June 9, 2018

Muhammad Ali's Ex-Wife to Trump:"PARDON SOMEONE WHO'S ALIVE!"

On Friday, the United States President Donald Trump stated that he might pardon Boxing Legend Muhammad Ali drew a prompt response from late heavyweight champion’s estate- thanks but no thanks!

“We appreciate President Trump’s sentiment, but a pardon is unnecessary. The US Supreme Court overturned the conviction of Muhammad Ali in a unanimous decision in 1971. There's no conviction from which a pardon is needed,” said Ron Tweel, a lawyer for the boxer’s estate & his widow, Lonnie.

Before leaving to attend the Group of Seven summit in Canada, Trump told reporters he was considering pardoning some 3,000 people, including Ali, who died in 2016.

“I’m thinking about somebody that you all know very well & he went through a lot & he was not very popular then,” Trump said. “His memory is very popular now. I am thinking about Muhammad Ali. I am thinking about that very seriously.”

The boxer had refused to be inducted into the U.S. Army in 1967 during the Vietnam War, claiming conscientious objector status & was sentenced to 5 years in prison. He was never imprisoned while his case was under appeal & in 1971 the US Supreme Court overturned the conviction.

Ron Tweel, reached by telephone at his home in Virginia, said the White House hadn't contacted him or Lonnie Ali about a potential pardon. He said he had been in contact with the widow after Trump’s comments & they decided to issue a statement on behalf of the family.

“We heard what he was contemplating & it needed a response,” he said.

It was unclear why Trump would consider a pardon, given that Ali’s conviction was overturned. The White House didn't immediately comment on the lawyer’s statement.

President Trump said many of the 3000 people he was considering for pardons were treated unfairly or given unfairly long sentences.

Legendary boxer’s ex-wife responds

President Donald Trump’s widely-mocked statement of pardoning Muhammad Ali gave the legendary boxer’s wife the opportunity to suggest a better course.

Khalilah Ali, who was married to the Muhammad Ali from 1967-1976, noted,“He’s gone. You want to give somebody a pardon who’s alive.”

“I think (Trump) probably was a fan of Ali & he thought he would say something positive about him. That must be it, but it is a little too late for that, he probably did it with good intentions, but he is on the late show.”

Legend's former wife suggested a better venue for Trump’s forgiveness.

“I think the pardon should go to those who kneel, that’s who should get the pardons, that would be putting it in the right perspective, in the right place,” she explained. “If he accepts Muhammad Ali being right for what he did & want to give him a pardon, then that pardon should be going out to all those people who kneel.”

Khalilah Ali sternly stated, “If you are willing to say its okay for Muhammad Ali to be pardoned for his freedom & standing up his rights & standing up for not going to the army & standing up for freedom, then you are telling me that you are ready to pardon everybody that has done that in the same manner as Muhammad Ali has!”

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