Willie Horton all over again?

You might have missed the horrific, chilling news yesterday that four police officers were killed while they sat drinking coffee and preparing for their shifts in Washington state early Sunday morning.

As horrifying as that news is -- and it is truly horrifying, considering that these officers were clearly targeted and, in the words of one police spokesman, "executed" -- it gets worse.

CNN reports:

The man wanted for questioning in the fatal shooting of four police officers at a coffee shop had his 95-year prison sentence commuted by then-Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, authorities said late Sunday.

The sheriff's office in Pierce County, where the ambush occurred Sunday morning, have not identified Maurice Clemmons as a suspect, but said it is looking for him as part of its investigation.

Arkansas officials told the sheriff's office that Clemmons is the same person who received clemency from Huckabee in 2001, said sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer.

Repeat after me: Willie Horton. Click here if you need an explanation because you A) weren't old enough to see the commercials that cost a candidate the presidency of the United States and/or B) didn't pay attention in your civics or American History classes.

Predictably -- and understandably, given the Willie Horton story -- Huckabee's camp is trying to at least spread the blame around, if it is unsuccessful in deflecting it:

"Should (Clemons) be found responsible for this horrible tragedy, it will be the result of a series of failures in the criminal justice system in both Arkansas and Washington state," Huckabee's office said in a statement Sunday night.

What are we dealing with here?

Clemmons, 37, of Pierce County has an "extensive violent criminal history from Arkansas, including aggravated robbery and theft," the sheriff's department said in a statement.

He also was recently charged in Pierce County in the assault of a police officer and rape of a child, according to the statement ...

Huckabee cited Clemmons' young age -- 17 at the time of his sentencing -- when he announced his decision to commute the sentence, according to newspaper articles ...

Huckabee's office said Clemmons' commutation was based on the recommendation of the parole board that determined that he met the conditions for early release.

"He was arrested later for parole violation and taken back to prison to serve his full term, but prosecutors dropped the charges that would have held him," the statement said.

CNN could not immediately confirm the account. But the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper reported that soon after his release in 2001, Clemmons was arrested for aggravated robbery and theft.

He was taken back to prison for parole violation. But, said the paper, he was not served with the arrest warrants for the robbery and theft charges until he left prison three years later.

His attorney argued the charges should be dismissed because too much time had passed by then. And prosecutors dropped the charges.

LEGAL SIDEBAR: There is a chance, of course, that this Maurice Clemmons had nothing to do with the murders of these police officers. If that's the case, then I'll look forward to the news that he's turned himself in for questioning ... sooner than quick. END LEGAL SIDEBAR

But even if he didn't do this ... WHY WAS THIS GUY EVEN OUT???

After serving several months in jail on a pending charge of second-degree rape of a child, Clemmons was released on bond six days ago, according to the Seattle Times.

There just aren't enough adjectives for the senselessness of this story and the fury I feel about it. That's right -- fury. Outrage. A lot of it.

Four police officers were murdered in a calculated manuever perpetrated in cold blood. Two were shot as they sat at their table, one as he stood up to confront the shooter. The fourth wrestled the killer out the door before suffering the fatal shot.

But as horrible as that is, it gets worse.

These four officers had nine children among them.

Seven little ones have lost their daddies. Two will never see their mom again.

Three spouses, and one ex-spouse, are left to pick up the pieces.

Mike Huckabee, that pansy statement isn't going to do. Right now, the only word that I remember from your statement is FAILURE.

A police spokesman says there is evidence that one of the officers "fired some shots and we hope he hit (the suspect)."

Part of me hopes so, too.

The other part thinks that would be letting him off too easy.