Roy Cooper, who previously served as the governor of North Carolina and is currently running for the Senate, appointed a former member of the Bloods gang, Kerwin Pittman, to a ‘Racial Equity in Criminal Justice’ task force in 2020. This task force was created in response to the death of George Floyd and aimed to address issues in the criminal justice system.
Pittman was convicted in 2007 for conspiracy to commit murder and served 14 years in prison. Prosecutors during a murder trial also identified him as a ‘ranking member of the Bloods.’ Despite this past, Pittman was tasked with contributing to criminal justice reform discussions due to his experiences and community work.
‘I have never hidden my past. The gang involvement and criminal conduct you reference occurred when I was a teenager and young man,’ Pittman explained. He further added, ‘I am now 39 years old.’
Pittman defended his role in the task force by emphasizing his transformation and contribution towards criminal justice reform. At the time of the task force’s inception, Pittman was associated with Emancipate NC, an organization advocating for the abolition of police.
During the Senate race against Michael Whatley, Cooper highlighted his own record of addressing crime while criticizing Whatley for appointing a convicted child sex predator to a significant role in the Republican Party. Whatley’s campaign has yet to respond to these claims directly.
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