KY- Ky. governor restores partial rights to convicted molester

8-29-2008 Kentucky:

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Gov. Steve Beshear has restored some rights to a Lexington man convicted of child molestation charges.

Beshear gave back the right to vote and to hold office to Ron Berry, who served three years in prison after being convicted in 2002 on 12 counts of sodomy involving teenage boys.

Berry, 64, formerly headed the Micro-City Government youth program, which is now defunct.

Attorney Gayle Slaughter, who represents several people who accused Berry of molesting them, told the Lexington Herald-Leader that she doesn’t mind Berry being allowed to vote, but was surprised that the governor would allow him to hold office.

“I’m legitimately at a loss for words on this one,” Slaughter said. “I guess it is good to know which side of the fence the governor is on in this battle against this scourge on society.”

Beshear spokesman Jay Blanton said the governor routinely approves the partial restoration of civil rights if applicants have served their sentence, paid restitution and have no further charges against them. Blanton said allowing Berry to vote automatically gave him the right to run for office. A full pardon would have restored all his civil rights, including the right to carry a firearm and sit on a jury, and would have wiped away his convictions.

“We apply the same standard for everyone,” Blanton said.

The partial pardon was signed on Aug. 20 and filed Wednesday in Fayette County court.

Blanton said Berry’s application for a partial pardon was sent to Fayette Commonwealth’s Attorney Ray Larson, who prosecuted the case. He said the governor’s office did not receive any objections to the request.

Larson said he didn’t object to it because he didn’t see it.

“We object to people who kill people, and people who are sex offenders,” Larson said. “And I just obviously didn’t see it.”

Blanton said the governor had refused to restore the civil rights of felons in each of the 56 instances when prosecutors have objected. ..News Source.. by Hearld Dispatch