President Donald Trump on Wednesday commuted the life sentence of Larry Hoover, the co-founder and former leader of the violent Chicago street gang, the Gangster Disciples.
Per FOX 32 Chicago, Hoover, 73, was sentenced to life in prison for a murder in the 1970s. He was also handed another life sentence in the 1990s after he was found guilty of operating a criminal enterprise while incarcerated. His attorney also claims that he was held in solitary confinement for almost 30 years.
Hoover is currently held at a Colorado supermax prison, and an anonymous official from the White House confirmed his commutation.
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Trump commuting Hoover’s life sentence came after he attempted to have his prison sentence reduced through the First Step Act. The law, which was signed by Trump in 2018, permits the retroactive implementation of some sentencing reforms, per FOX 32.
“The Courts have demonstrated a complete unwillingness to consider Mr. Hoover’s considerable growth and complete rehabilitation. Despite the Court’s unwillingness to do the right thing, Mr. Hoover has been able to keep his voice alive through the incredible work of many advocates and supporters,” Hoover’s attorneys said in a statement.
“Thankfully, Mr. Hoover’s pleas were heard by President Trump who took action to deliver justice for Mr. Hoover. We are thrilled to see that Mr. Hoover will be released from Federal Custody.”
It is, however, likely that Hoover will still remain behind bars as his commutation was for only his federal charges. He is also serving a 200-year sentence for state charges, and sources told the news outlet that Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker will possibly not commute his sentence. Hoover will also be possibly handed over to the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Who is Larry Hoover?
As previously reported by Face2Face Africa, Hoover was born in Mississipi in 1950 but grew up in Chicago after his family moved north when he was just a toddler. By 13, Hoover was on the streets with the Supreme Gangsters.
In his later teens, Hoover was instrumental in the Gangsters joining forces with another group headed by David Barksdale. Together, this new gang was called the Black Gangster Disciple Nation, or Gangster Disciples for short.
By the time he turned 20, Hoover was reportedly head of the Gangster Disciples and overseeing daily profits of about $1,000. Hoover was first convicted in 1973 for the murder of 19-year-old William Young. Hoover stood accused along with Andrew Howard, a fellow gang member.
They were sentenced to serve 150-200 years in jail, which was a total of six life sentences. Hoover was incarcerated at the Stateville Correctional Center in Illinois.
Before he and Howard would be convicted in 1973, Hoover had been in and out of jail several times for different offenses. At Stateville, Hoover’s reputation earned him the respect of the other prisoners and it is known that the prison’s authorities at times depended on him to calm down disturbances.
For more than 10 years, Hoover spun the goodwill he was getting into a PR success. He started speaking out against crime and even changed the initials GD (Gangster Disciples) to Growth and Development.
The new GD said they would invest in the lives of needy Black kids and take them off the streets. Leadership seminars, as well as legitimate business ventures, were undertaken in the spirit of the renewal of Hoover’s mind.
But prison officials had always suspected that Hoover was using “good works” as a front for illegalities and worse, had been running his gang from inside prison. What was a 17-year investigation was finally prosecuted in 1997. Hoover was sentenced according to new charges of extortion, money laundering, conspiracy and running an illegal enterprise.
READ ALSO: Casper Holstein, a famous gangster who made millions via an underground lottery system
