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2 RECOMMENDED FOR EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY

By Ray King/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 11:36 PM CDT

Two Jefferson County men currently serving prison terms in the Arkansas Department of Correction were recommended for executive clemency by the Arkansas Board of Pardons and Paroles Tuesday.

The board said the applications of William Bentley, 27, and Isiah Dumas, 52, were with merit and will forward the recommendations to Gov. Mike Beebe after a 30-day comment period.

Bentley was convicted of aggravated robbery and theft of property in Jefferson County Circuit Court in 1998 and is serving a 30 year prison sentence at the East Arkansas Maximum Security Unit at Brickey’s. Currently, he is not eligible to apply for parole until March 26, 2019.

Dumas was sentenced to 75 years in prison in 1982 after being convicted of burglary, theft by receiving and theft of property in Pulaski County, and first-degree escape, kidnapping, two counts of theft of property, aggravated robbery and rape in Jefferson County. He would not be eligible to apply for parole until Nov. 18, 2019.

Board members John Belken of Calico Rock and John Felts of Pine Bluff voted against clemency for Dumas. Belken wrote in the board’s paperwork, “ADC employee & family member were victims.”

A third inmate’s request for executive clemency was rejected by the board Tuesday when they ruled that the application of Roger D. Mosby, 62, of Grant County was without merit.

Mosby is serving a life sentence at the Maximum Security Unit after being convicted of first-degree murder in 1972.

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