Appeals court rules Oregon Gov. Brown can transfer commutation power

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- The Oregon Court of Appeals sided with Gov. Kate Brown Wednesday regarding her legal right to "transfer" her commutation power to the parole board.

KOIN 6 News has been leading the coverage of how the governor gave the parole board a list of 73 inmates convicted as juveniles of mostly violent crimes, who could apply for an early release.

Multiple victims and two district attorneys sued to block it, while a Linn County judge ruled in March that Brown couldn't expand the parole board's authority.

But the appeals court overturned the lower court ruling, saying, in part, "…we can find no evidence that the Oregon legislature has ever sought to constrain the broad constitutional power of Oregon governors to grant clemency…"

KOIN 6 is working to learn whether the decision will be appealed to the state supreme court.