Hip-hop artist Travell “G. Dep” Coleman, who in 2010 voluntarily confessed to a New York police department about his involvement in a long-unsolved murder case for personal redemption, has recently received clemency from Governor Kathy Hochul.
At age 49, Coleman has completed 13 years of his 15-year-to-life sentence. Thanks to the commutation by the governor, a member of the Democratic party, Coleman is now eligible for an earlier parole opportunity, ahead of his scheduled 2025 release date.
Coleman’s case was among the 16 clemency grants announced by Hochul on Friday, which comprised 12 pardons and four sentence commutations. This announcement marks Hochul’s third act of clemency in 2023.
Governor Hochul emphasized her duty to acknowledge individuals’ rehabilitation efforts and the possibility of redemption through the clemency process, as stated in her official release.
While incarcerated, Coleman achieved an associate degree and actively engaged in violence prevention and sobriety counseling initiatives. He also took part in various educational and rehabilitation programs. His request for clemency received backing from both the prosecuting attorney and the sentencing judge.
Known professionally as G. Dep, Coleman gained fame with tracks like “Special Delivery” and “Let’s Get It,” and was instrumental in popularizing the Harlem shake dance in the early 2000s. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he emerged as a prominent figure under Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Bad Boy Records. However, following his 2001 debut album “Child of the Ghetto,” his career declined, and he struggled with substance abuse and minor legal issues, as stated by his attorney in 2011.
Lawyer Anthony L. Ricco recounted how Coleman was troubled by the 1993 shooting of John Henkel, leading him to eventually admit to his teenage involvement in an East Harlem robbery that resulted in Henkel’s death by three gunshot wounds.
Robert Henkel, the victim’s brother, expressed his opposition to Governor Hochul’s decision, criticizing the support for Coleman’s release by prosecutor David Drucker as unjustified, especially for a murder case. He conveyed his disapproval to the New York Post, highlighting the difference between seeking clemency for drug-related offenses and murder.
