Some are questioning and criticizing box office star Mark Wahlberg’s request for a pardon from the state of Massachusetts for felony convictions from his past.
The charges – for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a controlled substance – came when the actor was 17 years old.
In his petition for the pardon, Wahlberg appeals to authorities to consider that he is a much different person today and is striving to be a role model to his own children as well as the general public. In the appeal, he said he was “deeply sorry for the actions that [he] took.”
But during the incident in question in 1988, Wahlberg brutally attacked two Vietnamese men - Tranh Lam and Hoa Trinh in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
During the attacks, he repeatedly hurled racial slurs at the victims – calling Lam a “Vietnam f*cking sh*t” before slamming his head with a large club and knocking him unconscious.
He also referred to both men as “slant-eyed gooks” while being arrested, and punched Trinh so hard that he left him blinded in one eye. Wahlberg was tried as an adult at the time and ended up serving 45 days in jail.
The discussion focuses on other possible reasons Wahlberg might be seeking the pardon, including speculation that it would increase his chances for achieving liquor licenses for his restaurant business, that he might want to get a permit to carry a gun, or apply to work as a reserve police officer.
Comments