Gov. Youngkin Grants Clemency to Fired Cop Who Killed Unarmed Black Man; Hampton NAACP "Navigating the Storm" Event
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Gov. Youngkin Grants Clemency to Fired Cop Who Killed Unarmed Black Man
In what is becoming a familiar pattern for Republican Governors, Glenn Youngkin granted clemency to a white male who killed a Black man. On Jan. 24, 2025, President Trump took similar action when he nullified a jury’s decision in the case of two DC police officers.
In May 2024, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pardoned a man who had been sentenced to 25 years for killing a white Black Lives Matter activist.
On Friday Feb. 28, Wesley Shifflett, 36, was sentenced to three years in prison for a gun charge related to the Feb. 22, 2023 killing of Timothy Johnson. Shifflett, who was then a member of the Fairfax Police force, chased and then shot Johnson dead outside of Tyson’s mall after Johnson shoplifted a pair of sunglasses from Nordstrom. Johnson was unarmed.
The month after Johnson’s killing, Fairfax Chief of Police Kevin Davis said that Shifflett, exhibited "a failure to live up to the expectations of our agency, in particular use of force policies.”
The former Fairfax police officer was convicted of recklessly handling a firearm for the Feb. 2023 killing of Johnson and was acquitted of involuntary manslaughter.
Two days after the former cop was sentenced, Gov. Youngkin announced he was “commuting the sentence,” in a March 2 statement.
“I am convinced that the court's sentence of incarceration is unjust and violates the cornerstone of our justice system—that similarly situated individuals receive proportionate sentences. I want to emphasize that a jury acquitted Sgt. Shifflett of the more serious charge of involuntary manslaughter, a conviction for which the sentencing guidelines recommend no jail time or up to six months’ incarceration,” Gov, Youngkin continued.
The decision making pattern is familiar regarding Republican governors as “similarly situated individuals” who have killed Black men or Black Lives Matter protesters appear to win the special attention of GOP Governors and members of the Republican Party. One individual, Kyle Rittenhouse, became a GOP celebrity after shooting three white Black Lives Matter protesters, killing two of them, during a protest in Wisconsin in August. 2020. Rittenhouse was acquitted on all charges on Nov. 19, 2021.
YOUNGKIN GRANTS CLEMENCY FOR COP WHO KILLED UNARMED MAN. “I have today used the executive clemency authority granted to me by the Constitution of Virginia and commuted the sentence imposed on Sgt. Wesley Shifflett who was convicted of recklessly discharging a firearm by the Fairfax County Circuit Court,” Gov. Youngkin’s statement offered. A felony remains on Shifflett’s record but he serves no more jail time.
Fairfax Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano reacted strongly to Gov. Youngkin's decision.
“I’m outraged at Youngkin’s decision tonight. Glenn Youngkin has spent the last four years honing his Trump impersonation, and now he’s following in his footsteps by commuting sentences just to score political points. This is an insult to all Virginians who value an untainted justice system,” Descano said in a statement.
In a message on social media today, Descano wrote, “I've been sounding the alarm bells for years now: Governor Sweater-Vest is trying his hardest to imitate the far-right extremist in the White House. The shameful, unjust, craven political stunts of Glenn Youngkin have no place in Virginia.”
TRUMP DID IT, NOW YOUNGKIN. Two days into his second term in office, President Trump pardoned DC Metropolitan Police Officers Terence Sutton and Lt. Andrew Zabavsky. Sutton was convicted of second-degree murder in 2022 and sentenced to five years after shooting Karon Hylton-Brown dead in October 2020. Brown and Zabavsky then tried to cover up what happened.
Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott pardoned Daniel Perry after he was convicted in 2023 of murder for driving a car into a group of Black Lives Matter protesters on July 25, 2020 in Austin, Texas. Perry murdered Garrett Foster, 28.
In late 2024, Republican Missouri Governor Mike Parson commuted the sentence of former detective, Eric DeValkenaere, who had been convicted of second-degree involuntary manslaughter in 2019 and sentenced to six years.
Republicans have honored two individuals who killed. Kyle Rittenhouse, then 17, shot three Black Lives Matter protesters, killing two, in Aug. 2020. He was then acquitted on all charges. In Nov. 2021, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene then attempted to honor Rittenhouse with the Congressional Gold Medal — the highest honor Congress can award.
President Trump and Vice President Vance hosted Daniel Penny, who choked Michael Jackson impersonator Jordan Neely to death on a New York Subway train and walked free after a jury decided to acquit him on all charges.
“My action does not limit Sgt. Shifflett’s right to appeal his reckless discharge of a firearm conviction,” Gov. Youngkin added in yesterday’s statement.
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Today: Special Hampton NAACP Event: "Navigating the Storm"
The Hampton NAACP invites the community to attend an enlightening forum titled “Navigating the Storm: Understanding and Responding to Executive Actions”
Today, Monday, March 3, 2025, 6:30 PM at Bethel AME Church at 2521 N. Armistead Avenue in Hampton, Va.
This forum aims to foster understanding and resilience in response to recent executive orders and actions that have left many feeling uncertain and apprehensive. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from a distinguished panel of special guests, including senior citizens aged 90 and above, who will share their wealth of experience and wisdom. Elected officials will provide insights from the political arena, military representatives will offer perspectives on national security, and subject matter experts will clarify the implications of these actions on our community.
Recognizing the vital role of younger generations, the forum will also feature voices from Gen Z and Millennials, essential in shaping the future of advocacy and activism. Political analysts will unpack the complexities of the current landscape, while legal experts will discuss the rights and options available to the community. Together, we will explore our historical context, share personal stories, and discuss effective strategies to advocate for justice and equality.
This event is a unique opportunity for community members of all ages to engage, ask questions, and find direction on how to collectively fight against policies that threaten our values and rights. Join us for a night of solidarity.
Moderator: Don Roberts, Award-Winning Author and Former WAVY TV 10 Anchor
Panelists: Remembering the Past, William "Bill" Grace, Entrepreneur, The Why: Truth to Power, Senator Mamie Locke, Chair, Senate Rules Committee, Delegate Jeion Ward, Chair, Labor and Commerce, Dr. Alaysia Black Hachett, Former U.S. Department of Labor Chief Diversity Officer, Dr. Eric W. Claville, Political and Legal Analyst, Creator and Host of The Claville Report, Damien L. Bevelle, Esq., Assistant Professor & Director, Hampton University Pre-Law Institute; Stacy Shorter, Vice President, AFGE Local 2328; Navigating 2025 GOTV, John Eley, Newport News Councilman; Keena Carson, Founder, CEO, Creatives for Virginia, LLC; Bryce Dildy, Emerging Leader The Next Step!
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