‘Worse than We Thought’: NC Lawmakers Dig Into Prison Settlement as GOP Targets Cooper
Republicans say the deal let more than 3,000 prisoners leave early as they tie the issue to Roy Cooper’s Senate campaign.
- On Thursday, House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, told reporters that North Carolina lawmakers are investigating a 2021 prison release settlement, citing a New York Post report alleging at least 18 released inmates were later charged with killing someone.
- A Superior Court judge ruled in June 2020 that civil rights groups were likely to win their lawsuit over COVID-19 infection risks; former Gov. Roy Cooper settled Feb. 25, 2021, by releasing 3,500 prisoners rather than risk trial.
- Investigative staff have uncovered troubling details, with Hall stating "every week we learn that it's even worse than what we thought." Republicans renewed scrutiny after DeCarlos Brown, a Charlotte man accused of murdering a young Ukrainian woman, appeared on the release list.
- The settlement has become a central campaign issue in the 2026 Senate race between Cooper and GOP nominee Michael Whatley; Cooper's campaign defends his record of fighting prisoner releases as attorney general and during COVID-19.
- Republican legislative leaders announced an investigative committee last month with substantial resources devoted to the effort. The Cooper administration's release criteria mirrored those President Trump used for federal prisoners during the pandemic.
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‘Worse than we thought’: NC lawmakers dig into prison settlement as GOP targets Cooper
North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall says a new committee investigating a 2021 settlement that released 3,500 North Carolina prisoners is expected to meet soon, and that he’s troubled by what they’ve found.
Almost Half of the Inmates Released by Roy Cooper, by an Agreement of the COVID Era, Have Reoffended
At the beginning of half of the 3,500 inmates that former governor Roy Cooper, North Carolina Democrat, released as part of a COVID-era agreement with a civil rights group, have committed new crimes, according to the New York Post. The outlet noted a 2024 report from the State Advisory Commission on Sentences and Policies that found that 48 per cent of the 3,500 released persons committed additional crimes; more than 600 of them, according to th…
ICYMI: Nearly half of inmates released under then-NC Gov. Roy Cooper during COVID have reoffended — including 18 charged with murder
Nearly half of inmates released under then-NC Gov. Roy Cooper during COVID have reoffended — including 18 charged with murderJosh Christenson and Jared DowningNew York PostMay 7, 2026 A mass release of North Carolina prisoners under Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper during the COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating effect on public safety — with nearly half of the sprung inmates going on to commit more crimes, according to a Post review of state records a…
Exclusive | Nearly half of inmates released under then-NC Gov. Roy Cooper during COVID have reoffended — including 18 charged with murder
A mass release of prisoners under former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper during the COVID-19 pandemic went on to have a devastating effect on public safety — with nearly half of those inmates going on to commit more crimes, according to a Post review of state records and reports.
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