TRENTON, N.J. — Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday announced a third round of clemency actions, pardoning 40 individuals and bringing the total number of clemency grants during his administration to 169.
“As ‘The State for Second Chances,’ we pride ourselves on recognizing the power of redemption,” Murphy said. “Extending this opportunity for a new beginning is one of the greatest responsibilities I hold as Governor – and one that I do not take lightly. I am deeply grateful to Bishop Rodriguez, the Clemency Advisory Board, and my team for their careful and thoughtful review and guidance on each application for clemency that we receive. Together, we are ensuring that justice in New Jersey is both rooted in public safety and a belief in second chances.”
The New Jersey Constitution grants governors broad discretion to issue pardons and commutations for state criminal convictions. In 2024, Murphy signed Executive Order No. 362, establishing the state’s first Clemency Advisory Board, chaired by Bishop Joshua Rodriguez. The board reviews applications and makes recommendations to the governor.
“With this third round of clemency grants, Governor Murphy continues to show moral courage and compassionate leadership. By extending pardons to more than forty individuals, he is not only restoring lives but also strengthening families and communities across our state,” Rodriguez said. “Clemency is not about overlooking mistakes—it is about recognizing transformation, redemption, and the power of a second chance. With close to 170 pardons and commutations to date—more than the combined total of New Jersey’s governors over the last 30 years—Governor Murphy is making history. His bold use of clemency sends a clear message to the nation that justice and mercy can walk hand in hand, and we remain hopeful that many more lives will be restored before his term concludes.”
Individuals Pardoned by Governor Murphy:
- New Jersey resident: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2005
- Shaib Brown: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1988; possession with intent to distribute, 1989; possession with intent to distribute, 1991; theft, 1994
- Emily Cruz: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 1991; violation of probation, 1998
- Alain Denis: receiving stolen property, 1985; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, 1987, 1990, 1991; resisting arrest and possession with intent to distribute, 1990; violation of probation, 1992; unlawful possession of a weapon, 1992; possession of CDS in a school zone and firearms violation, 1996; possession of CDS, 1999
- Tyrone Duckett: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2005
- Nicholas Falletta: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, 2005; violation of probation, 2008; possession of CDS, 2008
- Stacey Forte: shoplifting, 2010; criminal trespass and shoplifting, 2010; attempt to obtain CDS by fraud, 2011; possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia, 2011; violation of probation, 2013
- Steven Gaston: possession of a prohibited weapon, sentenced in 1996
- Rodney Goss: possession of a controlled dangerous substance, 1987; violation of probation, 1988; possession of CDS, 1988
- Clourer Grady: possession of a controlled dangerous substance, 1990; possession, 1991; violation of probation, 1993; distribution of CDS, 1993
- Timothy Granzow: disorderly conduct, 1998; possession of CDS, 1999; violation of probation, 1999; possession with intent to distribute CDS, 1999; possession of drug paraphernalia, 1999 (two counts); theft, 1998 and 1999; distribution of CDS, 2010
- Patrice Hilaire: local ordinance violations, 2002; two counts of distribution of CDS, 2006
- Mario Ibrahim: shoplifting, 1995; robbery, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, 1997
- Schulyer Jackson: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, 2012
- Linda Kelsey: possession of CDS, 1975, 1977, 1989; shoplifting and two counts possession of narcotics equipment, 1987; possession of narcotics equipment, 1989 (two counts); distribution of CDS, 1989; distribution within a school zone, 2016
- David Benjamin Kornacki Jr.: theft, 2002; two counts aggravated assault and hindering, 2003; possession of CDS, 2005; violation of probation, 2007; hindering, 2006
- Christopher Lascala: robbery, sentenced in 2013
- Wilbert Majette Jr.: possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, 1990; possession of CDS, 1990
- Chanti Matthews: two counts of receiving stolen property, 1999
- William Matunda III: possession with intent to distribute CDS, 1996
- Naquan McAllister: robbery, 2008; distribution of CDS, 2009; theft, 2011; local ordinance violations, 2019
- Charlotte McCoy: possession of a controlled dangerous substance, sentenced in 2010
- Anthony Millan Jr.: theft, 2004; possession of CDS, 2007
- Pedro Monserrate: aggravated assault, 2000; unlicensed entry, 2005; defiant trespass, 2005
- Scott Muro: possession with intent to distribute CDS, 2010
- John Petruska: conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute CDS, 1998
- Denise Reid: possession of narcotics equipment and drug-related offense, 1972; possession of CDS, 1974; shoplifting, 1974 (two counts), 1975 (three counts), 1976, 1977; robbery and committing an offense while armed, 1975
- Fronz Roberts: two counts possession with intent to distribute CDS, 1989; receiving stolen property, 1989; violations of probation, 1990; distribution within a school zone, 1990
- Kyle Roche: aggravated assault, 2005; theft, trespass, and wandering to obtain CDS, 2013; ordinance violations and wandering to obtain CDS, 2014; possession, 2015; obstruction, 2015; violation of probation, 2016
- Robert Salek: larceny and burglary, 1972; fraud, 1975
- Alejandro Saralvarez: possession with intent to distribute CDS, 1989
- Joseph Sarappa: robbery, sentenced in 1982
- Markim Skakur-Purvis: possession with intent to distribute CDS, 1990, 1991, 1999; attempt to tamper with witness, 1999
- Marc Shelton: possession of CDS, 1994; possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia, 1994; wandering to obtain CDS, 1998
- Charles Thompson: six counts of breaking and entering, sentenced in 1977
- Raymond Throckmorton: possession of narcotics equipment, 1973; possession, 1978
- Matthew Tursi: receiving stolen property, 2012 (two counts); possession of narcotics equipment, 2012
- Tanell Waller: unlawful possession of a weapon, 1996; possession with intent to distribute within a school zone, 1998 (two counts); possession with intent to distribute CDS, 1998; possession of drug paraphernalia, 2002; wandering to obtain CDS, 2011 (two counts); possession of CDS, 2011
- Richard Woolfolk: receiving stolen property, 1998; possession of CDS, 1998, 2000; possession with intent to distribute CDS, 2001; distribution within a school zone, 2001; distribution near a public facility, 2001
- Rachel Worthington: possession with intent to distribute CDS, 2001
Among those pardoned was Clourer Grady, 72, who was convicted of drug possession-related charges from 1989 to 1993. She later entered treatment, became a certified drug and alcohol counselor at Trinitas Regional Medical Center, and retired in 2017. Grady credited treatment with saving her life and spent more than 17 years running a program to help adults in recovery reconnect with their children and families.
Since the creation of the Clemency Advisory Board, the governor’s office has received more than 4,500 applications for clemency.
