After serving 21 years of a 30-year sentence, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards has offered clemency to former No Limit rapper McKinley "Mac" Phipps Jr.
“We are nearing the finish line in a long fought battle in securing McKinley’s freedom,” Phipps Jr.'s wife, Angelique Phipps, told the HuffPost.
“While he still has the upcoming parole hearing and no definitive release date, we are relieved, grateful, and looking forward to the future.”
In 2000, Phipps was convicted of shooting a teenager at a concert in Slidell, Louisiana. Over the years, Phipps maintained that he was innocent and another man has confessed to the shooting. Unfortunately, the prosecution worked to discount the legitimacy of the conviction. Still, a witness recanted their testimony in 2015 and four others were reportedly silenced through intimidation and violence. Through it all, Phipps Jr. has campaigned for his freedom.
“As you are likely aware, many clemency applications are submitted each year and only a small number are approved. This letter is to inform you that I have granted your application,” Edwards wrote to Phipps Jr.
“I congratulate you on your efforts to turn your life around and remind you that it is up to you to make the most out of this opportunity.”
Clemency does not clean Phipps Jr.'s record. Attorney Stanton Jones has started the process of working to expunge his clients' record.
Phipps must appear before the state's parole board once more before he is released. The hearing is set for June 22.
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