Court rulings and legal documents

Trump Grants Full Pardons to Two D.C. Officers in Death of Karon Hylton-Brown

Jan 23, 2025, 02:45 AM

President Donald Trump has granted full and unconditional pardons to two former Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department officers, Andrew Zabavsky and Terence Sutton, who were convicted in connection with the death of 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown during a police chase in October 2020. Sutton was convicted of second-degree murder, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice, receiving a sentence of 66 months in prison. Zabavsky was convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstruction of justice, sentenced to 48 months. The incident began when the officers attempted to stop Hylton-Brown for riding a moped without a helmet, leading to a pursuit that spanned over 10 blocks at 'unreasonable speeds' and ended with Hylton-Brown being fatally struck by another vehicle. Following the crash, the officers allegedly conspired to cover up their involvement. The D.C. Police Union praised Trump's decision, stating that Sutton was wrongly charged for doing his job. The Metropolitan Police Department also expressed gratitude for Trump's support of its officers, noting the unprecedented nature of the prosecutions.