President Donald Trump has given his all to former Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers convicted in connection with the death of Karon Hilton Brown, 20, who was chased and killed by one of his officers in 2020. granted a pardon.
President Trump on Wednesday night announced full and unconditional pardons for former police officer Terrence Sutton and former Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Andrew Zabowski.
“I nominate hereI direct and authorize the Pardon Attorney to sign on my behalf the grant of pardon for the persons named herein. “The pardon attorney shall declare that her acts were the acts of the President and were done at my direction,” President Trump declared in both pardons.
In the release published Prosecutors said then-President Joe Biden's Justice Department in September 2024 arrested Sutton on the night of Oct. 23, 2020, after Hilton Brown, who was driving a moped, refused to stop for Sutton. It was announced that the suspect had been tracked down by a vehicle pursuit. WUSA reported The chase was a departure from Metropolitan Police Department policy.
At the end of the pursuit, Sutton followed Hilton-Brown down a narrow alley and turned off his lights and siren, prosecutors said. Sutton accelerated and as Hilton-Brown exited the road at the end of the alley, he was struck by a third vehicle that was not part of the pursuit, according to the release.
Sutton was found guilty of second-degree murder. Both Mr. Biden and Mr. Zabowski were found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct justice, which jurors determined was a conspiracy “to conceal from law enforcement officials the circumstances of the traffic accident that led to the death of Mr. Hilton Brown.” said a statement from the Biden Justice Department. Mr. Sutton was sentenced to 66 months in prison in September 2024, and Mr. Zabowski was sentenced to 48 months in prison.
At a press conference Wednesday alongside tech leaders announcing $5 trillion in investments in America's artificial intelligence infrastructure, President Trump hinted he intended to pardon both men.
We're actually going to send two officers…I think they're from DC, and we've just approved them. They were arrested for chasing illegal criminals and sent to prison for five years. And something must have happened, something went wrong, and they arrested two police officers for going after criminals, rough criminals, and they put them in jail. road.
“On the day of her death, Ms. Hilton Brown was identified as a member of the KDY, or Kennedy Street Crew, gang in a 'beat book' prepared by the D.C. Police Department's Intelligence Division,” documents filed by one of Ms. Sutton's attorneys said. It has been confirmed that.” ,WUSA reported.
Attorney J. Michael Hannon said: “At trial, another officer had noted Hilton-Brown's suspicious behavior earlier in the day, and Sutton and Zabowski said he had been to Brightwood that night to retaliate after an altercation.'' “He said he believed he had returned to the park,” the newspaper said. Exit.
NBC News Washington obtained A representative for Mr. Zabowski issued a statement expressing gratitude to Mr. Trump.
“Lieutenant. Andrew Zabowski appreciates President Donald J. Trump's decision to grant him a full and unconditional pardon,” the statement said.
