Roy Cooper's Commutations: A Betrayal of Trust and Duty

The Washington Free Beacon recently ran a story about Senate candidate and Democrat Governor Roy Cooper. The Washington Free Beacon reported that on Governor Cooper's final day in office as North Carolina's governor, he made a decision that shocked many across the state. He commuted the sentences of 15 convicted killers on death row, changing their punishments to life without parole. This move blindsided the families of victims, who felt betrayed and unheard.

Before leaving office on December 31, 2024, Governor Cooper announced in a press release that he had consulted with the families of the victims connected to the 15 men whose death sentences he commuted. However, this claim was met with disbelief and anger from many families, who said they had never been contacted.

For example, the family of Michael Miller, murdered in 1998 by Cerron Hooks, was stunned to learn that Hooks was spared from death row. Hooks had been convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Miller’s family expressed deep disappointment and shock, saying the governor’s decision blindsided them.

Similarly, the family of Nelson Shuford, one of two victims in a 1991 double homicide, was caught off guard when Nathan Bowie, the convicted killer, was removed from death row. Ruby Shuford, Nelson’s sister-in-law, told WSOC-TV, “I really don’t know what to say. We wanted him to stay on there, but they took him off.” These reactions highlight the emotional toll and sense of betrayal that victims’ families feel.

Roy Cooper is presenting himself as a tough-on-crime governor, but his record tells a very different story. One of his notable acts as the governor was eliminating cash bail for Class I misdemeanors statewide. Governor Cooper justified this move as necessary to reduce jail populations and address inequalities in the justice system.

However, this decision had dangerous and deadly consequences. For instance, Decarlos Brown, a career criminal released under the new bail policy, later murdered Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte subway train. This tragic case fueled criticism of Cooper’s policies and raised questions about his approach to reducing crime and ensuring public safety.

The commutations of death row inmates fit into Cooper’s approach to criminal justice. These moves are betrayals of victims and a disregard for justice.

Victims’ families and prosecutors condemned the commutations, arguing that they undermine justice and disrespect the memories of those lost. North Carolina GOP Communications Director Matt Mercer called Cooper “Radical Roy Cooper” and accused him of betraying families on his way out of office while misleading potential voters while campaigning for a Senate seat.

The debate over Roy Cooper’s commutations is far from over. As governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper was responsible for taking the victims of crimes into account, regarding his criminal justice policies and decisions by:

• Listening to the voices of victims’ families and understanding their pain and perspectives.

  
  

• Examining the data and outcomes of criminal justice reforms, including changes to bail policies and sentencing practices.

  
  

• Considering the reasoning and justification behind the death penalty.

  
  

• Understanding the impact of his decision, morally and politically, on the victims of the crimes committed by these convicted murderers, his commitment to his constituents to be tough on crime, and his political career.

Democrat Governor Roy Cooper failed his constituents and the victims of vicious crimes on all accounts. Now he is running to represent the citizens of North Carolina on a platform that includes being a candidate who is tough on crime. His record clearly contradicts this position.

The voting citizens of North Carolina must do what Democrat Governor Roy Cooper failed to do: We must be tough on crime by ensuring that he is not elected as a Senator.

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