JACKSON, Miss. — Maurice Taylor, a man who received an illegal prison sentence longer than the legal maximum for his crime, has been granted clemency by Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves. This announcement comes weeks after his brother, Marcus Taylor, was also granted clemency for a similar unjust sentence.
In February 2015, both brothers accepted plea bargains for conspiracy to sell hydrocodone acetaminophen, recognized as a Schedule III substance. While the legal maximum penalty for this offense was five years, Maurice Taylor was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with five years suspended. Similarly, Marcus received a 15-year sentence.
Governor Reeves, in his announcement, noted, Like his brother, Maurice Taylor received a sentence more than three times longer than allowed under Mississippi law. When justice is denied to even one Mississippian, it is denied to us all. The Mississippi Court of Appeals ruled in May that Marcus Taylor's sentence was illegal but initially denied his release due to a missed deadline for relief applications. However, following a rehearing, the court reversed its decision, allowing his release in November.
Following a recent appeal by Maurice Taylor's post-conviction counsel, which provided new legal documents, Governor Reeves ordered his release within five days. Advocates for criminal justice reform, including the Mississippi Impact Coalition, expressed that this correction was long overdue, emphasizing the need for systemic changes to prevent similar injustices in the future.
