Trump pardons DC officers convicted in death and cover up
CNN
President Donald Trump has issued a “full and unconditional pardon” to Washington, DC, police lieutenant Andrew Zabavsky and officer Terence Sutton for their roles in the death of 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown, a case that drew protests on the heels of the murder of George Floyd.
President Donald Trump has issued a “full and unconditional pardon” to Washington, DC, police lieutenant Andrew Zabavsky and officer Terence Sutton for their roles in the death of 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown, a case that drew protests on the heels of the murder of George Floyd. In October 2020, Sutton and Zabavsky of the Metropolitan Police Department spotted Hylton-Brown driving a moped helmetless and pursued him at high speeds until he was eventually struck and killed by an uninvolved motorist. As Hylton-Brown lay dying in the street, the officers covered up the incident, according to investigators, turning off their body cameras, tampering with the scene and misleading their commanding officers about the nature of the incident. Sutton was found guilty of second-degree murder, conspiracy to obstruct, and obstruction of justice and sentenced to 66 months in prison. The same jury found Zabavsky guilty of conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice and he faced 48 months behind bars. The DC Police Union had sought a pardon from the Trump White House for the two officers, who had been out on bail pending appeal of their case, and lawyers for the officers had been actively pursuing clemency from the administration, as well. Zabavsky’s attorney, Christopher Zampogna, thanked Trump following the pardon, saying, “We’re very grateful to [President Trump] for doing it.” Zampogna said he and his client are working out the final details with the Department of Justice.
The Trump administration has moved with lightning speed to roll out the president’s immigration agenda, effectively closing off the US southern border to asylum seekers, severely limiting who’s eligible to enter the United States and laying the groundwork to swiftly deport migrants already in the country.