JACKSON, Miss. - Governor Tate Reeves today signed Executive Order 1590 which grants executive clemency to Marcus Taylor, who was illegally sentenced to fifteen years in prison. This is the first time Governor Reeves has granted executive clemency since taking office.

In February 2015, Marcus Taylor accepted a plea bargain and pled guilty to conspiracy to sell a Schedule III substance. The state of Mississippi recommended a fifteen-year sentence, which was accepted by the trial judge. All 10 members of the Mississippi Court of Appeals recently confirmed that at the time of his offense and sentencing, the maximum lawful sentence that could be imposed on Mr. Taylor pursuant to Miss. Code § 97-1-1 for the charge of conspiracy to sell a Schedule III controlled substance was five years. As stated by the Mississippi Court of Appeals: "it is apparent that Taylor's fifteen-year sentence exceeds the five-year maximum sentence for the crime to which he pled guilty." Thus, such fifteen-year sentence plainly is illegal.

"Today, for the first time since taking office in 2020, I have exercised my Constitutional authority to grant executive clemency by commuting the sentence imposed on Marcus Taylor - a sentence that was three times longer than permitted under Mississippi law," said Governor Tate Reeves. "Specifically, Mr. Taylor was sentenced in 2015 to a term of 15 years for the offense of conspiracy to sell a Scheduled III controlled substance, a crime that at the time carried a maximum sentence of five years.

"It is undisputed, as recently confirmed by all 10 members of the Mississippi Court of Appeals, that such a sentence for the offense committed plainly is illegal. Mr. Taylor has served more than 10 years of his sentence, and further service of this sentence in excess of the five-year statutory maximum constitutes a mischarge of justice. As governor, it is my sworn duty to ensure that the laws of the state of Mississippi are faithfully executed without passion or prejudice, and by commuting Mr. Taylor's sentence to time served, I am fulfilling my Constitutional duty.

"This is about justice, not mercy. Mr. Taylor has served the entire five-year sentence for the crime to which he pled guilty. Respect for the rule of law and protecting every Mississippian's right to individual liberty and self-determination are the bedrock principles upon which our Constitutional Republic and state were founded. If justice is denied to one Mississippian, it is denied to us all."

Executive Order 1590 directs the Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections to release Mr. Taylor within five days.

A copy of Executive Order 1590 can be found here.