On his way out of office, former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper commuted the sentences of death row inmates, as the Tar Heel State has halted executions amid litigation over the past 20 years.

As one of his last acts in office, Gov. Roy Cooper commuted the sentences of 15 people on North Carolina's death row to life without parole.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper commuted the death sentences of 15 inmates in the state on his last day in office, a move that was praised by several advocacy organizations