Who is Larry Hoover, the gangster whose life sentence was just commuted by trump?
Credit: X
Former Chicago gang leader Larry Hoover's federal prison sentence was commuted by President
Donald Trump
, sparking widespread discussion and renewed attention to his decades-long incarceration.
Hoover, who co-founded one of Chicago's most notorious gangs—the Gangster Disciples—had been serving multiple life sentences for both state and federal convictions over nearly 50 years. Although his federal sentence was commuted, he remains behind bars serving a separate state sentence.
Is Larry Hoover free now?
Despite the commutation of his federal sentence, Hoover is not yet free. He remains incarcerated under his 200-year Illinois state sentence for murder.
The state has not announced any plans to transfer Hoover or alter his state sentence. In the past, Illinois officials expressed concerns about his security risk if moved to a less secure facility.
Hoover's criminal record spans both state and federal charges. In 1973, he was convicted in Illinois state court for the murder of 19-year-old drug dealer William 'Pooky' Young and sentenced to 200 years in prison—a sentence he continues to serve.
In 1997, Hoover was convicted in federal court on charges of drug conspiracy, extortion, and running a criminal enterprise while incarcerated. For these federal convictions, he was sent to ADX Florence, the federal supermax prison in Colorado, where he spent nearly 30 years in solitary confinement.
Who is Larry Hoover?
Hoover, also known as 'King Larry,' was born in Jackson, Mississippi in 1950. When he was just four years old, his parents moved the family to Chicago, Illinois.
By the time he turned 13, Larry was already running the streets with a gang called the Supreme Gangsters, which started off with local muggings and thefts but eventually grew into a group known for assaults and shootings.
Hoover quickly rose through the ranks. By the late 1960s, he had taken full control of the gang and rebranded them as the Gangster Disciples. Even in his early twenties, he had established himself as one of the most powerful figures in the streets.
In 1973, Hoover was sentenced to a staggering 150 to 200 years in prison for ordering the murder of William Young, a drug dealer. Despite being behind bars, Hoover continued to exert his influence over the gang from within the Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Illinois.
In 1997, he was convicted again for running a continuing criminal enterprise from state prison, earning him another life sentence. Hoover has been with Winndye Jenkins for 54 years, and the two have been married for the past two years.
He is father to three sons.
Hoover and his family have been advocating for his release for several years, insisting that he has cut ties with the Gangster Disciples and is no longer involved with the organization.
His son, Larry Hoover Jr., has been especially vocal about his father's imprisonment. In 2021, he appeared on the
Kanye West
song 'Jesus Lord,' which touched on his father's case. That same year, Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Drake even held a benefit concert aimed at drawing attention to Hoover's incarceration. Ye also took the case to the highest office, speaking with then-President Donald Trump in the Oval Office in 2018 to push for Hoover's release and highlight his positive work while in prison.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Snoop Dogg shares what he really thinks of Donald Trump's pardons for NBA YoungBoy & Larry Hoover
Image composite: File (AP), X In an exclusive interview with TMZ Hip Hop on May 30, 2025, Snoop Dogg extended his support to NBA YoungBoy and Larry Hoover following their federal pardons from former President Donald Trump . Speaking from Beverly Hills, Snoop said, 'Playas may mess up but 2nd chances are invaluable!!!,' celebrating their re-entry into society's good graces. Snoop emphasized the power of personal transformation, especially within hip hop and gang culture. Addressing the ongoing debates around gang involvement and African-American youth, Snoop acknowledged the belief that many gang members are trapped from childhood, but added, 'I've seen gang members, such as myself, go on to become successful businessmen.' He believes the core of these organizations holds potential, if the violence is removed. Snoop himself is a testament to rehabilitation and growth. He cleared his own legal record before achieving milestones like co-hosting the Olympics. He also highlighted the recent pardon of his close associate Michael 'Harry-O' Harris, President of Death Row Records. Harris was granted clemency by Trump in 2021 and received a full pardon this week, wiping away a hefty prison sentence. Snoop and NBA YoungBoy, both born on October 20, share more than a birthday. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esse novo alarme com câmera é quase gratuito em Taboão Da Serra (consulte o preço) Alarmes Undo Snoop sees the younger rapper as someone with wide influence: 'I see the Louisiana rapper's young fans look up to him ... no different than my come-up over 30 years ago.' Snoop also addressed Larry Hoover's commuted federal sentence, though his state conviction remains. 'I'm ready to step up and do my part in helping end gang violence in Chicago, once and for all,' Snoop told TMZ. Hoover, the reformed founder of the Gangster Disciples (GDs), has reemerged as an anti-crime spokesperson after decades behind bars. Earlier this year, Snoop faced backlash for performing at the politically charged Crypto Ball. But he responded boldly on his latest album Iz It a Crime?, rapping, 'Life's a game of spades, better keep a Trump card.'
