RALEIGH, N.C. — In a significant move just before leaving office, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper commuted the death sentences of 15 convicted murderers to life in prison without parole, effectively reducing the state’s death row population by over 10%.
With Cooper stepping down, fellow Democrat Josh Stein will be inaugurated on Wednesday, marking a transition in state leadership.
Cooper, who served as North Carolina’s Attorney General for 16 years, stated that his decision was made after careful consideration of petitions from defendants, alongside feedback from prosecutors and the victims’ families.
Before this commutation, there were 136 inmates on death row in North Carolina, with clemency petitions submitted for 89 of them. “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 remarked. “After thorough review, reflection, and prayer, I concluded that the death sentence imposed on these 15 people should be commuted, ensuring they will spend the rest of their lives in prison.”
North Carolina is one of 27 states that maintain the death penalty, though five of those states have currently halted executions. Despite not being one of those states, North Carolina has not carried out an execution since 2006.
The number of death sentences has been declining over the years, with prosecutors granted more discretion on capital cases. While significant strides have been made, North Carolina still has the fifth-largest death row in the nation, according to the North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.
Although some advocacy groups have called for the complete commutation of all death row sentences, they still recognized Cooper’s actions as a historic step towards reform. Notably, out of the 15 inmates receiving clemency, 13 are identified as Black, with their conviction dates spanning from 1993 to 2011.
In a recognition of Cooper’s statewide influence, he recently garnered national attention as a potential running mate for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Chantal Stevens, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, commended Cooper’s decision, stating, “The Governor’s actions today pave the way for our state to move towards a new era of justice.”
Among those benefiting from the commutation is Hasson Bacote, convicted in 2009 of first-degree murder, who had challenged his sentence under the Racial Justice Act. Although that law was repealed in 2013, the state Supreme Court allowed retroactive applications for many current death row inmates. Bacote’s hearing served as a critical test case.
Another notable case involves Guy LeGrande, initially set for execution in late 2006. His conviction in Stanly County involved a murder connected to a life insurance payout. LeGrande’s defense cited mental illness as a factor. Christopher Roseboro, whose sentence was also commuted, was convicted of murder and rape in the tragic death of a 72-year-old woman in Gastonia.
In a related announcement, President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row last week, replacing their capital punishments with life imprisonment.
