North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) on Tuesday commuted the death sentences of 15 inmates to life in prison without the possibility of parole, coinciding with New Year’s Eve and his final day in office.
“These reviews are among the most difficult decisions a Governor can make, and the death penalty is the most severe sentence that the state can impose,” Cooper released in a statement.
No inmate has been executed in the state since 2006 due to ongoing litigation.
“After thorough review, reflection, and prayer, I concluded that the death sentence imposed on these 15 people should be commuted, while ensuring they will spend the rest of their lives in prison.”
The inmates or representatives petition for clemency following complicated convictions.
The state currently has 136 offenders on death row, and the Governor’s Clemency Office received petitions for clemency from 89 of them.
Many of those inmates petitioned under the Racial Justice Act of 2009, which allowed inmates to seek resentencing in cases of racial bias demonstrated in legal proceedings leading to a death penalty conviction.
Cooper said he selected a small group of inmates for commutations due to various factors, including a defendant’s mental capacity at the time of the crime, behavior while incarcerated and legal representation offered, amid other factors.
His decision comes days after President Biden commuted the sentence of federal inmates on death row.
The North Carolina inmates pardoned included:
