Trump pardons two cops convicted over Black man's murder, cover-up

In 2024, ex-officers Terence Sutton Jr and Andrew Zabavsky were sentenced to 66 and 48 months in prison, respectively.

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US President Donald Trump on Wednesday pardoned two Washington, DC, police officers convicted in the 2020 death of 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown, a Black man, the White House confirmed.

In September 2024, former officers Terence Sutton Jr and Andrew Zabavsky were sentenced to 66 months and 48 months in prison, respectively, for their involvement in an unauthorised police chase on October 23, 2020.

The pursuit ended in a fatal collision that killed Hylton-Brown in Northwest Washington, DC, according to the Justice Department. Both officers had remained free pending the outcomes of their appeals.

The Metropolitan Police Department had placed Sutton, in his early 40s, and Zabavsky, in his mid-50s, on indefinite suspension without pay.

Sutton was convicted by a federal jury in late 2022 of second-degree murder, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice. Zabavsky was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice.

The jury determined that Sutton caused Hylton-Brown’s death by operating his vehicle with "conscious disregard" for the extreme risk of fatal harm. It also found that Sutton and Zabavsky conspired to conceal details of the incident from officials.

The DC Police Union had actively lobbied for pardons for both officers. Sutton's attorney, Kellen Dwyer, expressed gratitude for the decision, stating,

"While we were confident the DC Circuit would have reversed this conviction, we are thrilled that President Trump ended this prosecution once and for all." Similarly, Zabavsky's attorney, Christopher Zampogna, thanked Trump for the pardon.

The family of Karon Hylton-Brown, however, reacted with shock and dismay. His mother, Karen Hylton, told CNN she was in tears upon learning of the potential pardons.

The 2020 incident occurred months after the murder of George Floyd, whose death under a Minneapolis police officer’s knee ignited nationwide and global protests against police brutality and systemic racism.

This decision comes days after Trump pardoned approximately 1,500 supporters convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, including individuals who assaulted police officers during the insurrection.

The Fraternal Order of Police, the nation’s largest police union that endorsed Trump in the 2024 election, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police criticized the Capitol attack pardons, describing them as "deeply discouraging."