Record at a Glance
- Clemency type
- Pardon
- Presidential term
- 2025–Present
- Federal district
- District of Columbia
- Offense
- Murder in second degree; conspiracy; obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting
- Sentence
- 66 months' imprisonment; three years' supervised release, conditioned upon 100 hours' community service (September 12, 2024)
- Current status
- The Metropolitan Police Department reinstated Sutton to full duty on March 3, 2025 after an administrative review following the pardon. No later employment change is included in this chronology.
Original Case
A jury convicted Sutton in December 2022 of second-degree murder under District of Columbia law, conspiracy and obstruction of justice arising from the pursuit that killed Karon Hylton-Brown and the subsequent cover-up. The signed warrant records concurrent sentences of 66, 48 and 48 months, three years of supervision and a $300 assessment.
Clemency
Trump granted Sutton a full and unconditional pardon on January 22, 2025. It ended the 66-month prison sentence and related supervision in the covered case; the later appellate dismissal followed the pardon and did not amount to an appellate acquittal on the facts.
Trump Connection
The D.C. Police Union made Sutton and Zabavsky’s cases an early clemency priority for the new administration, arguing that the officers had been punished for doing police work. Trump adopted that framing, saying the officers needed a “break” and had been jailed for “going after a criminal.” He pardoned both men two days after returning to office. The pardon ended Sutton’s federal punishment but did not reverse the jury’s murder, conspiracy, and obstruction verdicts.
Since Clemency
2025-03-03 · employment and administrative status
MPD said Sutton was reinstated to full duty after an administrative review following the pardon.
Legal Status: Reported personnel action; not a reversal or vacatur of the criminal convictions.
- Development Source
MPD reinstatement reportingThe Washington Post
- Development Source
Sources
- Primary Documentation
DOJ: Clemency Grants by President Donald J. Trump (2025–Present)U.S. Department of Justice2026-09-24 - Primary Documentation
DOJ clemency document: Terence Dale Sutton, Jr.U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney2026-09-24 active - Primary Documentation
Original prosecution and sentenceFederal court / GovInfo - Primary Documentation
Signed pardon warrantDOJ / President of the United States - Supporting Reporting
Police union clemency statementD.C. Police Union - Supporting Reporting
Sutton reinstatement reportingThe Washington Post