Governor Tate Reeves Grants Executive Clemency to Maurice Taylor: Correcting an Illegal Sentence

Governor Tate Reeves Grants Executive Clemency to Maurice Taylor: Correcting an Illegal Sentence

Governor Tate Reeves has signed Executive Order 1591, granting executive clemency to Maurice Taylor, who was given an illegal 20-year prison sentence with five years suspended. This marks the second time Governor Reeves has granted executive clemency since taking office. In 2015, Maurice Taylor accepted a plea bargain for conspiracy to sell a Schedule III substance, resulting in the recommended twenty-year sentence with five years suspended. However, the maximum lawful sentence for this charge was only five years according to Mississippi law. Governor Reeves stated that the excessive sentence imposed on Maurice Taylor was illegal and signed Executive Order 1591 to commute his sentence to time served, instructing the Mississippi Department of Corrections to release him within five days. This action was taken to correct the mischarge of justice and ensure that justice is served for all Mississippians.