DC police department reinstates officers convicted in death and cover up after Trump pardon

The Metropolitan Police Department has reinstated two Washington, DC, officers weeks after President Donald Trump pardoned them for their role in the death of 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown in 2020, a case that drew protests on the heels of the murder of George Floyd.

The Metropolitan Police Department has reinstated two Washington, DC, officers weeks after President Donald Trump pardoned them for their role in the death of 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown in 2020, a case that drew protests on the heels of the murder of George Floyd. Both officers were reinstated by DC’s police department Monday and are once again being paid, an MPD source with knowledge of the reinstatements told CNN. Officer Terence Sutton and Lt. Andrew Zabavsky had been suspended without pay as the legal process played out. “Officer Sutton and Lt. Zabavsky have been reinstated. MPD does not comment on personnel matters,” a spokesperson for MPD confirmed to CNN in a statement Monday night. The officers will need go through extensive retraining before the department determines what their assignments will be, the MPD source told CNN. It’s unclear if either officer will return to work in a public facing role. Sutton was found guilty of second-degree murder, conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice and sentenced to 66 months in prison. The same jury found Zabavsky guilty of conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice, and he faced 48 months behind bars. Zabavsky and Sutton received a “full and unconditional pardon” just days after Trump was inaugurated. Sutton, along with his attorney, declined to comment when reached by CNN Monday. CNN has reached out to Zabavsky and his attorney for comment.