‘Gambler’ Mark Wahlberg Seeks Pardon For Teenage Assault: Marky Mark Transformed After Jail Sentence

America may have forgiven Mark Wahlberg for his Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch days (and not stopping 9/11) but can we forgive him for his criminal record. When the Gambler star was 16-years-old, he was arrested for brutally assaulting a middle-aged vietnamese man, leaving the victim blind in one eye. Wahlberg was sentenced to 2-years in prison, serving 45-days. Now that the Transformers 4 actor has transformed himself into a contributing member of society, he is seeking a pardon for his crimes.

Mark Wahlberg may be a well respected actor these days, but former New Kids on The Block member (yes, he was a member for a brief period), used to be a kid you didn’t want on your block.

When he was a teenager, Wahlberg frequently found himself on the wrong side of the law, a lot. Now the actor has requested an official pardon for his crimes. In his petition to the Massachusetts Board of Pardons, Wahlberg writes (via The Boston Globe):

“I am deeply sorry for the action that I took on the night of April 8, 1988, as well as for any lasting damage that I may have caused the victims… Since that time, I have dedicated myself to becoming a better person and citizen so that I can be a role model to my children and others...I have not engaged in philanthropic efforts in order to make people forget about my past. To the contrary, I want people to remember my past so that I can serve as an example of how lives can be turned around and how people can be redeemed.”

Wahlberg went on to claim that the pardon would reflect the person that he has become, and a make him a symbol of redemption for millions:

"The more complex answer is that receiving a pardon would be a formal recognition that I am not the same person that I was on the night of April 8, 1988. It would be formal recognition that someone like me can receive official public redemption if he devotes himself to personal improvement and a life of good works."

Do you think that Wahlberg should be pardoned? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section at the bottom of the page.