Jelly Roll Was Pardoned for His Two Felony Convictions

May 27, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Jason Bradley DeFord, known professionally as Jelly Roll, poses for a photo prior to the second quarter of game four of the eastern conference finals between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Celebrity Beat…

Jelly Roll has officially received a pardon from the state of Tennessee.

Yesterday, Governor Bill Lee pardoned Jelly for two felony convictions.  One was for a 2003 robbery…and the other was a 2008 drug possession, both in Davidson County.

Here’s what Governor Lee said about Jelly, “His story is remarkable, and it’s a redemptive, powerful story, which is what you look for and what you hope for.”

The pardon does not completely erase Jelly’s criminal record, but it does forgive those two felony convictions, which means it’ll be a lot easier for him to travel internationally, and fully restores other civil rights like voting and jury duty.

Jelly has said he wanted the pardon so he could “be an inspiration for people who are now where I used to be” and to show that “change is truly possible.”

Jelly is truly taking advantage of his second chance. What a comeback story.

SOURCES: The Tennessean / AP News