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On his final day in office, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper commuted the death row sentences of 15 people to life without parole.

In a press release, Cooper said he reviewed the petitions for clemency submitted by the defendants and also sought input from district attorneys and the families of victims.

"These reviews are among the most difficult decisions a Governor can make and the death penalty is the most severe sentence that the state can impose," Cooper said. "After thorough review, reflection, and prayer, I concluded that the death sentence imposed on these 15 people should be commuted, while ensuring they will spend the rest of their lives in prison."

North Carolina has not executed a person since 2006. Litigation over the means of lethal injection and the passage — in 2009 — of the Racial Justice Act allowed death row inmates to challenge their convictions if they could prove race played a role in sentencing or jury selection. Republicans successfully repealed the Racial Justice Act in 2013.

After this commutation, 121 people are still on death row in North Carolina.

Advocates against the death penalty hailed the move.

"With this action, Governor Cooper has commuted more death sentences than any governor in North Carolina’s history and joins the ranks of a group of courageous leaders who used their executive authority to address the failed death penalty," said Chantal Stevens, executive director of ACLU of North Carolina. "We have long known that the death penalty in North Carolina is racially biased, unjust, and immoral, and the Governor’s actions today pave the way for our state to move towards a new era of justice."

The 15 people whose sentences were commuted are:

• Hasson Bacote, 38, convicted in Johnston County in 2009.
• Iziah Barden, 67, convicted in Sampson County in 1999.
• Nathan Bowie, 53, convicted in Catawba County in 1993.
• Rayford Burke, 66, convicted in Iredell County in 1993.
• Elrico Fowler, 49, convicted in Mecklenburg County in 1997.
• Cerron Hooks, 46, convicted in Forsyth County in 2000.
• Guy LeGrande, 65, convicted in Stanly County in 1996.
• James Little, 38, convicted in Forsyth County in 2008.
• Robbie Locklear, 52, convicted in Robeson County in 1996.
• Lawrence Peterson, 55, convicted in Richmond County in 1996.
• William Robinson, 41, convicted in Stanly County in 2011.
• Christopher Roseboro, 60, convicted in Gaston County in 1997.
• Darrell Strickland, 66, convicted in Union County in 1995.
• Timothy White, 47, convicted in Forsyth County in 2000.
• Vincent Wooten, 52, convicted in Pitt County in 1994.

Cooper commuting these sentences marks one the final acts of his eight years as governor. Term-limited, Cooper will soon be succeeded by fellow Democrat Josh Stein, who defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson by a comfortable margin in November’s general election.