American rapper, Travell ‘G. Dep’ Coleman, has been granted clemency by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, nearly two-decade-old after he turned himself in for a murder case.
Coleman, now 49, has served 13 years of his 15-year-to-life sentence after walking into a New York police precinct in 2010.
Two years ahead of his original parole eligibility in 2025, his sentence has been commuted by the Democratic governor, who also granted clemency to 15 other individuals on Friday.
The rapper, who was convicted in 2012 for the murder of John Henkel, will now be able to seek parole and could walk home earlier than expected.
Governor Hochul granted 12 pardons and four commutations ahead of the holiday weekend, marking the third time Hochul has granted clemency in 2023.
‘Through the clemency process, it is my solemn responsibility as governor to recognize the efforts individuals have made to improve their lives and show that redemption is possible,’ Hochul said
The rapper earned an associate degree while in prison and facilitated violence prevention and sobriety counseling programs.
He also joined a variety of educational and rehabilitative classes, according to Hochul’s office.
His clemency application was supported by the assistant district attorney who prosecuted the case and the judge who sentenced him, Hochul said.
The rapper was one of the rising stars of hip-hop impresario Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs´ Bad Boy Records label in the late 1990s.
