President Donald Trump has granted pardons to two former Washington, D.C., police officers involved in a chase that resulted in a fatal accident.
Breitbart reported that Trump pardoned officers Terence Sutton and Andrew Zabavsky, convicted for their roles in the death of Karon Hylton-Brown during an October 2020 vehicular pursuit.
The incident that led to Karon Hylton-Brown's death occurred on October 23, 2020, when the young man attempted to evade police on a moped.
Hylton-Brown, 20, found himself being followed by Metropolitan Police Department officers Terence Sutton and Andrew Zabavsky. The chase commenced after he allegedly refused to stop upon the officers' request.
The ill-fated pursuit led down a narrow alley, a move critics say was against established police protocols. Officer Sutton reportedly shut off his squad car's lights and siren, accelerating his pursuit of Hylton-Brown.
Tragically, Hylton-Brown was struck by an unrelated third vehicle at the alley's end, which resulted in his death.
The resulting investigation blamed Sutton and Zabavsky for their actions during and following the chase. Sutton faced conviction for second-degree murder, while both were found guilty of conspiracy and obstruction of justice.
The effort to conceal details of the incident formed the basis of the obstruction charges against them. Both officers were believed to have been involved in attempts to hide the actual circumstances surrounding Hylton-Brown's death from supervisory personnel at the Metropolitan Police Department.
In September 2024, sentencing saw Sutton receive a 66-month prison term, while Zabavsky faced 48 months of incarceration.
On a recent Wednesday night, President Donald Trump made a startling announcement: He extended full and unconditional pardons to both Sutton and Zabavsky, signaling his intervention in their cases.
Trump officially carried out his action by writing a directive to the Pardon Attorney mandating action on his behalf. I HEREBY DESIGNATE," Trump declared, authorizing the clemency in a prescriptive order.
The president discussed his decision while unveiling a substantial plan for investment in artificial intelligence, highlighting the pardons publicly during a press event.
Trump contributed his perspective, noting the harshness of the sentences and viewing them in the context of pursuing a suspect identified by DC Police as a gang member. In fact, I’m going to be letting two officers…I believe they’re from D.C.," said Trump in his statement, underscoring his view of the officers' actions as being in pursuit of a "criminal, a rough criminal."
Sutton's legal defense, represented by attorney J. Michael Hannon, argued that another officer had earlier pointed out Hylton-Brown’s suspicious behavior, framing the chase as a response rather than aggression.
After the pardon announcement, Lt. Andrew Zabavsky expressed gratitude for Trump’s decision. Representation for Zabavsky stated: “Lt. Andrew Zabavsky thanks President Donald J. Trump for his decision to grant him a full and unconditional pardon.” This gratitude highlighted the officers' relief in Trump's executive clemency.
The pardons have sparked heated debate amid concerns over policing policies and accountability. This clash sheds light on systemic issues within departments and between communities.
Public and legal experts are poised to review the implications of such high-profile pardons, raising questions about justice, precedence, and the role of presidential intervention in judicial outcomes.
