‘A bit opaque’ and confidential: Behind Illinois’ gubernatorial pardon process – Capitol News IL

Jerame Simmons got his long-held wish in December when he became the chief of the fire department that dismissed him 24 years ago after he was charged with setting fire to a vacant house and attempting to burn down his high school. It took a prosecutor’s dismissal of a serious felony arson charge, a plea deal to get rid of two other felonies, misdemeanor charges wiped from his record, dismissed domestic violence charges and a limited police investigation into a gun charge to help make it happen. But it was a pardon from Gov. JB Pritzker that finally cleared the way for Simmons to become the full-time, paid fire chief for the Prairie Du Pont Fire Department.