In a move that seems to signal a new trend in the state, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper granted clemency to eight individuals, including pardons of innocence to two men wrongfully convicted of felony crimes and sentence commutations for six offenders, most of whom were convicted of murder. The pardons, given to Mark Crotts and Darron Carmon, enable them to seek compensation for their wrongful imprisonment. The commutations included cases recommended by a special board reviewing crimes committed by minors, as well as offenders sentenced under now-repealed laws allowing sentence reviews after 25 years. Governor Cooper highlighted the importance of fairness and rehabilitation in these clemency decisions, with several individuals becoming parole-eligible or scheduled for release soon.
