Master P’s former No Limit artist McKinley “Mac” Phipps is celebrating after being granted parole.
On Tuesday (June 22) and in less than 11 minutes, the Louisiana Board of Pardons and Committee on Parole showed mercy to the rapper, who has been incarcerated for 20+ years for a crime that he claims he did not commit.
Back in 2000, Mac Phipps was arrested over an altercation with a man named Barron Victor Jr., after a performance dubbed the World War Party, at Club Mercedes in Baton Rouge. Mac, who was the feature at the show, began fighting with another man when Victor attempted to intervene.
Prosecutors claimed Mac pulled a handgun and shot Victor at close range. Victor died at Slidell Memorial Hospital. Mac was apprehended a few hours later at his Baton Rouge residence.
Mac was eventually convicted of the manslaughter of the 19-year-old. although he maintained his innocence.
In 2016, a videotaped confession surfaced that featured a security guard at the club admitting to the Victor killing. This bouncer was never charged or convicted.
Angelique Phipps, the wife of Mac Phipps, says that “Today marks the end of a long fight for justice.”
“Today we are looking towards a brighter future for our family. We are grateful to all of those who have never wavered in their support of Mac’s innocence,” Angelique Phipps said.
Mac Phipps served 21 years of a 30-year sentence and has maintained his innocence the whole time. This was also his first-time offense.
Ms. Bonnie Jackson, a member of the board, noted that they previously recommended “clemency” and “commutation” of his sentence. The Louisiana governor granted the request on March 29th.
This directly led to Mac standing before her and two other members of the three-member team on the parole-granting board.
They unanimously voted for his freedom.
