So I am going to be a little bit snarky here.  But, see what happens when you bring your Christian beliefs into governing.  The suspect wanted for the killing of four cops in Washington State was granted clemency by then Governor Mike Huckabee for, in part, claiming that he was born again.  From the article:

Clemmons wrote in an appeal to Huckabee that he'd been sent to prison after an extended crime spree that started in 1989 when he was a teenager — and that he was a different person now. . .

And, here is from Clemmons' application for clemency:

Since that hearing the angel of death has visited and taken away my dear sweet mother and this more than anything has effected change for the good in my heart.  Because now I have to live with all that I put her through I wasn't able to be with her and make her proud of me before she passed away.

I have never done anything good for God, but, I've prayed to him to grant me in his compassion the Grace to make a start.  Now, I'm humbly appealing to you for a brand new start. . .

For all the forestated reasons I pray you will be compassionate to my situation . . .

God Bless You for your time and consideration.  It is so prayed!

Now, I am sure many prisoners tug on Christian heart strings when they seek clemency, but it does seem to have more of an effect on some, like Huckabee (who makes his religion a part of his public service), than others.

The reason I am being snarky is that I probably would have granted Clemmons clemency too because his sentence was ridiculous since he was 17 at the time of his trial.  Although, I would have preferred rehabilitation for someone so young than just throw him in prison (which made him worse).