December 25, 2023

Welcome to Visual News. In a significant development, rapper Travell “G. Dep” Coleman, known for his unexpected confession to a nearly two-decade-old cold case murder, has been granted clemency by New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

Mr. Coleman, now 49, walked into a New York police precinct in 2010, admitting to a crime that had weighed on his conscience for years. He confessed to the 1993 fatal shooting of John Henkel during a robbery in East Harlem. This confession led to his conviction, and he has since served 13 years of a 15-year-to-life sentence.

Governor Hochul's decision to commute Mr. Coleman's sentence means he will have the opportunity to seek parole earlier than his original 2025 date. The rapper's case is part of a clemency announcement by the governor, which includes a total of 16 individuals, comprising 12 pardons and four commutations. This marks the third time in 2023 that Governor Hochul has exercised her clemency powers.