Summary: It’s Christmas time, which means it is the much anticipated time for California Governor Jerry Brown to pass out pardons again.
Robert Downey Jr. was caught and charged nearly 20 years ago for drug and weapon crimes. Now the Hollywood actor can say his name is clear as a pardon from California Governor Jerry Brown has been passed down. Downey served one year and three months in jail for possessing cocaine, heroin, and a concealed pistol.
Mark Wahlberg Asks to be Pardoned for Prior Crimes in Massachusetts
The Governor pardoned 91 people that had demonstrated they had been rehabilitated and out of custody for a minimum of ten years. For Downey, the pardon is a symbolic gesture that allows him to serve on a jury but he will still have a criminal record.
Obama Commutes Prison Sentences for 46 Drug Offenders
Downey has revived his career after years of drug problems and run-ins with law enforcement. In his pardon it states, “since his release from custody, he has lived an honest and upright life, exhibited good moral character and conducted himself as a law-abiding citizen.”
As a former Jesuit seminarian, Gov. Brown has made it a tradition to hand out pardons around Easter and Christmas. He has given hundreds of pardons during each of his four terms compared to past governors. Arnold Schwarzenegger gave 15, Gray Davis granted none, and Pete Wilson handed out 13 while Ronald Reagan gave around 600.
Source: http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/24/entertainment/robert-downey-jr-pardon-feat/
Photo: foxnews.com