Ellington

Starting today, the JFP will feature some of the stories of the people former Gov. Haley Barbour pardoned, in their own words.

Oktibbeha County, 2000

Lindsay Welch gave birth to a son in the bathroom of her Starkville home late at night on March 19, 1999. Welch, then a 19-year-old freshman at Mississippi State University, wrapped him in a towel and left him on the kitchen counter to go lie down. When she returned three hours later, the baby's hands were cold and his heart wasn't beating, she testified later.

For the next nine hours, she sat on her living room couch with a garbage bag beside her on the floor. "[T]he only thing that really came to my mind or maybe that didn't come to my mind, the only thing that I did was I put my son in a trash bag," she testified a her trial.

Then, on April 12, responding to an anonymous tipster, two Starkville police officers went to Welch's East Gillespie Street home and, inside a garbage bag on the curb, found an infant wrapped in towels. Welch was charged with capital murder on April 13 and found guilty of manslaughter by culpable negligence in August 2000. She was sentenced to eight years in prison. Gov. Haley Barbour granted Welch a full pardon on Jan. 10, 2012. In her pardon application, she wrote:

"The night I gave birth to my son was the most frightening situation I have ever been in, and I completely froze. I just could not form the rational thoughts to call for help, as everything happened so quickly. Even if help had come, my son would still not have been here today, which is more than enough to wake up to every day of my life.

"But with the way the local police and the media spun the incident, I received calls to my house and letters and had people tell me they wanted to see me die. Even though I knew they were not there that night and they did not see me holding my still quiet son while tears streamed down my face, I think maybe I agreed with them.

"I went back to school and finished my undergraduate and graduate degrees, and started looking for work. Luckily I was hired in a temporary position in Mississippi State University but even that took extreme personal favors to get past the felony on my record. After submitting over 150 applications, I've been extremely unsuccessful. The two interviews I have had ended by saying they cannot hire me because of company policy.

"While I know that nothing can ever change the circumstances of the night, and I will carry it with me forever, I've tried so hard to improve myself in the light of the world, but it seems like it is to no avail. Having heard the stories of people who abuse the welfare and disability systems, I strongly do not want to become one of those remain depending on others to work support myself. I have to believe in the midst of this callous world there are still people who have compassion and understanding. I am committed to move forward and contribute to society in a productive way without relying on others to carry me. Please help me put my life on track."

Read more about Barbour's pardons at barbourwatch.com.