Mississippi Governor Grants Clemency to Man Sentenced Over Maximum for Crime
A man in Mississippi has received clemency after being sentenced to an illegal prison term that exceeded the maximum allowed for his crime—a situation that arose just weeks after his brother was pardoned for a similar case.
Governor Tate Reeves announced that he would pardon Marcus Taylor, Maurice’s brother, after previously ordering Marcus’s release this month.
Back in February 2015, the Taylor brothers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell hydrocodone and acetaminophen, substances classified as Schedule III drugs.
The Mayo Clinic notes that this combination is typically used for managing severe pain where other medications have failed or cannot be used.
During their sentencing, the law stipulated that the maximum penalty for selling a Schedule III substance was five years. Yet, Maurice was handed a 20-year sentence, suspended after five years, while Marcus received 15 years.
“Like his brother, Maurice Taylor received more than three times the sentence allowed under Mississippi law,” Reeves emphasized in a statement. “When one person faces injustice, it affects us all.”
The Mississippi Court of Appeals ruled in May that Marcus’s sentence was unlawful, but because he missed the deadline for post-conviction relief, it could not immediately be reduced. However, after a review in November, the court changed its stance and ordered his release.
In his order issued Wednesday, Reeves mentioned that Maurice Taylor’s attorney reached out to his office weeks prior, providing necessary legal documents. According to this order, Maurice must be released within five days.
The Mississippi Impact Coalition, an advocate for criminal justice reform, commented on social media, saying, “This correction should have been made decades ago. It is disheartening that getting justice for one twin required such persistent advocacy when the other was still behind bars.”
As of now, the brothers remain the only individuals who have received pardons from Reeves.
