California Gov Jerry Brown pardons Robert Downey Jr of 1990s drug crimes
Gov. Jerry Brown just included Robert Downey Jr in his Christmas Eve habit of handing out pardons, nullifying the Iron Man star’s 1990s drug convictions.
Downey’s official forgiving was one of 91 issued by Brown, who has a made the pardons a December 24 habit.
Back in October, Downey was inducted into the California Hall of Fame. “I think I might be first inductee who’s been in the correctional system,” he later joked during a pre-Thanksgiving appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Robert Downey Jr at the world premiere of Marvel’s “Avengers: Age Of Ultron” at the Dolby Theatre on April 13, 2015 in Hollywood, California.
“By completion of his sentence and good conduct in the community of his residence since his release, Robert John Downey, Jr. has paid his debt to society and earned a full and unconditional pardon,” reads the declaration.
Downey was arrested multiple times from 1996-2001, first for possession of heroin, cocaine and a handgun while driving in Hollywood.
The Chaplin star was busted for breaking into a neighbor’s home while intoxicated and on parole. The actor was given probation but was jailed in Los Angeles for missing a court-ordered drug test. He was arrested in 1999 after missing another drug test and sentenced to three years in state prison. He was granted early release the following year.
Pardons mainly are symbolic and don’t erase a criminal record, but they can allow ex-convicts to own firearms, serve on jury duty or work in some government jobs. To be eligible, individuals must have been out of prison for at least a decade, committed no new crimes and received a court-granted Certificate of Rehabilitation if they still live in California.
Other pardons Brown granted today were for crimes ranging from arson. kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon to DUI, perjury and use of a fake ID. See the full list of pardons here.
