineer and a psychologist. The decisions of the board are final and are not subject to review or approval by the governor or any other office. All proceedings are according to fixed rules of conduct. The well-publicized case of convicted murderer Garry Gilmore was mentioned only briefly. As with similar cases the board may make one of four decisions: (1) Sustain the death sentance by remitting the case to the presiding judge for a new execution date, (2) Commute the sentence to life imprisonment with possible parole in about 16 years, (3) Stay the execution until the U. S. Supreme Court acts on the death sentence, and (4) Pardon the prisoner (a virtually vir-tually impossible eventuality) even-tuality) . The large audience was intensely interested in the well presented talk, and many participated in a subsequent question and answer session. President Maurice Peterson conducted the meeting and introduced honrary members Mr. and Mrs. Jack Cook (former mayor of Pleasant Grove). President Peterson also introduced his daughter Miss Virginia Peterson of Salt Lake City. Ken Harvey introduced in-troduced the guest speaker. Bill Peterson led the group singing, Cornell Haynie led a pledge to the flag, Harold Jacklin offered the opening prayer and Keith Sterling gave the closing prayer. The club meeting next Saturday will be a work session at the several community improvement im-provement projects being undertaken by the club. V |