Robert Downey Jr pardoned for felony drug conviction

After violating his probation, the Weird Science actor, who is a father of three, was sent to prison in 1999.

In August he was named Hollywood’s highest earner.

California governor Jerry Brown signed the 50-year-old’s plea for pardon on evidence “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”. Aside from its legal ramifications, a pardon can also help a recipient’s public image.

Nearly 20 years ago, Downey famously spent time in jail for drug charges.

Downey was convicted in 1996 after he was pulled over for speeding down Sunset Boulevard and caught with heroin, cocaine and an unloaded handgun.

Downey’s life and career have rebounded, and he stars as “Iron Man” in Disney’s films based on the Marvel comic books.

Governor Brown, a former Jesuit seminarian, has made it a practice to issue pardons around Christmas and Easter.

“Pardons are not granted unless they are earned”, the governor’s office said in a written statement.

The two-time Oscar nominee plays the man in the iron suit in a series of Disney/Marvel movies, Iron Man and The Avengers.

The Christmas Eve pardon, which has become an annual tradition for the governor, was bestowed to 90 other people yesterday (Dec 24). He was nominated twice for Oscars, for both Chaplin (1992) and Tropic Thunder (2008).

While a pardon does not erase the crime from Downey’s criminal record, it allows him to serve on a jury and be appointed to certain government jobs, along with restoring his right to vote.