Emergency Answer Needed

[L Verge]

1869 via Presidential Pardon from Andrew Johnson. Dr. Mudd's pardon came as a result of the prisoners and guards at Ft. Jefferson pleading on behalf of his humanitarian actions during the yellow fever outbreak there. I suspect that President Johnson was also tired of hearing pleas from Mrs. Mudd. He also did it as a snub to the Radicals, who were irritating him a bit. The pardon had nothing to do with Johnson considering his guilt or innocence in the assassination conspiracy. At least one other judge had weighed in keeping Mudd incarcerated before the pardon even appeared on the "docket."

Samuel Arnold and Edman Spangler were sort of freed as part of the deal. Michael O'Laughlen had died in prison. John Surratt's judgment was made in the courts before Johnson issued his pardon of the others. There really was no final judgment. The gov't just decided to declare any further attempts to try him as "nolle process."