Mississippi Gov Reeves grants clemency to Marcus Taylor after illegal sentence

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Mississippi Man Illegally Sentenced to 15 Years to Walk Free After Gov. Grants Clemency

A man who was unlawfully sentenced to 15 years in prison for a crime that typically carries a maximum penalty of five years is finally set to regain his freedom. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves granted Marcus Taylor clemency on Wednesday, paving the way for his release.

Earlier this year, the Mississippi Court of Appeals deemed Taylor’s sentence illegal. However, at that time, they did not commute his sentence due to Taylor missing the deadline to apply for post-conviction relief. After a rehearing of the case last month, the court reversed its decision, ordering Taylor’s release.

Marcus Taylor's sentence was ruled illegal, but was not commuted in May. — Marcus Taylor’s sentence was ruled illegal, but was not commuted in May.

In February 2015, Taylor entered a plea deal for conspiracy to sell a Schedule III controlled substance. However, both the trial court and Taylor’s plea petition inaccurately listed the maximum sentence as 20 years, as per the appeals court’s findings.

Following the state’s recommendation, a judge imposed a 15-year sentence on Taylor, which was beyond the statutory maximum for the offense.

“This is about justice, not mercy,” Governor Reeves emphasized in a statement. “Mr. Taylor has already served over a decade of his sentence, and prolonging it beyond the five-year statutory limit would be a miscarriage of justice.”

Notably, this marks the first instance of Governor Reeves granting clemency since assuming office in 2020.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves at an event in Atlantic City, NJ, on Aug. 20, 2024. – AP

The Central Mississippi Correctional Facility in Rankin County. – Google Maps

Per Governor Reeves’ order, Taylor must be released within five days from the date of the clemency grant. Taylor’s legal representation was not immediately available for comment on the recent developments.