A handful of Tennesseans received a gift of a lifetime for Christmas this year when Governor Bill Lee pardoned 16 people, including two women from
A handful of Tennesseans received a gift of a lifetime for Christmas this year when Governor Bill Lee pardoned 16 people, including two women from Hamilton County and a man from Bradley County.
Aaron Vaught was one of the people who received a pardon from the Governor. He said he was waited four years for this moment and had no idea he would be pardoned three days before Christmas.
“The Lord pardoned me himself and I knew it was all good from that point on,” he said.
Vaught spent much of his early years in and out of the system. In 2011, he was arrested for drug and gun charges and that’s when he decided he didn’t want to live that life anymore.
Vaught said he found peace through his faith. He surrounded himself with his brothers and sisters in Christ and turned his life around.
In 2019, with help from Cleveland Mayor Kevin Brooks, he started the process of requesting a pardon for his charges. He waited and re-applied each year.
“I’ve been a felon for all these years and I just wanted them to be cleared and not be a felon in society.”
In March of this year, Vaught had nearly 50 letters written from friends and family sent to the Nashville Board of Parole. Those letters helped him receive a unanimous vote from the board for consideration of his pardon.
“It really meant a lot the words that were in those letters said and how the people rallied around me,” he said.
Then, Christmas came early for Vaught. On December 22nd he received a call from Governor Lee and was pardoned.
“It was a very good phone call. I’m glad it was him and it wasn’t a trick,” he explained.
Vaught is now walking into the new year with a clean slate. He offers this piece of advice to anyone who may be in a similar situation.
“My mom and dad, they never gave up on me. Don’t give up on your kids, don’t give up on your loved ones, just don’t give up.”
