JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — In a significant move towards justice, Mississippi's Governor Tate Reeves has granted clemency to Maurice Taylor, a man whose prison sentence was years longer than the maximum penalty for his crime. This announcement came just weeks after his brother, Marcus Taylor, was similarly granted clemency for an illegal sentence.
Governor Reeves stated that Maurice Taylor received a sentence more than three times longer than what Mississippi law allows for conspiracy to sell a Schedule III substance, which carries a maximum penalty of five years. Maurice was sentenced to 20 years, with five years suspended, while Marcus was sentenced to 15 years.
“When justice is denied to even one Mississippian, it is denied to us all,” Reeves emphasized in his announcement.
Both brothers had accepted plea bargains in February 2015, pleading guilty to conspiracy to sell hydrocodone acetaminophen. The Mississippi Court of Appeals found that Marcus's sentence was illegal, leading to his release after further hearings in November.
Following Maurice's clemency grant, he must be released within five days, as directed by Governor Reeves. This correction is seen as long overdue by advocates, highlighting systemic issues in Mississippi's criminal justice system. The Mississippi Impact Coalition expressed gratitude for the clemency while calling for broader reforms to prevent such injustices in the future.
As of now, the Taylor brothers are the only individuals to have received clemency from Governor Reeves.
