By John Ogunsemore
US President Donald Trump has pardoned two police officers convicted last year following the killing of an African American man, Karon Hylton-Brown in 2020.
The White House made the announcement on Wednesday.
Hylton-Brown, 20, was killed in a collision in Northwest Washington DC on October 23, 2020.
In September 2024, officers Terence Sutton Jr and Andrew Zabavsky were sentenced to 66 months and 48 months in prison respectively over “an unauthorised police pursuit” that caused the collision.
Sutton, in his early 40s, and Zabavsky, in his mid-50s, were placed on “indefinite suspension without pay, pending our administration process,” the Metropolitan Police Department stated.
Both officers remained free while pursuing appeals to overturn their convictions.
The White House announced that President Trump granted full and unconditional pardons to both officers pursuant to his powers under Article II, Section 2, Clause 1, of the US Constitution.