A man who was unlawfully sentenced to 15 years in prison for a crime with a maximum penalty of five years is set to be released, thanks to Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves granting him clemency on Wednesday.
The Mississippi Court of Appeals previously declared Marcus Taylor’s sentence illegal in May but did not commute it due to a missed deadline for post-conviction relief application.
However, after revisiting the case last month, the court reversed its decision and ordered Taylor’s release.
Taylor had agreed to a plea deal in February 2015 for conspiracy to sell a Schedule III controlled substance.
Both the trial court and Taylor’s plea petition inaccurately stated the maximum sentence as 20 years, according to the appeals court.
Following the state’s recommendation, a judge sentenced Taylor to 15 years.
“This is about justice, not mercy,” Reeves stated. “Mr. Taylor has already served over 10 years of his sentence, and serving more than the statutory five-year maximum would be a miscarriage of justice.”
This marks the first instance of Reeves granting clemency since assuming office in 2020.
Reeves’ order mandates Taylor’s release within five days.
At the time of writing, Taylor’s attorney was not available for immediate comment.
