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U.S. President Donald Trump, Wednesday, January 22, 2025, issued pardons for two Washington, D.C., police officers convicted of involvement in the 2020 death of Karon Hylton-Brown, a 20-year-old Black man. The decision has reignited debates over justice, police accountability, and racial inequality.
The case centered on an unauthorized police chase that culminated in a fatal collision on October 23, 2020, in Northwest Washington, D.C. Officers Terence Sutton Jr. and Andrew Zabavsky, who faced charges related to the incident, were convicted following a nine-week federal trial that concluded in late 2022. Sutton, in his early 40s, was sentenced to 66 months in prison for second-degree murder, conspiracy to obstruct, and obstruction of justice. Zabavsky, in his mid-50s, received a 48-month sentence for conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice.
At the heart of the case was the jury’s determination that Sutton had recklessly endangered Hylton-Brown’s life by pursuing him with “conscious disregard” for the severe risk posed by his actions. Additionally, the jury found that both officers conspired to conceal critical details of the crash from officials. Despite their convictions, Sutton and Zabavsky had remained free while appealing the verdicts.
The pardons were announced against a backdrop of controversy, as Trump’s decision appeared to align with calls from the DC Police Union, which had lobbied for clemency. Kellen Dwyer, Sutton’s attorney, expressed relief, stating, “While we were confident the D.C. Circuit would overturn this conviction, we are thrilled that President Trump put an end to this prosecution.” Similarly, Zabavsky’s lawyer, Christopher Zampogna, extended gratitude to Trump.
However, the move was met with profound dismay by the family of Karon Hylton-Brown and advocates for police reform. Hylton-Brown’s mother, Karen Hylton, told CNN she was overwhelmed with grief and disbelief upon learning of the potential pardons, calling it a painful reminder of the loss of her son and the systemic challenges in achieving justice.
The 2020 incident happened in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, which had ignited global protests against police brutality and racial injustice. Hylton-Brown’s death became another flashpoint in the nationwide reckoning over the treatment of Black Americans by law enforcement.
Trump’s pardons came just two days after he resumed office and granted clemency to approximately 1,500 of his supporters involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, including individuals who assaulted police officers during the riot. Notably, the Fraternal Order of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, both of which had endorsed Trump during the 2024 election, condemned the Capitol-related pardons, describing them as deeply discouraging.
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