Mac's fight for freedom is now in the hands of a clemency board. The former No Limit rapper's legal team filed for clemency on Monday (Sept. 12), and requested a commutation of his 30-year prison sentence according to a report by the Huffington Post.

"Each day that Mac Phipps languishes in a Louisiana prison cell is but another day in which justice would appear to go undone; another day in which the perceived integrity of our criminal justice system becomes ever more eroded," Mac's legal team wrote in a filing.

Mac has long claimed his innocence in the 2000 murder of a teenage fan at a Louisiana night club. Mac was convicted in 2001, but investigations by organizations such as The Medill Justice Project have concluded that the rapper was wrongfully convicted. Another man named Thomas Williams allegedly confessed to the murder of Barron Victor Jr. Even the victim's fiancée now believes the wrong man is in prison.

Despite being imprisoned for more than 16 years, Mac has stayed upbeat in his fight for justice. He spoke to XXL in 2015 about his steadfast belief in his name being cleared.

"I’ve always seen a light at the end of the tunnel,” Mac said. “When you know something, it can be hard to get people to see what you know. I’ve had my moments where I’ve been discouraged. I’ve felt things are not happening as swiftly as possible. Wavering, faltering—that’s gonna happen. But my confidence is always there. That’s what keeps me sane in here.”

Mac's case has been heavily scrutinized in recent years because the prosecution used no forensic evidence to convict him. No ballistics were performed on the gun of the man who actually confessed to the murder. Five witnesses also told the Huffington Post that they were bullied into telling lies by the authorities.

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