RALEIGH, N.C. — In a significant move as he nears the end of his tenure, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper commuted the death sentences of 15 individuals found guilty of first-degree murder, changing their sentences to life imprisonment without the chance of parole. This decision has resulted in a more than 10% decrease in the number of inmates on death row in the state.
Cooper, who is not eligible for a third consecutive term, will officially pass the reins to fellow Democrat Josh Stein on Wednesday. Previously serving as attorney general for 16 years, Cooper stated that the decision to grant clemency followed a careful evaluation of petitions presented by the defendants, as well as feedback from both prosecutors and the families of victims.
Before these sentences were commuted, North Carolina had a total of 136 inmates on death row. Cooper’s office reported that it received clemency petitions from 89 of those individuals. In making these decisions, various aspects were taken into account, including an inmate’s behavior while incarcerated, the quality of legal representation they received, and the sentences of their co-defendants.
Cooper expressed the gravity of these decisions, remarking, “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.” He emphasized that after extensive consideration and reflection, he felt it was justified to commute the sentences for these 15 individuals, while ensuring they remain imprisoned for life.
According to the Death Penalty Information Center, North Carolina is one of 27 states in the U.S. that maintains the death penalty as a form of punishment, although governors in five of those states have currently halted executions. While North Carolina isn’t one of those states, no executions have taken place there since 2006.
In recent years, the number of individuals sentenced to death in North Carolina has significantly declined, as the laws give prosecutors more discretion on pursuing capital cases. Even after this latest commutation, North Carolina continues to hold the fifth-largest death row population in the country, as reported by the North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.
While some abolitionist groups had called for a blanket commutation for all prisoners on death row, they acknowledged Cooper’s decision as a historic act of clemency. Notably, records show that 13 of the 15 individuals whose sentences were commuted are Black, with conviction dates ranging from 1993 to 2011.
Chantal Stevens, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, praised Cooper’s actions, stating, “He joins the ranks of a group of courageous leaders who used their executive authority to address the failed death penalty.” Stevens added that North Carolina’s death penalty has been tainted by racial biases and questioned its moral standing, asserting that the Governor’s actions signal a shift towards more equitable justice.
Cooper, gaining national attention this year, was briefly considered as a potential running mate for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Stein, who will take over as governor, had previously succeeded Cooper as attorney general in 2017 and his office plays a role in handling death penalty appeals.
Among those whose sentences were commuted is Hasson Bacote, convicted of first-degree murder in 2009 in Johnston County. Bacote had been contesting his death sentence through the 2009 Racial Justice Act, which allowed for the commutation of death sentences on the grounds of racial bias. Although the act was repealed in 2013, a state Supreme Court ruling allowed many on death row to use it retroactively.
Bacote’s hearing, based on this legislation, was seen as a crucial case. Advocacy groups supporting his fight for justice anticipate further developments given the significant public interest surrounding his situation.
Another individual granted clemency, Guy LeGrande, had been slated for execution in late 2006 until a judge intervened, citing his severe mental health issues. LeGrande was convicted for the 1993 murder of a woman in Stanly County, who had been targeted at the request of her estranged husband seeking insurance money.
Christopher Roseboro, sentenced for the murder and sexual assault of a 72-year-old woman in Gastonia in 1992, is also among those whose sentences were commuted.
In addition, Governor Cooper recently announced the commutation of sentences for two additional murder convicts, making them eligible for immediate parole. One of these individuals has served 34 years, while the other has been incarcerated for 27 years.
