In 1988, Mark Wahlberg, then a teenager, was convicted of racially motivated assault against two Asian men, while attempting to steal beer from a convenience store. Decades later, the now-famous actor sought a pardon for his crimes, igniting a debate about redemption, forgiveness, and the consequences of past actions.
However, in another incident, one victim, Kristyn Atwood, not one of the Asian men, but an African American woman, he attacked in 1986 vehemently opposed the idea of granting Wahlberg a pardon. She had a firm stance that no matter what, he should not be pardoned.
A Victim’s Voice Against Mark Wahlberg’s Pardon Plea
Kristyn Atwood, who was just a fourth-grade student in racially segregated Boston in 1986, recalls the traumatic incident when Mark Wahlberg and his friends harassed her and her classmates on a field trip. Rocks were thrown, racial epithets were shouted, and the scars left by the hate crime persisted in Atwood’s memory.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Atwood expressed her strong belief that Wahlberg should not be granted a pardon.
“I don’t think he should get a pardon,” Atwood said.
“I don’t really care who he is,” she said.
“It doesn’t make him any exception. If you’re a racist, you’re always going to be a racist. And for him to want to erase it I just think it’s wrong. … It was a hate crime and that’s exactly what should be on his record forever.”
Atwood’s emotional account underscores the lasting trauma caused by the attack, emphasizing that even if Wahlberg’s criminal record is expunged, the emotional scars endure.
What Was He Charged With?
Wahlberg was found guilty of violating the civil rights of his victims, with a civil rights injunction being issued against him and two of his friends and warned that if they committed another hate crime, they would be sent to jail.
In 1988, Wahlberg’s escalating aggression crossed a dangerous line. Fueled by what authorities described as an attempt to steal beer, he launched into a vicious attack on two Vietnamese men in Boston. The assaults were brutal, leaving one victim hospitalized and landed Wahlberg in prison.
Wahlberg ultimately was convicted of assault and battery, marijuana possession, and criminal contempt for violating the prior civil rights injunction.
While the actor has found success in his career and sought redemption through positive actions, the scars of his past remain. Victims have spoken out about the lasting impact of his violence, and critics kept raising questions about whether his career success erases the gravity of his teenage years.
