Donald Trump says he may pardon late boxing legend Muhammad Ali
The iconic sportsman was convicted for failing to serve in the military during the Vietnam War, but he was later exonerated.
Friday 8 June 2018 17:12, UK
US President Donald Trump has said he is considering a pardon for the late boxing legend Muhammad Ali - even though he does not need one.
The iconic sportsman - who died in 2016 at the age of 74 - was convicted of refusing to turn up for military duty in 1967 after being drafted to fight in the Vietnam War.
He lost his boxing licence because of the fallout and was not allowed to return to the ring until 1970.
But the following year, Ali had the conviction quashed after a successful appeal to the US Supreme Court, and President Jimmy Carter granted a blanket pardon to all draft evaders in 1977.
Despite that, Mr Trump told reporters in Washington he was looking at "thousands of names" of people who could be granted clemency - including Ali.
The boxer's lawyer, Ron Tweel, said a pardon for his client would indeed be pointless.
"We appreciate President Trump's sentiment, but a pardon is unnecessary," he said.
"The US Supreme Court overturned the conviction of Muhammad Ali in a unanimous decision in 1971. There is no conviction from which a pardon is needed."
Earlier this week, the president commuted the life sentence of a woman .