(WatchDogReport.org) – North Carolina Democratic Governor Roy Cooper commuted the sentence of a criminal on December 20 who was in prison since he was a teenager in connection with a fatal shooting and robbery. The liberal leader also issued pardons to four other criminals convicted of different types of crimes they committed in their youth
The commutation was granted to 42-year-old Darnell Cherry, who was convicted back in 1999 for burglary, second-degree murder, and many other counts connected to the death and robbery of Robert Edwards and Sonja Williams. According to state correction records and Cooper’s office, Cherry committed each of these crimes in Bertie County.
According to different reports, the commutation will officially take effect on January 3, 2024. It came after a recommendation from a special board that the governor created to check petitions from criminals who were sentenced to prison for crimes they committed while being younger than 18 years old. While Cherry was originally going to be released in 2035, his new release cited him for being “consistently employed” while in prison and for obtaining his trade qualifications and GED diploma.
Cooper’s office said that every pardon of forgiveness was issued to ex-offenders who also have records of community service and responsible civic behavior since their convictions. One of the ex-offenders who benefited from the measure was Flemming Ragas, who was convicted for possession of stolen goods, larceny, and breaking and entry in the Cumberland and Lee counties back in 1999. He served in the US military during the Iraq war.
Another pardon recipient is Samuel Fagg, who was convicted of possession with intent to deliver or sell cocaine in Wake County back in 2002. Cooper’s release papers said he has a doctoral degree and has even performed different scientific research.
Others who will receive pardons are Tramayne Hinton, who was convicted of robbery in 1998, and Portia Pittman, who was convicted by North Carolina police of accessory after an armed robbery incident in Orange County back in 2008.
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