Yes. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee pardoned Jelly Roll, whose legal name is Jason DeFord, on December 18, 2025. The decision followed a unanimous but nonbinding recommendation from the Tennessee Board of Parole. The pardon is an act of clemency—not an exoneration—and the available reporting does not establish that it automatically clears his record or guarantees entry to other countries.
When was Jelly Roll pardoned?
Lee announced pardons for 33 people on December 18, 2025, including DeFord, the Tennessee-born artist known as Jelly Roll. WSMV reported that Lee said DeFord’s fame did not change the criteria for consideration. Lee also cited DeFord’s charity work and public advocacy on mental health and addiction recovery. WSMV’s report covered the announcement.
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The Tennessee Board of Parole had unanimously recommended a pardon at a hearing on April 22, 2025. That recommendation did not itself grant clemency: the board processes applications and makes recommendations, while the governor makes the final decision. The Tennessee Board of Parole’s Executive Clemency Unit explains the process and the nonbinding nature of its recommendations.
The Associated Press reported that DeFord began the application process in October 2024, after the reported five-year eligibility interval following completion of his sentence. The AP report covered the board hearing and application timeline.
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- Beautifully Broken is the new studio album from Jelly Roll, featuring the hit single "I Am Not Okay
What convictions were connected to the pardon?
News accounts describe a robbery when DeFord was 17 and a later drug case. The AP reported that the 2002 robbery involved $350 and that DeFord was unarmed while two accomplices carried guns. CBS reported that he received a one-year prison term and probation for the robbery.
In a separate incident in 2008, police found marijuana and crack cocaine in his car, according to the AP’s account. CBS reported that the later case resulted in eight years of court-ordered supervision. These are details attributed to news reports about the cases; they should not be read as a complete account of DeFord’s criminal record. The AP and CBS News reported on the convictions and sentences.
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- Whitsitt Chapel is the breakthrough album by Jelly Roll released in 2023
Why did he seek a pardon?
DeFord told the parole board that he wanted to tour internationally and share his message. The AP reported that his record made travel paperwork and permission processes burdensome. Addressing the board, he said: “I want to be an inspiration for people who are now where I used to be – to let them know that change is truly possible.” The AP quoted his remarks.
Lee’s announcement reflected the governor’s stated reasons for granting clemency; it was not a judicial finding about DeFord’s past cases. WSMV quoted Lee describing DeFord’s story as “remarkable, redemptive, and powerful” and saying “it was evident he should get a pardon.” WSMV reported Lee’s comments.
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- Ballads of the Broken is major labor debut album by Jelly Roll released in 2021
Does the pardon clear Jelly Roll’s record or guarantee travel?
The available sources do not establish that DeFord’s pardon automatically expunged his convictions, restored a particular right, or changed any federal conviction. They also do not establish that a pardon guarantees admission to another country. A Tennessee pardon cannot decide how a foreign government handles an entry application.
Tennessee distinguishes a pardon from exoneration. The state describes a pardon as an official statement of forgiveness for a person who has completed prison time and is no longer incarcerated. Exoneration is separate: the state’s description requires a finding that the person did not commit the crime and that state judicial remedies have been exhausted; the statutory exoneration it describes expunges records and restores rights. The governor’s August 27, 2026 clemency announcement and the Board of Parole’s clemency information distinguish these forms of relief. Neither distinction supports treating DeFord’s pardon as an exoneration.
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- Jelly Roll
- Beautifully Broken
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