In a significant move, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has commuted the death sentences of 15 individuals convicted of murder to life in prison without parole, effectively reducing the state’s death row population by over 10%. This momentous decision came on New Year’s Eve, just before Cooper hands over the office to incoming Democratic governor Josh Stein on January 1.

Cooper, who is completing his term and was previously barred from seeking a third consecutive term, emphasized the thoroughness of his review process. His office considered 89 clemency petitions, taking into account various factors including the particulars of each case, input from victims’ families, and the potential impact of racial bias in sentencing. “These reviews are among the most difficult decisions a Governor can make,” Cooper stated, highlighting the seriousness of his actions and the nature of the death penalty as the "most severe sentence that the state can impose” [AP News].

Before the commutations, North Carolina's death row housed 136 inmates, with the commutation marking a notable action as it still retains the fifth-largest death row in the nation. Despite being among 27 states that uphold the death penalty, North Carolina has not executed anyone since 2006 due to ongoing legal challenges and changing sentiments regarding capital punishment [NPR].

Opponents of capital punishment have expressed their support for Cooper’s decision, viewing it as a critical step towards addressing systemic inequalities within the justice system. Remarkably, 14 of the 15 individuals whose sentences were commuted are people of color, and their convictions span from 1993 to 2011, many reflecting on the historical context of race within North Carolina’s judicial proceedings [The Guardian].

Among those granted clemency is Hasson Bacote, who challenged his death sentence under the Racial Justice Act. Even though the Act was repealed in 2013, recent judicial interpretations allow many current death row inmates to leverage its provisions retroactively. Bacote’s case represents a significant inquiry into the racial biases present in jury selections and sentencing, as noted by advocates for clemency. “His case revealed a deep entanglement between the death penalty and North Carolina’s history,” remarked Shelagh Kenney from the Center for Death Penalty Litigation [ACLU].

Another individual, Christopher Roseboro, who was convicted in a 1992 murder and rape case, faced claims of intellectual disability and ineffective legal representation. His sentence reflects the ongoing debates surrounding mental health and legal accountability within capital cases.

This historic act of clemency echoes similar recent actions at the federal level, where President Joe Biden commuted sentences for 37 out of 40 federal death row inmates, signaling a broader shift in attitudes towards capital punishment across the United States.

North Carolina's decision underscores the growing recognition of the complexities surrounding the death penalty and the urgent calls for justice reform that highlight issues of race, innocence, and equitable treatment under the law.