In brief
Maurice Taylor has been granted clemency by Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves after being sentenced to an illegal term of 20 years for conspiracy to sell a controlled substance, exceeding the five-year maximum penalty. The decision aligns with a previous clemency granted to his brother, Marcus Taylor, who also faced an unjust sentence. Advocates highlight the necessity of addressing such injustices in the state's legal system.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A man handed an illegal prison sentence that was years longer than the maximum penalty for his crime has been granted clemency by Mississippi’s governor, weeks after the man’s brother received clemency for a similar sentence. Governor Tate Reeves announced Wednesday that he was granting clemency to Maurice Taylor after ordering the man’s brother, Marcus Taylor, to be freed earlier this month.In February 2015, both brothers accepted plea bargains and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell hydrocodone acetaminophen. At the time of the brothers’ sentencing, the maximum penalty for their crime was five years; yet, Maurice was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while Marcus received 15 years.“Like his brother, Maurice Taylor received a sentence more than three times longer than allowed under Mississippi law,” Reeves stated. “When justice is denied to even one Mississippian, it is denied to us all.”In May, the Mississippi Court of Appeals ruled that Marcus’s sentence was illegal but previously did not commute it due to procedural issues. After re-evaluation in November, the court ordered his release. Maurice, whose counsel only recently contacted Reeves’ office, must be released within five days.The Mississippi Impact Coalition remarked, “This correction should have happened decades ago... It shouldn’t have taken relentless advocacy, public pressure, and the glaring contrast of one twin free while the other remained incarcerated to expose this injustice.” The brothers are now the only individuals to receive clemency from Reeves.
