Death Row Records Co-Founder Michael Harris Pardoned By Donald Trump

The co-founder of Death Row Records, Michael 'Harry-O' Harris, has received a pardon from Donald Trump.

The 59-year-old has been behind bars for 32 years having been convicted of attempted murder and cocaine trafficking.

Snoop Dogg - who signed to his record label in the 90s - reportedly lobbied for his release, which Trump went ahead with despite White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows advising against it, according to the Daily Mail.

Harris has been pardoned by Trump.

A White House statement read: "President Trump commuted the sentence of Michael Harris.

"Mr. Harris is a 59 year old who has served 30 years of a 25 year to life sentence for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

"Mr. Harris has had an exemplary prison record for three decades. He is a former entrepreneur and has mentored and taught fellow prisoners how to start and run businesses. He has completed courses towards business and journalism degrees.

"Upon his release, Mr. Harris will have a meaningful place of employment and housing with the support of his family."

Harris' attorney, Bruce Zucker, said his release was 'long overdue'.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, he added: "It [his conviction] occurred during the 1980s, at a time when then Presidents Ronald Regan and George H.W. Bush authorized legislation that imposed draconian penalties for drug offenses, which primarily and adversely affected young African American men living in the inner-city, such as Mr. Harris."

PA

Harris is one of 73 people to be granted pardons by Trump on his last day in office, with a further 70 having their sentences commuted.

Lil Wayne was among those to be pardoned. The rapper - real name Dwayne Carter - pleaded guilty in December to possessing a loaded, gold-plated .45-caliber handgun while travelling on a private plane to South Florida from California for Christmas in 2019.

The rapper was also carrying personal use amounts of cocaine, ecstasy and oxycodone.

He was due to be sentenced on 28 January and could have faced up to ten years in prison.

Lil Wayne endorsed Trump prior to the 2020 election.

Speaking after the pardon was confirmed, Lil Wayne's attorney Bradford Cohen told Rolling Stone that 'Trump and his administration have been tireless advocates on behalf of the African-American community'.

Topics: Celebrity, US News, crime, Donald Trump

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey