Republican Vice Presidential nominee Mike Pence is being criticized for his response to a controversial case in which a man was wrongfully convicted. Now the man is asking to go back to court for another trial since Pence, as Indiana’s Governor, won’t grant him a pardon until he has tried all other judicial options.

Keith Cooper spent almost ten years in prison for armed robbery, a crime he didn’t commit but was wrongfully convicted for in 1996. During the robbery a teenager was shot in the stomach but survived. When another man involved in the case had his conviction overturned because of new evidence that surfaced in 2005, authorities offered Cooper a new trial, which could take at least two years–or the chance to go home to his family but have a felony conviction on his record.

After being locked up for a decade, Cooper chose the latter. He could finally see his wife and three children again. But since it’s been next to impossible to find a decent job as a convicted felon, he later sought a gubernatorial pardon. In the spring of 2014 the parole board in Indiana unanimously urged Pence to grant Cooper a pardon. This would likely have been the first pardon based on actual innocence in Indiana history.

Mike Pence refuses to pardon an innocent and wrongly convicted man, yet GOP runs a willie horton ad attacking Kaine https://t.co/389BIxtBcQ

— geokaren (@geokaren) October 4, 2016

And according to DNA evidence, Cooper is innocent. The victims and original prosecutor believe in Cooper’s innocence as well. But despite that fact, Pence’s office said in a September 20 letter that Cooper must first try all other judicial options. Basically that means Pence doesn’t have to make a decision about granting a pardon before he leaves office in January.

Many of Cooper’s supporters wanted the case to be brought up at the Vice Presidential debate on Tuesday.

Mike Pence should be asked why he has not pardoned Keith Cooper, an innocent man wrongly imprisoned for ten years. #VPDebate #KeithCooper

— Mike Williams (@drummike2012) October 4, 2016

Can’t believe @mike_pence said this during the #VPDebate Actions speak louder than words! #PardonKeithCooper @ElliotSlosar pic.twitter.com/5WHwWC7at4

— Pardon Keith Cooper (@PardonKeith) October 5, 2016

Cooper’s attorney Elliot Slosar said:

The lack of courage displayed by Gov. Pence is shocking. Instead of using his executive power to change the life of an innocent man, Gov. Pence has decided to punt this issue to the next governor of Indiana and inform Mr. Cooper that he needs to head back to the same court where he got wrongfully convicted in the first place.

But Pence’s deputy of staff chief Matthew Lloyd replied:

The governor’s office believes this is a necessary and proper approach that will produce information the governor will need as he considers a pardon for Mr. Cooper.

Pence has only pardoned three people during his three years as governor, while his predecessor Mitch Daniels pardoned 60 people during eight years in office. The Cooper case has gained serious support on social media as well as on an online petition–we’ll have to see if it has any effect on Pence’s numbers.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

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One of the world’s largest gaming conventions, Gen Con, is taking a stand against anti-gay legislation by threatening to take the expo elsewhere if Indiana’s governor signs a controversial religious freedom bill into law. Gen Con CEO and owner Adrian Swartout recently sent an open letter to Indiana Governor Mike Pence asking him to reconsider his support for Senate Bill 101.

The bill, which passed in the House of Representatives Monday with a 63-31 vote and the Senate on Tuesday with a 40-10 vote, will prohibit state and local governments from “substantially burdening someone’s religious beliefs.” In the letter Swartout writes:

Gen Con proudly welcomes a diverse attendee base, made up of different ethnicities, cultures, beliefs, sexual orientations, gender identities, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds…

Legislation that could allow for refusal of service or discrimination against our attendees will have a direct negative impact on the state’s economy, and will factor into our decision-making on hosting the convention in the state of Indiana in future years.

Supporters of the bill claim it is a safeguard against unnecessary government intrusion on individuals’ religious beliefs, while critics see the bill as sanctioning discrimination against LBGT people. That concern stems from the bill’s ability to protect business owners who don’t want to service same sex couples. House minority Leader Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, who voted no to the bill, shared his opinion with the Indianapolis Star:

It basically says to a group of people you’re second rate, you don’t matter, and if you walk into my store, I don’t have to serve you.

Gen Con, which boasts of being the “original, longest-running and best-attended gaming convention” in the world, provides a substantial economic benefit to the city of Indianapolis, bringing more than $50 million dollars worth of revenue to the city each year. Despite being under contract to host the event in Indianapolis through 2020, the organization hopes to sway the governor by leveraging its economic importance and future business.

As of now Gen Con’s disapproval appears to not have weakened Governor Pence’s resolve to sign the bill. His spokeswoman Kara Brooks responded to the letter telling the Indianapolis Star that “the governor has been clear on where he stands on this issue and we don’t have anything to add at this time.”

If Governor Pence follows through with the bill amidst public outrage and big business disapproval, he will be making a statement that both the city’s economy and the rights of his LGBT constituents bear no importance when it comes protecting so-called “religious freedom.”

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

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