Rapper Mac Phipps recommended clemency after serving 20 years in prison Family speaks to WDSU about the process moving forward, calling for criminal justice reform Share Updated: 9:18 AM CST Mar 4, 2021 Family speaks to WDSU about the process moving forward, calling for criminal justice reform Share Updated: 9:18 AM CST Mar 4, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript SHAY: -- SHERMAN: IT IS SOMETHING MCKINLEY PHIPPS HAS BEEN WAITING FOR OVER 20 YEARS TO HEAR. THE PAROLE BOARD HAS RECOMMENDED CLEMENCY, MEANING HE HAS A CHANCE TO COME HOME EARLY AFTER SERVING NEARLY 20 YEARS OF A 30 YEAR SENTENCE. HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS TELL ME THERE’S STILL SOME WORK TO BE DONE, AND HOPE MCKINLEY’S CASE BECOMES A SPRINGBOARD FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM. >> I GUESS IT JUST FELT LIKE IT WAS TIME. IT JUST FELT LIKE IT WAS TIME. SHERMAN: SHIELA PHIPPS PAINTS PORTRAITS OF HER SON MCKINLEY, AND REFLECTS ON THE LAST TWENTY ONE YEARS OF HIS LIFE EACH ONE OF THOSE YEARS HAVE BEEN SPENT IN PRISON. >> THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE IN PRISON THAT THEIR LIFE IS BEING WASTED. ESPECIALLY INNOCENT ONES. SHERMAN: IN 2000, MCKINLEY, ALSO KNOWN AS MAC, WAS A RISING RAP STAR SIGNED TO NO LIMIT RECORDS. WHILE PREPARING TO PERFORM AT A LOCAL CLUB IN ST. TAMMANY PARISH, A FIGHT BROKE OUT AND 19-YEAR-OLD BARRON VICTOR, JR. WAS KILLED. DESPITE THE LACK OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE LINKING HIM TO THE SHOOTING, MCKINLEY WAS ARRESTED FOR THE MURDER AND IS SERVING A 30-YEAR SENTENCE FOR MANSLAUGHTER. SINCE THEN, WITNESSES IN THE CASE HAVE RECANTED THEIR STATEMENTS. >> I THINK MCKINLEY’S CASE CAN BE THAT PLATFORM WHERE WE CAN EXAMINE THESE THINGS AND HOW WE DO BETTER. WE DESPERATELY NEED TO. THIS IS A BROKEN SYSTEM. SHERMAN: RECENTLY, HE AND HIS FAMILY RECEIVED MUCH-ANTICIPATED NEWS. THE PAROLE BOARD GRANTED HIM CLEMENCY. TEARS WERE FLOWING, AND I LET OUT A CRY FOR MY SOUL, BECAUSE I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. SHERMAN: HIS FATHER SAYS WHILE HE’S OVERJOYED TO SEE HIS SON HOME SOON, HE ALSO STILL GRIEVES FOR THE VICTIM. >> I CRIED FOR BARRON VICTOR, TO I CRIED FOR HIM. CAUSE ALL HE WANTED TO DO WAS COME TO THE SHOW AND HAVE A GOOD TIME. SHERMAN: AS LOUISIANA IS NOW A UNANIMOUS JURY STATE, PHIPPS’ ATTORNEY IN DC IS ALSO WORKING ON A PETITION TO REVERSE HIS MANSLAUGHTER CONVICTION RULED BY A 10-2 JURY. HIS RAP LYRICS WERE USED AGAIN HIM, AS WELL. JONES SAYS IT WRONGLY PAINTED HIM AS A VIOLENT PERSON. >> IT TAKES RAP MUSIC COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTEXT. IT REFLECTS A COMPLETE MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE GENRE. THE PROSECUTION DID NOT CONVINCE ALL 12 OF THE JURORS THAT THEY HAD PROVEN HIS GUILT BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT. SHERMAN: AS FOR HIS MOTHER, SHE’S STAYING OPTIMISTIC HOPING HER SON WILL BE HOME SOON, TO PAINT HIS OWN PICTURE, AND LIVE HIS LIFE AS A FREE MAN >> HE JUST FEELS LIKE HE WILL BE OUT SOON. HE IS PROUD OF EVERYBODY. HE REALLY IS. SHERMAN: HE HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED CLEMENCY BY THE PAROLE BOARD, BUT IT STILL HAS TO BE GRANTED OFFICIALLY BY GOVERNOR EDWARDS. IT IS A REVIEW, ACCORDING TO A SPOKESPERSON. IF HE IS GRANTED THE FINAL APPROVAL FROM GOVERNOR EDWARDS, HE WILL HAVE TO MEET WITH THE PAROLE BOARD AGAIN FOR ANOTHER HEARING. IF GRANTED THE FINAL APPROVAL, HE WILL BE ON PAROLE FOR 10 YEARS.