Calif. governor pardons Robert Downey Jr. for ’90s drug case

NY born actor Robert Downey Jr., who is perhaps most well recognized in recent years for his role as Iron Man, has been pardoned along with 90 other former criminals by the governor of California, Jerry Brown.

Downey, named the world’s highest-paid actor three years in a row by Forbes, has made quite the career comeback, starring in the Iron Man and Avengers franchises.

In the official pardon document, the governor’s office wrote that “since his release from custody, he has lived an honest and upright life, exhibited good moral character, and conducted himself as a law-abiding citizen”.

Downey will appear next in next year’s Captain America: Civil War.

While the pardon does not erase records of a conviction, it does restore voting rights and is a public proclamation that the person has remained out of trouble and demonstrated “exemplary behavior”, according to materials on Brown’s website. Downey had been requesting clemency for years before being officially pardoned on Christmas Eve.

Brown, the state’s longest-serving governor has now issued 1,087 pardons, including 683 over the past five years, according to his office. Following his conviction, Downey served one yr & three many months in jail, with his case closed in 2002 after he bounced back from numerous probation violations & ultimately completed the terms of his sentence & parole, officers stated.

He was convicted of felony drug possession in 1996 after being arrested on the Los Angeles County highway and police found heroin, cocaine and a pistol in his vehicle.