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
What to know about onetime Chicago gang leader Larry Hoover, whose federal sentence Trump commuted
CHICAGO — One of Chicago's most infamous gang leaders is among the people to receive commutations this week from President Donald Trump, a puzzling move that has raised questions about whether Larry Hoover will be freed. The 74-year-old Hoover, who has received support from celebrities like rapper Ye and inspired popular rap lyrics, has been serving a life sentence at the nation's most restrictive prison in Colorado. He was first imprisoned in Illinois for a 1973 murder and convicted decades later in federal court for running a criminal enterprise while behind bars. Trump's move commutes the federal sentence of the former kingpin and prison entrepreneur. However, Hoover must still serve his lengthy Illinois sentence. Hoover's supporters say they are working on ways to get Hoover paroled or pardoned in Illinois, but questions linger about his chances and even where he will be imprisoned. Hoover was a founder of the Gangster Disciples more than 50 years ago, which remains one of Chicago's most notorious street gangs. At its height under Hoover's leadership, the gang generated about $100 million each year in cocaine and heroin sales, according to federal prosecutors. 'He was the undisputed head of the organization. He ran it. Everybody reported to him,' said Ron Safer, a former U.S. assistant attorney who led the prosecution of Hoover. 'The Gangster Disciples were monolithic, ruthlessly efficient.' Hoover ordered the death of a gang member in 1973 and was convicted of murder. He was sentenced to 150 to 200 years in a state prison. But prosecutors say that didn't stop him from spreading the gang's vast influence. For more than two decades, he ran the Gangster Disciples from behind bars, expanding it to chapters in more than two dozen states. He was eventually charged with dozens of federal crimes, including engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. A federal jury found him guilty in 1997. He was sentenced to life the following year and sent to the 'supermax' prison in Florence, Colorado, where he has spent years in solitary confinement. Hoover has left a prominent mark on pop culture, launching a jail-inspired fashion line, starting a political action committee and inspiring rap lyrics. In 1995, he began his 'Ghetto Prisoner' fashion line in hopes of having a positive influence on young people. 'All kids in the ghetto can associate with the idea of prisoners and being treated like prisoners,″ he told The Associated Press in a 1995 phone interview from the Dixon Correctional Center in Illinois. 'I'm hoping that it will wake them up and help them understand that we have to come together as a people and stop being sectarian.' Supporters said his political action committee, 21st Century V.O.T.E., inspired thousands to protest outside Chicago City Hall in the 1990s. His name was further memorialized in one of rapper Rick Ross' most famous songs, the 2010 single 'B.M.F.,' which was an ode to Hoover's power and influence. Rapper Ye, formerly Kanye West, and Drake were among the celebrities who championed Hoover's early release. West pleaded Hoover's case to Trump during a bizarre Oval Office meeting in 2018. Three years later, Drake and Ye headlined a 'Free Larry Hoover" benefit concert in Los Angeles to help call attention to prison reforms. Trump's move confused many, including Safer, who said the commutation was 'extremely disappointing' given the years of trauma, drug addiction and lives lost in gang wars. 'There are some crimes that are so heinous and so extraordinary that they do not qualify for mercy,' Safer said. Hoover's many previous attempts for a sentence reduction or parole have been swiftly rejected, including a federal judge denying Hoover's request for a lower sentence in 2021. Last year, the Illinois Prisoner Review Board unanimously rejected his bid for parole and before that in 2022 with a 10-1 vote. Attorneys have said Hoover became a symbol of gang culture, making it hard for courts to consider resentencing him, but that Hoover has since denounced gangs and is a changed man. For instance, Hoover was illiterate when he entered prison and has since taught himself, earned his GED certificate and taken classes on robotics and art history. Hoover remains eligible for parole in Illinois and has a hearing later this year. 