Mark Wahlberg is seeking pardon in Massachusetts for the crime he committed when he was a teen in 1988, which left a man blind. He filed a pardon application with state officials on Nov. 26 in an effort to get his criminal record expunged.
On April 8, 1988, Wahlberg, who was under the influence of alcohol and drugs, tried to steal two cases of booze from a guy outside a convenience store in Dorchester. While trying to get away from the police, he hit a man on the head with a stick and punched another in the face. The assault left the second man blind in one eye.
Then 16 years old, Wahlberg was tried as an adult. He was initially charged with attempted murder but was found guilty of assault and sentenced to three months in jail. He was released after serving only 45 days
In his application last week, the actor wrote:
“I am deeply sorry for the actions that I took on the night of April 8, 1988, as well as for any lasting damage that I may have caused the victims. Since that time, I have dedicated myself to becoming a better person and citizen so that I can be a role model to my children and others."
Wahlberg then cited his involvement with charities including the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, the Dorchester Boys and Girls Club and the renovation of the Boston-area Parish Gym. He also said he attends church on a nearly daily basis.
He continued:
"I have not engaged in philanthropic efforts in order to make people forget about my past. To the contrary, I want people to remember my past so that I can serve as an example of how lives can be turned around and how people can be redeemed. The more complex answer is that receiving a pardon would be a formal recognition that I am not the same person that I was on the night of April 8, 1988. It would be formal recognition that someone like me can receive official public redemption if he devotes himself to personal improvement and a life of good works."
In order to receive a pardon, the Massachusetts Parole Board would have to review Mark's case and make a recommendation to the governor, who has the ultimate authority to grant pardons.
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