Slick Rick Gets NY Pardon

Ricky "Slick Rick" Walters is getting a full and unconditional pardon by New York Gov. David Paterson for two charges of attempted murder in 1991, a move expected to halt deportation efforts against the one-time star.

Walters has been fighting attempts to deport him back to his native United Kingdom, which he left as a child to come to the U.S.

The eyepatch-wearing star behind the ’80s rap classic "La-Di-Da-Di" served more than five years in prison after the shooting of his cousin and another man. Both survived.

The governor says Walters is now a rap artist and landlord in the Bronx, where he hasn’t had any legal problems since his release from prison in 1997. He also says Walters has volunteered to counsel youths against violence.

It’s not the first time the governor, who took office after the resignation of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, has come to Walters’ defense.

An immigration judge blocked the deportation of Walters after Paterson testified on his behalf in 1995. However, an immigration appeals court overturned the decision later that year, according to the New York Times.

"This has been a long and difficult road and I am happy for this to be settled once and for all," Walters said in a statement. "I look forward to enjoying this time with my family and friends and to continue leading an honest and productive life."

Walters presently lives with his wife and two children in an apartment he owns in the Bronx, the Times said.