TRENTON, NJ – In a sweeping move that adds to a growing record of second chances, Governor Phil Murphy announced on Tuesday the pardons of 40 individuals, marking the third round of clemency actions under his administration and bringing the total to 169.
The governor, who has framed New Jersey as “The State for Second Chances,” said the decisions followed detailed reviews by the state’s Clemency Advisory Board, which he created last year. The pardons cover a wide range of convictions, from drug offenses to theft and robbery, some dating back to the 1970s.
Among those pardoned was Clourer Grady, 72, whose past drug-related convictions stemmed from substance use disorder. Grady, who later became a certified drug and alcohol counselor, said the pardon was the culmination of decades of rebuilding her life and helping others through recovery.
Murphy noted that more than 4,500 applications for clemency have been submitted since the advisory board was established, with priority consideration given to cases involving non-violent convictions, excessive trial penalties, and victims of abuse who committed crimes against perpetrators.
Faith leaders, advocacy groups, and reentry organizations hailed the move as historic, pointing out that Murphy has issued more clemencies than all New Jersey governors combined over the past three decades. Supporters say the action not only recognizes rehabilitation but also lifts barriers to housing, employment, and family reunification for those affected.
The list of pardoned individuals includes people convicted of drug distribution, shoplifting, aggravated assault, weapons charges, and robbery. Many had remained free from the justice system for years and had demonstrated long-term efforts toward rehabilitation.
Officials from the New Jersey State Parole Board and reentry groups pledged continued support to those granted clemency, offering services such as housing, addiction treatment, and job placement to help ensure successful reintegration.
Murphy’s latest action drew praise from local and national advocacy leaders, including the ACLU of New Jersey, the National Action Network, and the REFORM Alliance, who called it a model for governors across the country to follow.
The following individuals have been granted a pardon by Governor Murphy:
- Alzapiedi, Leigh: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2005
- Brown, Shaib: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1988; possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1989; possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1991; theft, sentenced in 1994
- Cruz, Emily: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1991; violation of probation, sentenced in 1998
- Denis, Alain: receiving stolen property, sentenced in 1985; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1987; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1990; resisting arrest and possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1990; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1991; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1991; violation of probation, sentenced in 1992; unlawful possession of a weapon, sentenced in 1992; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1999; possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a school zone and firearms regulatory violation, sentenced in 1996
- Duckett, Tyrone: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2005
- Falletta, Nicholas: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, 2005; violation of probation, 2008; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, 2008
- Forte, Stacey: shoplifting, sentenced 2010; criminal trespass and shoplifting, sentenced in 2010; attempt to obtain controlled dangerous substance by fraud, sentenced in 2011; possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia, sentenced in 2011; violation of probation, sentenced in 2013
- Gaston, Steven: possession of a prohibited weapon, sentenced in 1996
- Goss, Rodney: possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1987; violation of probation, sentenced in 1988; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1988
- Grady, Clourer: possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1990; possession, sentenced in 1991; violation of probation, 1993; distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1993
- Granzow, Timothy: disorderly conduct, sentenced in 1998; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1999; violation of probation, sentenced in 1999; possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1999; possession of drug paraphernalia, sentenced in 1999; possession of drug paraphernalia, sentenced in 1999; theft, sentenced in 1998; theft, sentenced in 1999; distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2010
- Hilaire, Patrice: local ordinance violations, sentenced in 2002; two counts of distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2006
- Ibrahim, Mario: shoplifting, sentenced in 1995; robbery, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon, sentenced in 1997; unlawful possession of a weapon, sentenced in 1997
- Jackson, Schulyer: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, 2012
- Kelsey, Linda: possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1975; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1977; shoplifting and two counts of possession of narcotics equipment, sentenced in 1987; possession of narcotics equipment, sentenced in 1989; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1989; possession of narcotics equipment, sentenced in 1989; distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1989; distribution of a controlled dangerous substance within a school zone, sentenced in 2016
- Kornacki, Jr., David Benjamin: theft, sentenced in 2002; two counts of aggravated assault and hindering, sentenced in 2003; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2005; violation of probation, sentenced in 2007; hindering, sentenced in 2006
- Lascala, Christopher: robbery, sentenced in 2013
- Majette, Jr., Wilbert: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1990; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1990
- Matthews, Chanti: two counts of receiving stolen property, sentenced in 1999
- Matunda, III, William: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1996
- McAllister, Naquan: robbery, sentenced in 2008; distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2009; theft, sentenced in 2011; local ordinance violations, sentenced in 2019
- McCoy, Charlotte: possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2010
- Millan, Jr., Anthony: theft, sentenced in 2004; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2007
- Monserrate, Pedro: aggravated assault, sentenced in 2000; unlicensed entry, sentenced in 2005; defiant trespass, sentenced in 2005
- Muro, Scott: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2010
- Petruska, John: conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1998
- Reid, Denise: possession of narcotics equipment and a drug-related offense, sentenced in 1972; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1974; shoplifting, sentenced in 1974; robbery and committing an offense while armed, sentenced in 1975; shoplifting, sentenced in 1975; shoplifting, sentenced in 1975; shoplifting, sentenced in 1976; shoplifting, sentenced in 1977
- Roberts, Fronz: two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1989; receiving stolen property, sentenced in 1989; violations of probation, sentenced in 1990; distribution within a school zone, sentenced in 1990
- Roche, Kyle: aggravated assault, sentenced in 2005; theft, trespass, and wandering to obtain a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2013; ordinance violations and wandering to obtain a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2014; possession, sentenced in 2015; obstruction, sentenced in 2015; violation of probation, sentenced in 2016
- Salek, Robert: larceny and burglary, sentenced in 1972; fraud, sentenced in 1975
- Saralvarez, Alejandro: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, 1989
- Sarappa, Joseph: robbery, sentenced in 1982
- Skakur-Purvis, Markim: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1990; possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1991; possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1999; attempt to tamper with witness, sentenced in 1999
- Shelton, Marc: possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1994; possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia, sentenced in 1994; wandering to obtain a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1998
- Thompson, Charles: six counts of breaking and entering, sentenced in 1977
- Throckmorton, Raymond: possession of narcotics equipment, 1973; possession, 1978
- Tursi, Matthew: receiving stolen property, sentenced in 2012; receiving stolen property, sentenced in 2012; possession of narcotics equipment, sentenced in 2012
- Waller, Tanell: unlawful possession of a weapon, sentenced in 1996; possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance within a school zone, sentenced in 1998; possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance within a school zone and possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1998; possession of drug paraphernalia, sentenced in 2002; wandering to obtain a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2011; wandering to obtain a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2011; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2011
- Woolfolk, Richard: receiving stolen property, sentenced in 1998; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1998; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2000; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance within a school zone, possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance near a public facility, sentenced in 2001
- Worthington, Rachel: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2001
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Key Points
- Governor Phil Murphy pardoned 40 individuals in a third round of clemency actions, bringing the total to 169 during his administration
- The Clemency Advisory Board, created in 2024, reviewed over 4,500 applications for consideration
- Advocacy groups say the actions make Murphy the most active New Jersey governor on clemency in over 30 years
Governor Murphy’s clemency wave cements him as the most active New Jersey governor on pardons in modern history.