NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Gov. Bill Lee has announced he will be granting pardons to 33 people, including Jason DeFord, who’s better known as country music star and Nashville native, Jelly Roll.
The ever-so-popular music artist was convicted of a robbery he committed as a teenager and, while on parole in 2005, was convicted of possession with the intent to sell cocaine.
“Jelly Roll’s story was remarkable, redemptive, and powerful, and that it was evident he should get a pardon,” Gov. Bill Lee said.
He finished serving his sentence in 2016, and earlier in 2025, the Tennessee Board of Parole unanimously recommended his pardon, based on the personal transformation they observed, Gov. Lee said.
Jelly Roll, along with the 32 others pardoned by Lee, had been out of prison for five years or more, were no longer under community supervision, had been incident-free since their release and demonstrated a compelling reason for a pardon.
Previous: Country music star Jelly Roll one step closer to full pardon for past crimes
Lee commended Jelly Roll for his charity work and the use of the singer’s public platform to support mental and addiction recovery.
Related: Jelly Roll grants dying wish for Nashville rehab manager diagnosed with untreatable lung cancer
The governor also said that Jelly Roll used his newfound wealth to pay college tuition for several students and support the groundbreaking of the new trauma-informed juvenile justice facility in Nashville.
When asked, Gov. Lee denied the singer’s fame played a part in the process and criteria for the consideration of the pardon, saying he was treated the same as every single person asking his office for clemency.
“Jelly Roll’s story was remarkable, redemptive, and powerful, and that it was evident he should get a pardon,” Lee said.
Full list of pardons below:
- Janet Babb
- Shawn Baker
- Shawn Boss
- Thomas Braly
- Monty Burks
- Grant Burnside
- Jason DeFord
- Lanisha Edmond
- Andy Giron-Freay
- Melissa Halpin
- Edward Hayes
- Willie Horton
- Jeffrey Jackson
- Joshua Jarvis
- Nathan Jones
- Jeffrey Kimbel
- Jeffrey Kottler
- Kristy Locklear
- Robert McEwen
- Temeka Nixon
- William Reed
- Alan Roberts
- Hector Ruiz
- Angela Sellers
- Clark Shepherd
- Erika Smith
- Jessica Stanley
- Matthew Wade
- Anthony Walton
- Kennda Watkins
- Clay Watkins
- Steven Welch
- Tenisha Woods
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