McKinley Phipps, or “Mac” as he’s known to No Limit fans, has been consistently maintaining his innocence since he was convicted of shooting a teenage fan at a concert in Slidell, Louisiana, in 2000. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison and has currently served 21, claiming he was never involved in the crime at all. Many have corroborated his claims since he’s been imprisoned, including another man who confessed to the shooting, a key witness who recanted her testimony in 2015, and other witnesses who said they were threatened or ignored by prosecutors.
McKinley’s wife Angelique Phipps is confident that they are close to getting him freed. “We are nearing the finish line in a long fought battle in securing McKinley’s freedom. While he still has the upcoming parole hearing and no definitive release date, we are relieved, grateful, and looking forward to the future.”
On Thursday evening, the governor’s office in Louisiana confirmed that McKinley had been granted clemency, which the governor, Rep. John Bel Edwards (D) reportedly takes “very seriously.” McKinley appeared in front of the Louisiana Board of Pardons and Committee on Parole in February, who unanimously voted that he should be made eligible for parole. “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,” the governor wrote to Phipps in late March.
[Via]