Mississippi governor orders release after illegal sentence
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves granted clemency to Marcus Taylor on Wednesday, ordering his release within five days after the Mississippi Court of Appeals concluded his 15-year sentence for a Schedule III drug conspiracy exceeded the five-year statutory maximum. The appeals court initially found the sentence illegal in May but declined relief on procedural grounds; after a rehearing last month, the court reversed itself and ordered Taylor’s release, with Reeves calling his action a fulfillment of his constitutional duty.
📌 Key Facts
- Marcus Taylor received a 15-year sentence in 2015 for a crime with a five-year maximum and has served more than 10 years.
- The Mississippi Court of Appeals unanimously agreed the sentence was illegal; after a rehearing last month, it ordered Taylor’s release.
- Gov. Tate Reeves issued clemency on Dec. 11, 2025, directing Taylor be freed within five days — Reeves’ first clemency since taking office in 2020.
📊 Relevant Data
Marcus Taylor, the man granted clemency by Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, is Black.
Gov. Reeves Grants Clemency to Illegally Sentenced Black Man — Mississippi Free Press
In Mississippi, Black people constitute 37.4% of the population but 61.0% of the total prison population as of 2023.
Prisoners in 2023 – Statistical Tables — Bureau of Justice Statistics
Nationally, the past-year illicit drug use rate is 26.4% for Black people and 27.2% for White people aged 12 or older (2021-2023 pooled data).
Results from the 2021-2023 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health — SAMHSA
In federal courts, Black male offenders received sentences that were 13.4% longer than similarly situated White male offenders (fiscal years 2017-2021).
2023 Demographic Differences in Federal Sentencing — United States Sentencing Commission