Atlanta native Jamal Lewis among ex-NFL players pardoned by Trump
BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 07: Jamal Lewis #31 of the Baltimore Ravens runs with the ball during a NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns on November 7, 2004 at M & T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty
WASHINGTON - Atlanta native and former NFL player Jamal Lewis was among five former players pardoned by President Donald Trump last week.
What we know:
White House pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson made the announcement on Feb. 13, which included Lewis, Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Travis Henry, and the late Billy Cannon, all of whom were granted clemency.
The backstory:
Lewis, who played for the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, pleaded guilty in 2004 to using a cellphone to set up a cocaine deal about four years after the arrangement was made. The deal was never completed.
According to the LA Times, he was ordered to spend two months in a halfway house and complete 500 hours of community service after serving prison time.
As a running back, Lewis was drafted in the first round by the Ravens in 2000 and won a Super Bowl with the team in 2001. He was named the 2003 AP Offensive Player of the Year.
What we don't know:
No reason for the pardons was given.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report.