Roy Cooper Addresses Prisoner Release Controversy
Former North Carolina governor and Democratic Senate candidate Roy Cooper acknowledged that there is significant frustration regarding his administration’s decision not to release more prisoners. This response came after CNN journalist Manu Raju posed questions about whether Cooper had any regrets concerning a court-ordered agreement that aimed to reduce the prison population during the pandemic.
Raju asked, “Looking back at how your administration managed this situation—do you have any regrets over the settlement that led to the early release of around 3,500 prisoners?” Cooper replied, “This was something mandated by the state due to a court order, and I think many of the plaintiffs felt that not enough prisoners were released.”
His remarks followed reports indicating that Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley has been focusing his campaign on attacking Cooper’s crime record, criticizing the details surrounding the court settlement. Whatley even suggested that the true number of prisoners released could exceed 4,200.
According to Breitbart News, in 2021, Cooper, alongside left-leaning groups, agreed to a settlement that allowed for the release of 3,500 convicted criminals from state prisons. There were claims that Cooper provided various justifications for the release of violent offenders, which some felt were misleading. Initially, prison officials had stated that only prisoners with sentences ending within 2021 would qualify for early release, which was later clarified as potentially involving violent offenders.
Cooper defended his administration’s actions, stating, “We aimed to ensure public safety, and it was public safety officers who made these decisions while following the precedent set by the Trump administration.” He pointed out that Trump’s administration had released thousands of prisoners during the COVID period.
The conversation took a turn, with Cooper accusing Republicans of misrepresenting the facts surrounding cases linked to these releases. He insisted, “I’m the one who has prosecuted violent criminals and kept them behind bars.” In a previous campaign event, he claimed that independent fact-checks had shown many of the criticisms against him were false, asserting that he was unique in having prosecuted violent offenders actively.
However, records indicate that Cooper indeed settled a lawsuit that resulted in the release of at least 3,500 prisoners—making him the only governor in the U.S. to enter a legally binding agreement for such an action, which ultimately led to the release of 4,200 individuals.
Breitbart also noted that during his tenure, Cooper vetoed legislation that would have enhanced cooperation with ICE detainers, increased penalties for rioting, and moved more juvenile offenses into the adult justice system.
