News of April 22, 2016
Mutulu Shakur: Parole Denied After 30 Years
After 30 years behind bars, Tupac's stepfather Mutulu Shakur hoped for release in 2016. But authorities denied the request without giving a reason.
In early April 2016, a decision was pending at the Victorville correctional facility in California: as Billboard reported, Tupac’s stepfather Mutulu Shakur was eligible for a parole hearing after 30 years of a 60-year prison sentence.
Convicted for Deadly Robberies
The then 65-year-old had been convicted in 1988 as the leader of a militant group. The group had carried out robberies in New York and Connecticut in which, among others, a security guard and two police officers died. That the hearing took place was due to a special circumstance: although federal parole was abolished in 1987, it continues to apply to those convicted earlier.
Request Denied Without Explanation
On April 7, the request was denied, as Vibe reported, citing ABC News and The Source. The authorities gave no reason; the information was “not publicly releasable.” He could apply again in two years at the earliest. Vibe noted that Jamie Hector plays him in the biopic.
Mutulu Shakur was released from prison in December 2022 and died in 2023, see Mutulu Shakur released.