Typical strawman argument.
The fact is an appeals is in place for a reason. If Mr. Cooper decided to appeal, I am quite sure given the circumstances surrounding his case, that it would be fast tracked and approved. But no, he doesn't want that. He wants PENCE to do it.
You have to ask yourself why the process exists in the first place. A pardon is the LAST option available, not the next to last option. Also, if Pence did pardon before the post-conviction relief what is really even the point of the appeal board at all? Why shouldn't then everyone just skip that appeal and go straight to the governor? It sets a bad example. By withholding a pardon and allowing Mr. Cooper to process his appeal through the system the way it was intended, Pence is allowing the system to work as intended aka the system that he people have chosen to set up.
Get real people.
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An appeal within a post-conviction relief would remove his felonies from his record. Its not that fucking hard. So no, not all legal options have been exhausted.
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Wiki is hard.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_conviction
In other words....
The appellate procedure in the United States takes place in appellate court, not at a parole board.
and
If the appeals process is unsuccessful, a convicted person may pursue other options........like a pardon? WOW, who would have thought.