RALEIGH, N.C. — In a significant move, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has shortened the sentences of six inmates in state prisons, with five of them having been convicted of murder. Additionally, two individuals were granted pardons related to wrongful convictions, enabling them to pursue financial compensation from the North Carolina Industrial Commission.
Among the pardons, Mark Crotts was recognized; he had been found guilty of murdering an elderly couple in Alamance County back in 1990. Crotts spent two years in prison until a court later overturned his convictions, leading to his acquittal in a retrial.
Darron Carmon also received a pardon. He had been convicted in 1994 of robbery with a weapon at a convenience store in Pitt County and had spent over seven years behind bars. Now a pastor, Carmon always maintained his innocence, and in 2022, a judge vacated his conviction upon the discovery of new evidence.
The commutations granted to four individuals stemmed from recommendations put forth by a specialized board that Governor Cooper established during his second term. This board scrutinizes petitions from those sentenced for crimes committed while they were minors.
Two more cited cases of commutation involved offenders sentenced to life without the chance of parole in the 1990s. Existing laws allowed for a possible review of their sentences after 25 years by a trial judge and the state parole commission, despite that law being repealed for future cases. Cooper’s office noted that this legislation still affects those convicted during that particular timeframe.
“I take very seriously the obligation to thoroughly evaluate cases when acting on executive clemency,” Cooper stated in a press release. “Each of these individuals is deserving of this clemency, and we will continue our efforts to ensure community safety while enhancing the fairness of our criminal justice system.”
The individuals commuted based on recommendations from the Juvenile Sentence Review Board include George Lesane, age 47, who has spent over 30 years in prison for the murder of Larry McCormick in Robeson County; Donte Santiago, age 40, who has served more than 23 years for the murder of Frederick Howell in Onslow County; Kirston Angell, age 35, who has been incarcerated for 17 years for the murder of Bobby Boles and for injuring two others in Davie County; and Terence Smith, age 42, who has been imprisoned for nearly 25 years for a robbery incident that injured three individuals in Forsyth County.
Lesane and Smith are set to be released on November 27. Santiago is eligible for parole immediately, while Angell will be eligible in January 2027, according to information from Cooper’s office.
As for the additional two commutations, these were based on recommendations from judges and the parole board. They were awarded to Penny Jarrett, age 60, who has served 27 years of a life sentence without parole for the murder of Henry Draughn in Guilford County, and Jesse Graham, age 71, who has spent 26 years in prison for the murder of Jimmy Harris, also in Guilford County. Both Jarrett and Graham are immediately eligible for parole.
Cooper’s press release detailed the various rehabilitation programs and activities that each of the six individuals has engaged in while incarcerated, showcasing their commitment to personal growth and reform during their time in prison.