In one of his final acts in office, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has commuted the death sentences of 15 men convicted of first-degree murder to life in prison without parole.

One of the inmates receiving clemency had challenged his sentence under the groundbreaking Racial Justice Act of 2009, a judge had yet to issue a decision in that case.

Outgoing North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper on Tuesday announced 15 commutations of the death penalty to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

A Robeson County man whose been on death for decades after being convicted of killing his stepfather had his sentence commuted to life without parole by Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday — his final day in office.