Biden’s final clemency list includes Lenoir County individuals
President Joe Biden's final list of pardons and clemencies has sparked discussion nationwide, with a record-setting number of nearly 25,000 people granted a second chance. Among these names, several with connections to Lenoir County have been confirmed.
A list circulating on Facebook named six individuals: Torrie Hood, Jeff McCotter, Avery Mitchell, Joseph Wilson, Elgin Hart, and Dewayne Herring. While five of these names—Hood, McCotter, Mitchell, Wilson, and Hart—were confirmed as receiving pardons by President Biden, the inclusion of Dewayne Herring remains unverified through official sources.
The White House released an official PDF detailing the pardons, which can be found online. However, Sheriff Jackie Rogers of Lenoir County has confirmed the accuracy of the original list of names as it appeared on social media, affirming that all six individuals were indeed pardoned.
Kinston Chief of Police Keith Goyette weighed in on the impact of these pardons, acknowledging the efforts of law enforcement while expressing concern over the implications for community safety.
“I’m extremely proud to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, and the Eastern District of NC U.S. Attorney’s Office, led by U.S. Attorney Mike Easley Jr., has been essential in assisting our agency with flushing crime out of our community,” Goyette said. “It can be disappointing when criminals who have once devastated lives in our community or at least played a hand in harming someone have their sentence reduced so they can possibly harm members of our community once again. But we can’t control what isn’t in our control. It may seem unfortunate, but this is part of the criminal justice system. I’m thankful we have amazing and dedicated officers who will continue to work diligently to protect our community.”
President Biden, in an earlier statement on the clemency actions, emphasized the importance of addressing sentencing disparities.
“Today’s clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes,” Biden said. “As Congress recognized through the Fair Sentencing Act and the First Step Act, it is time that we equalize these sentencing disparities.”
As more information surfaces about the individuals pardoned and their connections to Lenoir County, this story continues to develop.
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