Robert Downey Jr. receives pardon for 1996 drug conviction

[Brian in Mesa]

Robert Downey Jr. receives pardon for 1996 drug conviction

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/24/enter...pardon-feat0819PMStoryGalLink&linkId=19896873

Robert Downey Jr., who spent time in prison in the late 1990s for drug convictions, received a full and unconditional pardon on Thursday from California Gov. Jerry Brown.

The "Iron Man" actor was one of 91 people who received a pardon from Brown -- mostly for minor drug offenses -- in what has become an annual Christmas Eve tradition in the governor's office. The individuals completed their sentences and have been released from custody for more than a decade without further criminal activity, according to the governor's office.

Downey was convicted in 1996 of possession of a controlled substance, carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle with a prior conviction, driving under the influence and use of a controlled substance. It was a time in his life when his substance abuse and brushes with the law overshadowed his acting talents.

He served one year and three months in prison, two years on parole and nearly three years on probation for his convictions, according to the governor's office.

Since then, Downey has "paid his debt to society," according to a proclamation on the governor's website. "... He has lived an honest and upright life, exhibited good moral character and conducted himself as a law-abiding citizen."

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Props to RDJ for cleaning up and staying on the right path.

 

[Bert]

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Props to RDJ for cleaning up and staying on the right path.

For the first few years after his Iron Man resurgence, I couldn't help but think everytime; Good for you Robert. So good to see someone turn their life around and not waste their talent. (I'm looking at you Daryl Washington) Now I dont even think about it anymore. I hope he stays on this path and never goes back to that horrible chapter in his younger days.

 

[conraddobler]

It's a lot easier to toe the line when you're rich as ****.

I'd rather save some kudo's and pardon's for ordinary folk who walk a much harder road than this tool.

 

[Passepartout]

Yeah as really now he is rich. And as they say, money talks.

 

[DemsMyBoys]

It's a lot easier to toe the line when you're rich as ****.

I'd rather save some kudo's and pardon's for ordinary folk who walk a much harder road than this tool.

Governor Ronald Reagan pardoned Merle Haggard.

 

[Bert]

I guess I get how you guys feel from a very shallow and very superficial level, but if you take two seconds to look at this guys life arc:

-He was a super popular young actor with a ton of promise.

-Got into drugs and lost everything and wound up in prison.

-Got out and couldn't work, did nothing but a bunch of small supporting roles in some pretty obscure movies for years.

-Worked his way back into peoples trust and got better and better roles before hitting one of the biggest paydirts in Hollywood history with the Ironman franchise.

I think that's a great story that shouldn't be scoffed at simply because he's "rich" now. He's rich because he straightened his life out, not the other way around.

 

[DemsMyBoys]

I guess I get how you guys feel from a very shallow and very superficial level, but if you take two seconds to look at this guys life arc:

Hopefully, I'm not included in the "you guys" since I actually gave a little whoop and said, "All right!" when I was told Brown had pardoned him.

I was just pointing out that other governors have pardoned other celebrities.

I thought Downey was washed up and finito when he was in the depths of his addiction. I was wrong. He's taken responsibility for what he did and who he was. The pardon is, I think, recognition of what he's done with his life post incarceration and idiotic behavior.

 

[Bert]

Hopefully, I'm not included in the "you guys" since I actually gave a little whoop and said, "All right!" when I was told Brown had pardoned him.

I was just pointing out that other governors have pardoned other celebrities.

I thought Downey was washed up and finito when he was in the depths of his addiction. I was wrong. He's taken responsibility for what he did and who he was. The pardon is, I think, recognition of what he's done with his life post incarceration and idiotic behavior.

Of course not! [emoji7]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[conraddobler]

I'd be fine if they started throwing out a ton more pardon's for average folks until then i stand by what I said.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

It's a lot easier to toe the line when you're rich as ****.

I'd rather save some kudo's and pardon's for ordinary folk who walk a much harder road than this tool.

I call BS on this.

Plenty of rich people fight the same demons and lose. Sticking with just actors: John Belushi, River Phoenix, Heath Ledger, Judy Garland, Chris Farley, Corey Haim, etc. Their money did not save them. It actually probably had more to do with their demise. Access to illegal drugs is much easier when you have a boatload of cash. Not sure how having money helps you defeat an addiction.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I'd be fine if they started throwing out a ton more pardon's for average folks until then i stand by what I said.

https://www.gov.ca.gov/docs/12.24.15_pardons.pdf

There were 91 pardons. Robert Downey, Jr. and 90 average folks. Does that percentage just not do it for you?

Props to every one of these individuals for getting their lives in order - including RDJ.

 

[UncleChris]

https://www.gov.ca.gov/docs/12.24.15_pardons.pdf

There were 91 pardons. Robert Downey, Jr. and 90 average folks. Does that percentage just not do it for you?

Props to every one of these individuals for getting their lives in order - including RDJ.