A Texas state agency has refused to give a posthumous pardon to George Floyd for a 2004 drug conviction.
In 2004, Floyd received a drug charge in Houston. In October 2021, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles unanimously decided to recommend Floyd received a pardon from Texas Governor Abbott since the police officer that arrested Floyd was indicted over a controversial drug raid he had led in 2019.
Just two months later, in December, the board decided to flip-flop on its decision, before Gov. Abbott could even decide to accept the pardon or not.
The reversal stems from “procedural errors” present in its initial pardon request. The board wrote a letter to Floyd’s attorney, Allison Mathis, who is a public defender in the Houston area.
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“After a full and careful review of the application and other information filed with the application, a majority of the Board decided not to recommend a Full Pardon and/or Pardon for Innocence,” the vague letter reads.
The board did not explicitly explain why the pardon request was ultimately denied.
Another posthumous pardon for the late George Floyd could be submitted in two years. Since 2010, only one posthumous pardon has been unanimously recommended by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Floyd was buried in Houston in a golden casket on June 9th, 2020. His 2004 Houston conviction came from a drug sting led by former police officer Geral Goines.
Floyd was caught selling crack cocaine to Goines and sentenced to 10 months in state jail after pleading guilty.
15 years later, Goines is now facing two charges for felony murder due to a deadly 2019 drug raid. Goines has maintained his innocence and intends to fight back against the charges.
Stay tuned to National File for any updates.
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