Mark Wahlberg Won't Be Pardoned Over Teen Assault Charges

Mark Wahlberg's request for a pardon from his teenage assault charges has been tossed out. A Massachusetts Parole Board spokesperson told The Associated Press that the actor did not respond to a letter asking if he wanted to keep the request open, meaning it's now closed.

Wahlberg served 45 days in jail on charges that, as a 16-year-old in 1988, he struck a man in the head with a stick while trying to steal alcohol. He reportedly punched someone else in the face as he attempted to evade authorities. Wahlberg also apparently admitted to being under the influence at the time of the altercation.

According to the AP, after his arrest and jail time, Wahlberg said he wanted to be a better person so he could become someone children could look up to. As part of this, he raised millions for charity over the years.

Wahlberg, now 45, initially filed for the pardon in 2014, a move that drew criticism. He said this week at the Toronto Film Festival that he regrets filing for the pardon request in the first place, which may explain why he let the petition lapse. Some good came out of it, he said, as he met with one of his victims, Hoa Trinh, and personally apologized.

"I didn't need that," Wahlberg said about the pardon, as reported by The Wrap. "I spent 28 years righting the wrong. I didn't need a piece of paper to acknowledge it. I was kind of pushed into doing it. I certainly didn't need to or want to relive that stuff over again."

Wahlberg received an Oscar nomination for his role as Dignam in Martin Scorsese's Best Picture-winner, The Departed. His next film is Deepwater Horizon, which comes out on September 30.