Illinois governor grants pardons to 42 people

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Associated Press

Story Created: Sat Jul 14, 2012 1:45 PM

Story Updated: Sat Jul 14, 2012 1:45 PM

CHICAGO — A Monmouth man who has been waiting seven years for a pardon from Illinois' governors has finally received one.


Robert Pinney was one of 42 people pardoned Friday by Gov. Pat Quinn.


Pinney was pardoned for acts taken at age 19 while attending Western Illinois University.


Pinney of Monmouth was pulled over for not wearing a seat belt. A search of his auto turned up an unloaded handgun. Pinney was later convicted of theft of the gun. The 37-year-old Pinney says he hopes now to get a master's degree in psychology.


Pinney applied for a pardon from then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, whose inaction on such requests created a backlog of more than 2,500 cases.


Quinn has acted on 2,068 clemency petitions since taking office in January 2009, granting 743 pardons.