Jelly Roll Pardoned by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee for Robbery and Drug Felonies: ‘His Story Is Remarkable’

Jelly Roll has been pardoned.

On Thursday, Dec. 18, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee granted the country music star a pardon for two felony convictions from Davidson County that predate 2010.

“His story is remarkable, and it’s a redemptive, powerful story, which is what you look for and what you hope for,” Lee told reporters, according to the Associated Press.

“It was evident to me that this is a man who should get a pardon,” he added, per The Tennessean.

Jelly was one of 33 people Lee pardoned on Dec. 18, per AP.

The pardon does not erase Jelly Roll’s record, but it does forgive two felony convictions in Davidson County — one from 2003 for robbery and another from 2008 for drug possession, according to The Tennessean.

Jelly Roll submitted a pardon application last year, The Tennessean previously reported, supported by statements from friends, government officials and music industry figures.

In April 2024, Nashville Sheriff Daron Hall wrote a letter urging Lee to grant the pardon. Nearly a year later, the Tennessee Board of Parole recommended Jelly Roll for clemency in a unanimous, non-binding decision.

The “Need a Favor” singer said he sought a pardon so he could “to be an inspiration for people who are now where I used to be — to let them know that change is truly possible,” per AP.

“One of the reasons I’m asking for your recommendation … is because I’m looking to take my message of redemption … [across] the rest of the world,” he continued, noting he has faced challenges performing internationally due to his felony convictions.

Jelly Roll has said he has been jailed more than 40 times for various drug-related charges and was first arrested at age 14. He has spoken publicly about that past while emphasizing personal change and second chances.

In December 2022, the musician reflected on being incarcerated as a teenager: “I was in and out of there for about three, three and a half years. I spent a lot of time there and eventually got charged as an adult for a crime I committed as a juvenile,” he said.

“And I just realized that was the most impactful thing that ever happened in my life, and the darkest moments of my life still were being that 15-year-old scared kid spending Thanksgiving away from his family.”

Since becoming a star, Jelly Roll has appeared before Congress to urge lawmakers to pass the FEND Off Fentanyl Act and has visited inmates to talk candidly about his experiences and his focus on redemption.