Belynda Goff is ‘Deserving of Clemency’

A recent column in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette called Belynda Goff’s case “appalling” and urged incoming Governor Asa Hutchinson to strongly consider granting clemency to Goff. 

Goff was convicted of murdering her husband Stephen Goff in their home in 1996, but has always maintained her innocence. There is strong evidence that Stephen was killed by people involved in an arson-for-hire group, from whom he may have stolen money. Belynda was convicted because of shoddy police work, as well as ineptitude and possible misconduct on the part of the prosecution. The evidence supporting Belynda’s evidence has been ignored by authorities for decades. 

The Innocence Project is currently conducting DNA testing of crime scene evidence that could prove Belynda’s innocence, but because pieces of crucial evidence have gone missing, testing may not be enough to vindicate Belynda. Subseuqently, the Innocence Project sent a letter to outgoing Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe, requesting that he grant Belynda clemency. 

If Gov. Beebe does not act by the end of his term, which soon expires, Gov.-elect Hutchinson should “take a careful look and do the right thing” and grant Belynda clemency, Democrat-Gazette columnist Mike Masterson writes, echoing the position of the Innocence Project and Belynda’s many supporters, all of whom believe in her innocence and want to see her freed.  

Read the full column 

here

.