News

NY Governor Pardons Slick Rick

New York State Governor David Paterson granted Ricky "Slick Rick" Walters a full pardon on Friday, allowing the UK native to stay in the states after looming threats of a possible deportation. (The rapper served more than five years in prison after being convicted of attempted murder—a shooting involving his cousin and another man—in 1991. He was then arrested in 2002 on a five-year-old Immigration and Naturalization Service warrant.)

"I am happy for this to be settled once and for all," Walters said in a statement. "I look forward to enjoying this time with my family and friends and to continue leading an honest and productive life."

Gov. Patterson noted Walters' devotion to youth outreach programs in his decision, adding, "Mr. Walters has fully served the sentence imposed upon him for his convictions, had an exemplary disciplinary record while in prison and on parole, and has been living without incident in the community for more than 10 years. I urge federal immigration officials to once again grant Mr. Walters relief from deportation, so that he is not separated from his many family members who are United States citizens, including his two teenage children."

—The ARTISTdirect Staff
05.27.08