A special news conference is being held with lawyers, supporters, and family

members of Mr. Marcus Taylor.

On December 10, 2025, Governor Tate Reeves

signed Executive Order 1590, granting executive clemency to Marcus, who was

illegally sentenced to 15 years in the Mississippi State Prison system. This was a

tremendous wrong, and justice must be done.

Marcus Taylor is represented by national civil-rights lawyer Malik Z. Shabazz,

Esq., and Mississippi lawyer Trent Walker, Esq.

In February 2015, Marcus Taylor accepted a plea bargain and pleaded guilty to

conspiracy to sell Schedule III substances. The state of Mississippi recommended

a 15-year sentence, which the trial judge accepted. On November 18, 2025, the

Mississippi Court of Appeals ruled that the maximum lawful sentence could have

been imposed on Mr. Taylor at the time of his offense and sentencing, pursuant to

Miss. Code § 97-1-1, for the charge of conspiracy to sell a Schedule III controlled

substance, was five years.

The Law Office of Malik Z. Shabazz, Esq.

700 Pennsylvania Ave, SE Suite 200, Washington, DC 20003

P: (301) 513-5445; F: (301) 513-5447

Due to a fault of his own, Marcus Taylor lost many of the precious and prime years

of his life. The system failed Mr. Taylor, but Governor Tate Reeves did the right

thing when he courageously granted Marcus Taylor clemency and ordered him

released from prison in November, 2025.

On Tuesday, June 9, 2026, supporters of the Justice for Marcus Taylor

Coalition, which includes civil rights activists, elected officials, and justice

advocates from various organizations around America, will ask the Mississippi

State Legislature and Governor Tate Reeves to formally compensate Marcus by

way of the Justice for Marcus Taylor Compensation Bill, which organizers plan

to have introduced by lawmakers and passed soon. Supporters will outline why

Marcus Case is so important, why the Governor Reeves’ decision was correct, and

why Marcus deserves redress for the systemic failures that cost him precious years

of his life. Laws must be changed in the State of Mississippi to ensure this tragedy

never happens again.

If the matter cannot be resolved by legislation, lawyers plan to file a federal lawsuit

seeking to have Mr. Taylor compensated for the damages and losses he suffered.

LAW OFFICE OF MALIK Z. SHABAZZ, ESQ.