AP and staff reports

Gov. Mike Foster signed 24 clemency recommendations Monday, including one for a man convicted in 1977 for setting a car on fire in Concordia Parish.

Thomas Mac Jordon, then a 19-year-old from Wisner, pleaded guilty in June 1977 to simple arson in Seventh Judicial District Court and was sentenced that July to two years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections.

But that sentence was suspended and Jordon was placed on active supervised probation for two years and made to pay $225 in fines and court costs. On Monday, Foster’s signature restored to Jordon all his rights, including the right to own and possess firearms.

Of the clemency recommendations Foster signed, five make people eligible for immediate parole, with the rest restoring partial or full rights to people convicted of felonies. Clemency applications first go to the Pardon Board, which makes a recommendation to the governor. The governor has final authority in approving or rejecting the requests. Clemency can include the restoration of rights, such as gun ownership, reducing the length of a sentence and granting immediate parole eligibility

In the recent list of clemency approvals, most of the people had been convicted on a drug charge or simple burglary and theft.

One of the actions approved by the governor was the case of James Stoetzner of Jefferson Parish, who has served more than 20 years for armed robbery.

Foster has been reluctant to grant clemency for violent crimes during his two terms.

&uot;The victim in this case has been not just not opposing, but has been urging our office and the Pardon Board for his release,&uot; said Patrick Martin, the governor’s assistant executive counsel.

Martin said Stoetzner’s partner was the one who was armed during the robbery. His residence plan, if the Parole Board agrees to free him, involves moving to Connecticut to live in a monastery with a prison outreach program, Martin said.

In other actions involving imprisoned felons:

4Arthur Adducci, convicted in Calcasieu Parish of possession of cocaine and distribution of MDMA, was granted immediate parole eligibility.

4Vincent Anderson, convicted in Terrebonne Parish of two counts of simple burglary, was granted immediate parole eligibility.

4Courtney Johnson, convicted in Vernon Parish of distributing heroin and simple escape, had his sentence cut to 50 years, making him eligible for parole.

4Fabia Madina, convicted in Orleans Parish of distributing heroin, had his sentence cut to 45 years, making him eligible for parole.