By Ramneet Singh
RALEIGH, NC – North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper provided commutations and “pardons of forgiveness” to 10 individuals in state prisons, stating a desire to “improve the ‘fairness of our justice system.’”
The governor’s statement features a short description for each case and provides links to the court documentation for the commuted sentences and the pardons. At the end, the release elaborates on what a pardon entails.
Those whose sentences were commuted were Donnie Parker, Benjamin Williams, Kolanda Wooten, Joey Graham, TiShekka Cain and Janet Danahey.
Those who were pardoned were Stefany Lewis, Cathy Grimes, Eric Colburn, and Brenda French.
The youngest of this group was 37 years old.
The statement listed the reasons for imprisonment, with four relating to murder, with variations, and one involving “a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.”
Forty-four-year old Williams, for instance, “served 28 years for his role at age 16 in the murder of Kenneth L. Freeman in Edgecombe County.”
There were drug related charges, including additional offenses for some cases. Sixty-seven-year-old Grimes “was convicted of possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine in Wayne County in 1979.”
Additionally, the basis for these commuted sentences or pardons vary.
The public statement stated there was an “intensive review of cases, including the circumstances of the crimes, length of the sentences, records in prison and readiness to reenter communities successfully after prison.”
“Ensuring fairness in our justice system through executive clemency is a responsibility I take seriously,” said Gov. Cooper. “We carefully consider research and recommendations made by the Juvenile Sentence Review Board to commute sentences for crimes committed by minors.”
The governor added, “All of these individuals are deserving of clemency and we will continue to work to protect our communities and improve the fairness of our justice system.”
The Juvenile Sentence Review Board can be credited for helping Parkers and Williams.
In the case of Parker, the press statement notes he “has been consistently employed and has successfully participated in work release.” It was also noted that Williams obtained “his G.E.D. and trade qualifications.”
With a focus on employment, the release also mentioned that “Graham is an Air Force veteran,” Colburn is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Grimes is a licensed nurse. There is additional description for others.
For the commuted sentences, the first five individuals listed had their sentences “commuted to time served.” There is mention of projected or scheduled release dates, such as Parker whose “projected release date would have been in August 2024.”
For Danahey, it was established that her “sentence was commuted to make her parole eligible on Jan. 1, 2023.”
The “Commutation Order” noted “it has been made to appear to me that this case is one fit for a Commutation.
It also included conditions. An example of one of those conditions is “she shall not commit any felony, Class A1 misdemeanor, or impaired driving offense under the laws of the United States of America or any of its States or Territories.”
There is mention of timing related to those conditions.
For the “Pardon of Forgiveness Order,” a part of it stated that their “record since these convictions has been one of responsible civic behavior and community service.”
It is mentioned the cases “were reviewed by the Office of Executive Clemency, the Office of General Counsel and the Governor.”
