New York Governor David Paterson granted British born rapper "Slick Rick" a full and unconditional pardon for attempted murder and weapons convictions to help him avoid deportation.
The rapper, whose real name is Ricky Walters, served six years of a possible 10-year sentence after pleading guilty in 1991 to two counts of attempted murder and eight weapons offenses for shooting his cousin and an innocent bystander.
He was released from prison in 1997 and discharged from parole supervision in 2000. Since then, he has been fighting deportation for his convictions. Under federal law, legal immigrants to the United States convicted of an aggravated felony or a weapon offense must be deported.
"Mr. Walters has fully served the sentence imposed upon him for his convictions, had an exemplary disciplinary record while in prison and on parole, and has been living without incident in the community for more than 10 years," Paterson said.
"In that time, he has volunteered at youth outreach programs to counsel youth against violence, and has become a symbol of rehabilitation for many young people," he said.
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