North Carolina Dem Senate candidate added former Bloods gang member to criminal justice task force: report

Roy Cooper, a former North Carolina governor now running for Senate, appointed Kerwin Pittman, a convicted former Bloods gang member, to a Racial Equity in Criminal Justice task force in 2020. Pittman, who served 14 years for conspiracy to commit murder, defended his inclusion, citing his lived experience and community work since his teenage years. The task force was created in the wake of George Floyd’s death, and Pittman was associated with Emancipate NC, an organization that has called for police abolition.

• Roy Cooper appointed Kerwin Pittman, a former Bloods gang member convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, to a criminal justice task force in 2020.
• Pittman served 14 years in prison for his crime, which occurred when he was a teenager.
• Pittman defended his appointment, stating his past actions were due to poor judgment as a youth and highlighting his subsequent work.
• Pittman was employed by Emancipate NC, an organization that has advocated for police abolition.
• Cooper’s campaign responded by criticizing his opponent, Michael Whatley, for a different appointment.