In 2020, then-North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper appointed Kerwin Pittman, a former member of the Bloods gang, to a state task force focused on racial equity in criminal justice reform. The appointment was part of an executive order issued by Cooper in response to the death of George Floyd and the subsequent nationwide protests.
Pittman, who served 14 years in prison after a 2007 conviction for conspiracy to commit murder, was included on the Racial Equity in Criminal Justice Task Force alongside state officials and community activists. The task force was led by then-State Attorney General Josh Stein, who is now North Carolina’s governor. Pittman’s appointment has since drawn scrutiny over his criminal history and his role in shaping criminal justice policy.
Pittman was convicted in connection to a 2006 drive-by shooting that killed Jamel Amiens Jeffreys, a 19-year-old. During a separate murder trial, prosecutors identified Pittman as a ranking member of the Bloods. He has since described his past actions as the result of poor judgment during his teenage years and early adulthood. In a statement to reporters, Pittman said: “I was asked to contribute to conversations about criminal justice reform because of both my lived experience and the work I was doing in communities. I have never hidden my past. The gang involvement and criminal conduct you reference occurred when I was a teenager and young man, at or before the age of 19. I am now 39 years old.”
Pittman was working for Emancipate NC, a nonprofit organization advocating for criminal justice reform, at the time of his appointment. The organization has previously called for policies such as the abolition of cash bail and the reduction of prison populations. Pittman’s LinkedIn profile indicates his role in community advocacy work following his release from prison in 2020.
The task force was established via Executive Order 202, signed by Cooper on June 1, 2020. Its stated purpose was to examine systemic racial disparities in North Carolina’s criminal justice system and recommend policy changes. The panel included law enforcement officials, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and advocates, with Stein appointed as chair. The group issued a final report in December 2020, outlining 125 recommendations aimed at addressing racial inequities in policing, sentencing, and corrections.
Cooper, now a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, has not publicly addressed Pittman’s appointment in recent statements. Pittman has continued his advocacy work, emphasizing his transformation and commitment to reform. His inclusion on the task force has prompted discussions about the balance between lived experience and public safety in policymaking.