Cooper commutes 15 death row inmates' sentences on last day as governor

One of Gov. Roy Cooper's final actions in office was to commute the death penalty sentences of 15 men on death row in North Carolina state prison. They will now serve a life sentence instead.
Posted 1/1/2025, 4:23:40 AM Updated 1/1/2025, 1:58:05 PM

DAYS OF 2025. AND WHEN WE'LL

SEE THE NEXT ROUND OF

PRECIPITATION GERALD. ALL

RIGHT, MIKE, THANK YOU. TODAY

GOVERNOR ROY COOPER COMMUTED

THE SENTENCES OF 15 PEOPLE ON

NORTH CAROLINA'S DEATH ROW.

NO ONE HAS BEEN EXECUTED IN THE

STATE SINCE 2006 INCLUDED ON

THAT LIST, HASSAN BAY CO THE

MAN WHO ARGUE THAT RACE PLAYED

A ROLE IN HIS SENTENCING NEARLY

2 DECADES AGO. WR IS DESTINY.

PATERSON TALKED TO HIS LEGAL

TEAM AND EXPLAINS HOW THE

GOVERNOR CHOSE WHICH SENTENCES

TO COMMUTE.

>> AFTER FIGHTING FOR THIS VERY

OUTCOME IN COURT. HE'S ON THE

CODE NO LONGER FACES EXECUTION

FOR HIS CRIMES. HE WAS

RELIEVED. HE WAS VERY, VERY

HAPPY. INSTEAD ON HIS LAST DAY

IN OFFICE, GOVERNOR ROY COOPER

COMMUTED THE CODE SENTENCE TO

LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE.

HIS NAME LISTED NEXT TO 14

OTHERS. THIS IS A VERY HISTORIC

DECISION. THE CODE WAS

PREVIOUSLY SENTENCED TO DEATH

FOR THE 2007 DEATH OF ANTHONY

SEARLES DURING A ROBBERY

ATTEMPT. THE COACH AND HIS

ATTORNEYS ARGUE THAT RACIAL

BIAS IN THE JURY SELECTION

PROCESS AFFECTED HIS FATE,

CERTAINLY. AND WE FELT THAT

SOME OF THE EVIDENCE ABOUT

MISTER, THAT HELPS BACKGROUND.

AND THE RACIAL BIAS THAT

PLAYING OUT IN HIS FILE,

POTENTIAL INJURY SELECTION, BUT

>> WAS VERY STRONG. BUT YOURS

IS MOTHER TOLD ME TODAY SHE

WISHED THE CODE SENTENCE NEVER

CHANGED.

>> A NORTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN

PARTY SPOKESMAN SAID COOPER IS

MORE CONCERNED WITH APPEALING

TO QUELL LEFT-WING DONORS.

DIG IS COOPER EYES HIS NEXT

POLITICAL MOVE. THE GOVERNOR

SAID HE CONSIDERED SEVERAL

FACTORS INCLUDING POTENTIAL

RACIAL INFLUENCES ON THE CASE,

CREDIBLE CLAIMS OF INNOCENCE

AND MENTAL AND INTELLECTUAL

CAPACITY OF THE DEFENDANT.

IT 121 PEOPLE ARE STILL

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