Mark Wahlberg has really turned his life around. In 1992, just prior to the end of his rap career, he dedicated his autobiography Marky Mark to his "cock." Years prior to that, he had a pretty lengthy rap sheet. Now, he runs the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation for at-risk teens, is a vocal supporter of veterans, and charitably supports The Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women and Children and the Boys & Girls Club of America.
But Wahlberg is also a really sharp businessman. In addition to producing the cable TV-series mainstays Entourage and Boardwalk Empire, he's also a co-owner of a potential fast food empire: Wahlburgers. There are currently two locations for Wahlburgers: Hingham, Massachusetts and Toronto. Wahlburger has franchise deals in place in Las Vegas and Philadelphia. Last Thursday, the company revealed plans to expand to 20 more locations in Florida and 7 in New York City. They hope to eventually get to 300 locations in North America.
The reason why it's a potential fast food empire is Wahlberg fears that the chain might run into some licensing problems due to his criminal record. At the heart of his petition for a criminal pardon from Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, is a fear that his record could bar him from a concessionaire's license in California.
Wahlberg is sincerely sorry about his past. The one on his record that he's seeking a pardon for happened in 1988, when Wahlberg was 16. While intoxicated, Wahlberg beat a Vietnamese immigrant unconscious with a wooden stick. Ultimately, the injuries would casue the man to go blind in his right eye. Wahlberg served 45 days in jail. But since a fast food empire is at stake, let's super size his petition and look at all the crimes that Wahlberg committed in addition to the one in 1988 that's stuck on his record.
The Crime:
"The Massachusetts Attorney General sued Wahlberg and two friends, Michael Guilfoyle and Derek Furkart, in a 1986 civil rights action. The suit alleged that Wahlberg—then 14—and his buddies yelled racial slurs and threw rocks at schoolchildren. via Gawker:
As they were walking, defendants Michael Guilfoyle, Derek Furkart, Mark Wahlberg, and another white male began to follow them on bicycles. One of the defendants said to the Colemans, "We don't like black niggers in the neighborhood so get the fuck away from the area." The group of white males then chased the Colemans, using their mopeds.
During the chase, the group of white males yelled, "Kill the nigger, kill the nigger," and each threw a rock at the Coleman brothers and sister.
According to the lawsuit, Wahlberg and his friends spotted the children on a field trip the next day and again allegedly yelled racial slurs and threw rocks. The teacher had to call an ambulance after Wahlberg threw a bag of rocks at a white student. Wahlberg settled the case without admitting his involvement. He made an agreement not to assault, threaten or harass people because of their race, violation of which would result in criminal charges.
Two years later, Wahlberg would serve 45-days for his senseless beating of the Vietnamese man, which, in addition to the physical assault, included numerous racial slurs.
The Crime:
In 1992, 20-year-old security guard Robert D. Crehan, said Wahlberg kicked him in the face while Wahlberg's bodyguard, Derek McCall, held him down. Wahlberg managed to avoid criminal charges for assault and battery when he reached a settlement just days before the trial was scheduled.
Crehan, who had to have his jaw wired shut, said he was "satisfied with the [unspecified] settlement and didn't want to pursue the case any further."
Misc. Wahlberg Crimes promoted on a "60 Minutes" Wahlberg profile
Asked if he was a good thief, Wahlberg told [Lara] Logan "I was pretty good. I was pretty good. I was pretty daring."
A rare positive influence for Wahlberg was [Father Jim] Flavin. The street punk and the parish priest struck up an unlikely friendship. Flavin saw a glimmer of Wahlberg's future one day during one of Wahlberg's many appearances in court before a judge.
"He was just pouring it onto the judge, you know, 'I'll never do it again.' You know, 'I'm sorry,' and he was wonderful. You know, he started tearing up, and the judge just melted and said, 'All right, you know, this'll be it.' And he turned around and started out. And he looked at me and winked. And I said, 'You little bugger. That was an Academy Award performance in the court room,'" Fr. Flavin remembered.
"Father Flavin says that he could barely see you over the steering wheel when you were driving around, waving at him from stolen cars," Logan told Wahlberg.
