According to multiple reports, country music star Jelly Roll (born Jason DeFord) is one step closer to receiving a full pardon for his past criminal convictions after the Tennessee Board of Parole unanimously recommended clemency following a hearing where Nashville Sheriff Daron Hall and others advocated on his behalf.
Aggravated Robbery at 17
Looking back on his actions, Jelly Roll has expressed deep remorse, stating, “I regret it every day of my life. I’ve carried that inexpugnable felony for 20-something years.” In a 2024 interview, he reflected on his teenage mindset: “I don’t know what I was even trying to be when I look back now… There was no logic to what I did. It made absolutely no sense.” The country star has indicated he plans to seek forgiveness from his victims, hoping they’ll recognize how much he’s changed since committing the crime that altered the trajectory of his life.
Advocacy from Nashville Sheriff’s Department
Nashville Sheriff Daron Hall has been a key advocate in Jelly Roll’s pardon process, publicly supporting the country star’s bid for clemency. “A year ago, I wrote Gov. Bill Lee asking for a full Pardon for Jason ‘Jelly Roll’ Deford,” Hall shared on social media after the hearing, adding that “the Board unanimously recommended his Pardon. It’s now in the hands of our Governor.”
Sheriff Hall not only testified during the nearly two-hour parole board hearing but has been actively championing criminal justice reform in Tennessee. As someone who has witnessed Jelly Roll’s transformation firsthand, Hall’s endorsement carried significant weight with the board, which voted unanimously in favor of the recommendation with only one member recusing themselves. The sheriff’s advocacy reflects his broader commitment to rehabilitation and second chances within the criminal justice system, a stance he has maintained despite occasional pushback from reform skeptics.
