Dec. 31 (UPI) — Outgoing North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday announced 15 commutations of the death penalty to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“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 said Tuesday in an online announcement.
“After thorough review, reflection and prayer, I concluded that the death sentence imposed on these 15 people should be commuted, while ensuring they will spend the rest of their lives in prison,” he said.
The respective convictions occurred as long ago as 1993 and as recently as 2011, while the affected inmates’ current ages range from 38 to 67.
The inmates who will serve life in prison without the possibility of parole instead of being executed include Hasson Bacote, 38, who was convicted in Johnson County in 2009; Iziah Barden, 67, who was convicted in Sampson County in 1999; Nathan Bowie, 53, who was convicted in Catawba County in 1993; Rayford Burke, 66, who was convicted in Iredell County in 1993; and Elrico Fowler, 49, who was convicted in Mecklenburg County in 1997.
Also having their death penalties commuted are Cerron Hooks, 46, who was convicted in Forsyth County in 2000; Guy LeGrande, 65, who was convicted in Stanly County in 1996; James Little, 38, who was convicted in Forsyth County in 2008; Robbie Locklear, 53, who was convicted in Robeson County in 1996; and Lawrence Peterson, 55, who was convicted in Richmond County in 1996.
William Robinson, 41, who was convicted in Stanly County in 2011; Christopher Roseboro, 60, who was convicted in Gaston County in 1997; Darrell Strickland, 66, who was convicted in Union County in 1995; Timothy White, 47, who was convicted in Forsyth County in 2000; and Vincent Wooten, 52, who was convicted in Pitt County in 1994, also had their death sentences commuted.
Cooper, a Democrat, was term limited after serving two terms as North Carolina’s governor and is being replaced by Josh Stein, a Democrat, who defeated North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson in the Nov. 5 general election.
Cooper also pardoned two people for their past criminal convictions and enabled two others eligible for immediate parole.
Cooper received 89 petitions seeking clemency for death row inmates by only granted 15 after consulting with respective local prosecutors and the family of respective victims.
The commutations leave North Carolina with 121 inmates on death row.
The state has not executed a prisoner since 2006, largely due to enactment of North Carolina’s Racial Justice Act of 2009.
The act allows inmates to petition the courts for re-sentencing if they can demonstrate racial bias as a factor in their convictions and resulting sentences.
Bacote is a Black man who was convicted of murder and sentenced to death by a jury comprised of 10 Caucasian and two Black jurors and filed a court challenge to his sentence.
The matter was before Superior Court Judge Wayland Sermons Jr. when Cooper commuted Bacote’s sentence.
