Youngkin, Miyares criticize Biden for granting ‘Waverly Two’ clemency
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Governor Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares have both released statements criticizing President Joe Biden for granting clemency to the "Waverly Two" -- two men acquitted of the 1998 murder of a Sussex County police officer, but still sentenced to life in prison. Ferrone Claiborne and Terence Richardson, sometimes known as the "Waverly Two", were tried and ultimately acquitted by a federal jury of the murder of Sussex County police officer Allen Gibson in 1998. Despite the acquittal, when tried on a related drug charge several years later in 2001, both men were given a life sentence -- which was described to 8News as a "miscarriage of justice" by a legal analyst. Biden granted both men clemency on Jan. 17, alongside close to 2,500 other people. This came after a long legal battle as Claiborne and Richardson attempted to prove their innocence. Youngkin expressed anger in his statement regarding the two men being granted clemency, discussing Biden's actions as well as the effect the choice will have on the Gibson family: "I am beyond outraged and in utter disbelief that President Biden would announce clemency for Ferrone Claiborne and Terence Richardson—two men who admitted [to] being responsible [for] brutally killing Officer Allen Gibson, a hero and dedicated servant to our community,” said Youngkin. “What makes this even more unconscionable is the Biden U.S Attorney advised the White House not to commute these sentences as they are violent offenders. The pain and sorrow this clemency causes the Gibson family is unimaginable. To know that the men who took Officer Gibson’s life will walk free is not just a grave injustice—it is a heartbreaking blow to those who continue to mourn his sacrifice. This is despicable; a grim day for justice and for the families who trust that our system will hold the guilty accountable.” The statement released by Miyares spoke more about how this decision reflects on the outgoing administration itself: "If the Democrats intend to build their vision of social justice on a pile of dead law enforcement officers, they could send no stronger message than the one they sent today," said Miyares. "The decision not to pardon but merely commute the sentence of Terence Richardson only supports our position that he is in fact guilty of manslaughter. This office will continue to exhaust itself in seeking justice for the family of Officer Allen Gibson and ensuring that those involved are held to account." Alongside his statement, the Office of the Attorney General also included a statement from Gibson's daughter, Crissana Gibson, detailing her anger towards the situation: "I am absolutely outraged by what has happened. My heart is shattered knowing that the men that killed my father are going to be released from prison and can walk the streets freely,” said Crissana. “This is a huge miscarriage of justice, and I am completely disgusted by the outgoing administration. The Virginia Attorney General's office has worked tirelessly to keep these murderers behind bars, and I am forever grateful for their dedication and hard work. I am so disappointed that the disgraceful Biden administration has failed my family, my father, and the entire law enforcement community. Neither my family nor I have ever supported the release of Richardson or Claiborne, and we denounce this decision by the outgoing failed presidency of Joe Biden and the Democratic Party’s abuse of the justice system." This comes after 8News got the chance to speak with Crissana back in 2020, as she wanted the case to be reviewed further and wanted the people responsible for her father's death to be held accountable. She also said that "if that is not Terrence and Ferrone, I want justice done for them AND IT MUST NOT STOP THERE." Jarrett Adams, Richardson's attorney, made the following statement directly to 8News in response to Youngkin and Miyares: "Governor Youngkin and Jason Miyares are unfortunately using the daughter of Officer Gibson as a political pawn to shield the public from the fact that they are using resources and energy to obstruct justice and maintain a bogus guilty plea, instead of finding out the truth of what really happened to Officer Gibson," Adams said. For more information about the "Waverly Two", and to view all of the available 8News coverage on Ferrone Claiborne and Terence Richardson, click here.
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Governor Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares have both released statements criticizing President Joe Biden for granting clemency to the "Waverly Two" -- two men acquitted of the 1998 murder of a Sussex County police officer, but still sentenced to life in prison.
Ferrone Claiborne and Terence Richardson, sometimes known as the "Waverly Two", were tried and ultimately acquitted by a federal jury of the murder of Sussex County police officer Allen Gibson in 1998.
Despite the acquittal, when tried on a related drug charge several years later in 2001, both men were given a life sentence -- which was described to 8News as a "miscarriage of justice" by a legal analyst.
Biden granted both men clemency on Jan. 17, alongside close to 2,500 other people. This came after a long legal battle as Claiborne and Richardson attempted to prove their innocence.
Youngkin expressed anger in his statement regarding the two men being granted clemency, discussing Biden's actions as well as the effect the choice will have on the Gibson family:
"I am beyond outraged and in utter disbelief that President Biden would announce clemency for Ferrone Claiborne and Terence Richardson—two men who admitted [to] being responsible [for] brutally killing Officer Allen Gibson, a hero and dedicated servant to our community,” said Youngkin. “What makes this even more unconscionable is the Biden U.S Attorney advised the White House not to commute these sentences as they are violent offenders. The pain and sorrow this clemency causes the Gibson family is unimaginable. To know that the men who took Officer Gibson’s life will walk free is not just a grave injustice—it is a heartbreaking blow to those who continue to mourn his sacrifice. This is despicable; a grim day for justice and for the families who trust that our system will hold the guilty accountable.”
The statement released by Miyares spoke more about how this decision reflects on the outgoing administration itself:
"If the Democrats intend to build their vision of social justice on a pile of dead law enforcement officers, they could send no stronger message than the one they sent today," said Miyares. "The decision not to pardon but merely commute the sentence of Terence Richardson only supports our position that he is in fact guilty of manslaughter. This office will continue to exhaust itself in seeking justice for the family of Officer Allen Gibson and ensuring that those involved are held to account."
Alongside his statement, the Office of the Attorney General also included a statement from Gibson's daughter, Crissana Gibson, detailing her anger towards the situation:
"I am absolutely outraged by what has happened. My heart is shattered knowing that the men that killed my father are going to be released from prison and can walk the streets freely,” said Crissana. “This is a huge miscarriage of justice, and I am completely disgusted by the outgoing administration. The Virginia Attorney General's office has worked tirelessly to keep these murderers behind bars, and I am forever grateful for their dedication and hard work. I am so disappointed that the disgraceful Biden administration has failed my family, my father, and the entire law enforcement community. Neither my family nor I have ever supported the release of Richardson or Claiborne, and we denounce this decision by the outgoing failed presidency of Joe Biden and the Democratic Party’s abuse of the justice system."
This comes after 8News got the chance to speak with Crissana back in 2020, as she wanted the case to be reviewed further and wanted the people responsible for her father's death to be held accountable. She also said that "if that is not Terrence and Ferrone, I want justice done for them AND IT MUST NOT STOP THERE."
Jarrett Adams, Richardson's attorney, made the following statement directly to 8News in response to Youngkin and Miyares:
"Governor Youngkin and Jason Miyares are unfortunately using the daughter of Officer Gibson as a political pawn to shield the public from the fact that they are using resources and energy to obstruct justice and maintain a bogus guilty plea, instead of finding out the truth of what really happened to Officer Gibson," Adams said.
For more information about the "Waverly Two", and to view all of the available 8News coverage on Ferrone Claiborne and Terence Richardson, click here.
