President Donald Trump has granted pardons to two Washington, D.C. police officers, Terence Sutton and Andrew Zabavsky, who were convicted in connection with the 2020 death of Karon Hylton-Brown, a 20-year-old Black man. The decision, announced on January 22, 2025, comes as the officers were appealing their convictions and were not incarcerated at the time of the pardon.

The case stemmed from a police pursuit that ended in tragedy when Hylton-Brown, who was riding a moped without a helmet, was struck by an uninvolved motorist after being chased by Sutton for over ten blocks. Sutton had turned off his vehicle's emergency lights and siren during the chase, which prosecutors characterized as reckless and dangerous. In December 2022, Sutton was sentenced to five and a half years in prison after being found guilty of second-degree murder, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice. Zabavsky received a four-year sentence for his role in the conspiracy to conceal the circumstances surrounding Hylton-Brown's death. Both have maintained their innocence, claiming that their actions did not warrant such severe charges.

Defense attorneys for the officers expressed gratitude for Trump's decision, stating, "We are thrilled that President Trump ended this prosecution once and for all," according to Sutton's attorney, Kellen Dwyer. On the other hand, Hylton-Brown's mother, Karen Hylton, publicly expressed her heartbreak and urged Trump against granting the pardons, emphasizing the impact on her family and the call for justice.

The pardoning of Sutton and Zabavsky has reignited discussions about police accountability, especially in the context of the national protests against racial inequality and police brutality that followed the high-profile cases of police killings in recent years.

This decision aligns with Trump’s administration's approach to policing issues. Earlier, he had pardoned numerous individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots, which included some convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers. Trump's remarks leading up to the pardons noted his pride in supporting police officers, asserting, "I am the friend of police more than any president who’s ever been in this office," as he announced these recent clemencies.

The situation has drawn varied reactions, particularly from police unions, with the Fraternal Order of Police issuing a statement expressing disappointment over these pardons. For more details, visit The Hill, USA Today, and Reuters.