In brief
In a significant decision, Governor Tate Reeves of Mississippi has granted clemency to Maurice Taylor, who was sentenced to an excessively long prison term for a drug-related crime. This decision comes after the governor had previously granted clemency to Maurice's brother, Marcus Taylor, who faced a similar unjust sentence. The Taylor brothers had both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell a Schedule III substance but received sentences far longer than the legal maximum. Advocates for criminal justice reform have expressed relief at this correction but highlighted the unnecessary advocacy that was needed to achieve it.
JACKSON, Miss. — A man handed an illegal prison sentence that was years longer than the maximum penalty for his crime has been granted clemency by Mississippi’s governor, weeks after the man’s brother received clemency for a similar sentence. Governor Tate Reeves announced Wednesday that he was granting clemency to Maurice Taylor after ordering the man’s brother, Marcus Taylor, to be freed earlier this month. In February 2015, both brothers accepted plea bargains and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell hydrocodone acetaminophen, a Schedule III substance. At the time of their sentencing, the maximum penalty for this offense was five years; Maurice’s sentence was set to 20 years, with five years suspended, while Marcus received 15 years. “Like his brother, Maurice Taylor received a sentence more than three times longer than allowed under Mississippi law,” Reeves stated. He indicated that justice is a collective issue and that the lengthy sentences of the brothers reflected a systemic failure. In May, the Mississippi Court of Appeals had ruled that Marcus Taylor's sentence was illegal, although it did not commute his sentence at the time due to a missed deadline for post-conviction relief. After reevaluation in November, he was ordered released. Reeves noted in his announcement that Maurice Taylor's post-conviction counsel recently contacted his office, leading to the clemency grant. Advocates for criminal justice reform, such as the Mississippi Impact Coalition, expressed satisfaction with the decision but lamented that such an action took extensive public advocacy and scrutiny to occur.
