The power to grant executive clemency is established by the Constitution of Arkansas. Executive clemency is an act of mercy given at the sole discretion of the Governor. There is no standards upon which he/she must rely to decide who may or may not receive clemency. The Governor bases his/her decision on each file as submitted to him/her without any preconceived notions or biases. He/She gives each individual file careful consideration, as it is his duty to do under the Constitution.
Since 1999, James Strother was eligible for parole but denied executive clemency from several governors, including Mike Huckabee, Mike Beebe, and Asa Hutchinson.