WHAT'S NEXT

Tell NC Governor Perdue to Pardon an Innocent Man
  1. Signatures
    204 out of 500
    Petitioning
    1. The Governor of NC
  2. Created By
    Elizabeth Renter
    Clayton, NC
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates
How We Won

May 21, 2010

After three months of delay, North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue has finally pardoned Greg Taylor — a man imprisoned for over 17 years on a wrongful murder conviction. Thanks to the hundreds of Change.org members who signed the petition and helped bring Taylor to justice. With this official pardon, Taylor's now eligible to receive $750,000 in state compensation for the years he was denied freedom. 

On February 17, an innocent man woke up in a North Carolina prison for the last time. His last minutes in custody were likely spent like any other state inmate — eating breakfast off a plastic tray under the watchful eyes of corrections staff. But for Greg Taylor, Feb. 17 was an extraordinary day. On that day, he walked out of court a free man, after serving a whopping 6,149 days for a murder he didn't commit. Shortly after his release, North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue promised to "will work aggressively to make sure he gets whatever he is owed by the state."

The Governor, however, hasn't followed through on this pledge.

It seems hard to believe. But fully three months after Taylor was exonerated — and as he struggles to put his life back together and remain optimistic — the government still hasn't issued him a pardon. Though Taylor and his attorneys submitted the necessary paperwork in March, he's yet to hear anything from the state. Three months is plenty of time to review a pardon request for a man that has been exonerated. Tell Governor Purdue to approve Taylor's pardon so he can move on with his life as a truly innocent man.

 

Recent Signatures

Pardon of Gregory Taylor

Greetings,

On February 17, the North Carolina Innocence Commission exonerated Gregory Taylor and he was released from custody. After being incarcerated for 17 years for a brutal murder he didn't commit, Mr. Taylor saw the world through the eyes of a free man. Now he struggles to make a life for himself in a world that has changed so much since his arrest in 1993.

You, Governor Perdue, hold the power to pardon Mr. Taylor and return to him the reigns of his life. Soon after his pardon you are reported as saying you would work "aggressively" to ensure what Taylor was entitled to would be given to him. Despite this, however, his pardon request has been stalled by your office. Taylor's supporters aren't the only ones questioning the length of time it is taking for his pardon. The family of Jacquetta Thomas and people within the legal community, including Former Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake, have called for your action.

While I understand a pardon is a serious matter, the pardon of Gregory Taylor seems like an open and shut case. The reopened murder investigation has no bearing on Taylor's innocence as his exoneration is final and binding. I ask you to please expedite Taylor's pardon as 17 years is more than enough time to wait for freedom.

Thank you.

[Your name]

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