RALEIGH, N.C. — Hours after Democratic President Joe Biden commuted the death sentences of nearly everyone on federal death row, North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper announced his own pardons and commutations — although not as sweeping as Biden’s, and involving none of North Carolina’s 136 death row inmates.
Federal death row is smaller, since most murder cases are handled at the state level. Of the 40 people on death row in federal prisons, Biden commuted the sentences of 37 of them, giving them new sentences of life in prison.
Commutations can take many forms. In North Carolina, Cooper announced six commutations Monday. Two of the people will be released next month. The other four might never be released but will have the chance to go up for parole now, due to Cooper’s orders.
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