Larry Hoover’s family isn’t stopping now. Just days after Donald Trump slashed the federal life sentence of the infamous Gangster Disciples co-founder, Hoover’s wife and son showed up at Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s office, hoping to finish what Trump started and bring the 74-year-old home for good.
Hoover, who’s been locked up for more than 50 years, had his federal sentence commuted for running a $100 million drug empire from prison. But he’s still serving a separate 200-year sentence in Illinois state prison for a 1973 gang-related murder. That’s why his family is calling on Pritzker to step in and grant a commutation at the state level.
His wife, Winndye Jenkins-Hoover, and son, Larry Hoover Jr., were joined by about a dozen relatives and several state lawmakers, who say Hoover isn’t the same man he was when he was first locked up. Back in 2022, he publicly denounced the Gangster Disciples, and supporters say he’s been focused on uplifting the community through peaceful efforts like food drives and school support.
State lawmakers like Willie Preston and Lakesia Collins are calling on Pritzker to make a direct and compassionate decision, arguing the review process isn’t built for exceptional cases like Hoover’s.
“We’re a state that says we believe in second chances,” said Collins. “So let’s live up to that.”
As for Pritzker’s team, they’ve confirmed discussions are happening but haven’t given any signals yet on whether they’re leaning toward clemency.
For Hoover’s family, the message is simple—they just want him to spend his final years surrounded by loved ones, not prison walls. And they’re hoping Illinois will finally let him walk free.
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