Antoinette Frank, Ex-Police Officer Facing Execution, Denied Clemency by Louisiana Pardon Board
Antoinette Frank, a former New Orleans police officer on death row for the murders of a fellow officer and two others during a 1995 restaurant robbery, lost her chance at clemency after a 2-2 vote by Louisiana's pardon board. The bid for a clemency hearing was part of an initiative by Governor John Bel Edwards, who opposes the death penalty. Frank's accomplice in the robbery is serving a life sentence, while her punishment remains unchanged. Supporters argued that Frank had experienced severe trauma and abuse in her past, but opponents cited disciplinary reports in her prison record and concerns about potential parole release.