They admitted to Killing Officer Gibson. He confronted them during a drug deal.
On April 25, 1998, in Waverly, Virginia, police officer Allen Gibson was gunned down in the woods behind the Waverly Village apartment complex. Within a month, Ferrone Claiborne and Terence Richardson became suspects in the case and were eventually charged with Gibson’s murder.
Fearing the death penalty, they took a plea deal on lesser charges in state court. Ferrone walked out with a misdemeanor. Later, the case went to a federal court, and the jury found them not guilty of murder. Yet, at sentencing for a drug charge, the judge tacked on the murder convictions in state court to put them away for life.
Governor Youngkin said in a statement that he was “beyond outraged and in utter disbelief that President Biden would announce clemency for Ferrone Claiborne and Terence Richardson—two men who admitted [to] being responsible [for] brutally killing Officer Allen Gibson, a hero and dedicated servant to our community,” said Youngkin. “What makes this even more unconscionable is the Biden U.S Attorney advised the White House not to commute these sentences as they are violent offenders.
“The pain and sorrow this clemency causes the Gibson family is unimaginable. To know that the men who took Officer Gibson’s life will walk free is not just a grave injustice—it is a heartbreaking blow to those who continue to mourn his sacrifice. This is despicable; a grim day for justice and for the families who trust that our system will hold the guilty accountable.”
The statement released by Attorney General Jason Miyares:
“If the Democrats intend to build their vision of social justice on a pile of dead law enforcement officers, they could send no stronger message than the one they sent today,” said Miyares. “The decision not to pardon but merely commute the sentence of Terence Richardson only supports our position that he is, in fact, guilty of manslaughter. This office will continue to exhaust itself in seeking justice for the family of Officer Allen Gibson and ensuring that those involved are held to account.”
Read more on the Memorial Page.
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