North Carolina Democratic Senate candidate Roy Cooper, who previously served as governor, appointed a former member of the notorious Bloods gang, Kerwin Pittman, to a “Racial Equity in Criminal Justice” task force in 2020. Pittman, who was convicted in 2007 of conspiracy to commit murder and served 14 years in prison, was identified by prosecutors as a “ranking member of the Bloods” during a murder trial and was convicted in connection to a 2006 drive-by shooting. Pittman, who was 19 or younger at the time of his criminal conduct, defended his appointment, stating he was asked to contribute his lived experience and community work, and has never hidden his past. At the time of his task force involvement, Pittman worked for Emancipate NC, an organization that has advocated for police abolition. Cooper’s campaign, when asked about the appointment, highlighted his own record of putting criminals behind bars and signing tough-on-crime laws, while criticizing his opponent’s past appointments within the state Republican Party.
Adapted from: Latest Political News on Fox News