'He's not responsible for all gang violence that ever has occurred,' said attorney Jennifer Bonjean. She and others say they will push Gov. JB Pritzker to pardon Hoover, arguing that Hoover received a disproportionate sentence. Hoover's co-defendants have received reduced sentences, clemency or already been released. 'There is no purpose in returning a 74-year-old man in failing health to prison after 52 years of incarceration,' said a joint statement from attorneys Joshua Dubin and Justin Moore. 'Justice demands that Mr. Hoover's time be considered served.' Pritzker declined comment Thursday. Hoover's family celebrated the commutation. 'Almost home!' his son Larry Hoover Jr. wrote on Instagram and posted a picture toasting his father. While Trump said Hoover should be 'released immediately,' it was unclear if or when Hoover would be moved out of the federal facility. Federal prison officials confirmed Thursday that Hoover remained imprisoned in Colorado and determining a new release date would involve 'additional research and auditing.' Illinois officials declined to discuss the case. 'The Illinois Department of Corrections does not comment on the timing or details of transfers from federal facilities to state facilities and has no additional information to share at this time,' agency spokeswoman Naomi Puzzello said in statement. Associated Press writer Colleen Slevin in Denver contributed to this report.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Who is Larry Hoover, the gangster whose life sentence was just commuted by trump?
Credit: X Former Chicago gang leader Larry Hoover's federal prison sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump , sparking widespread discussion and renewed attention to his decades-long incarceration. Hoover, who co-founded one of Chicago's most notorious gangs—the Gangster Disciples—had been serving multiple life sentences for both state and federal convictions over nearly 50 years. Although his federal sentence was commuted, he remains behind bars serving a separate state sentence. Is Larry Hoover free now? Despite the commutation of his federal sentence, Hoover is not yet free. He remains incarcerated under his 200-year Illinois state sentence for murder. The state has not announced any plans to transfer Hoover or alter his state sentence. In the past, Illinois officials expressed concerns about his security risk if moved to a less secure facility. Hoover's criminal record spans both state and federal charges. In 1973, he was convicted in Illinois state court for the murder of 19-year-old drug dealer William 'Pooky' Young and sentenced to 200 years in prison—a sentence he continues to serve. In 1997, Hoover was convicted in federal court on charges of drug conspiracy, extortion, and running a criminal enterprise while incarcerated. For these federal convictions, he was sent to ADX Florence, the federal supermax prison in Colorado, where he spent nearly 30 years in solitary confinement. Who is Larry Hoover? Hoover, also known as 'King Larry,' was born in Jackson, Mississippi in 1950. When he was just four years old, his parents moved the family to Chicago, Illinois. By the time he turned 13, Larry was already running the streets with a gang called the Supreme Gangsters, which started off with local muggings and thefts but eventually grew into a group known for assaults and shootings. Hoover quickly rose through the ranks. By the late 1960s, he had taken full control of the gang and rebranded them as the Gangster Disciples. Even in his early twenties, he had established himself as one of the most powerful figures in the streets. In 1973, Hoover was sentenced to a staggering 150 to 200 years in prison for ordering the murder of William Young, a drug dealer. Despite being behind bars, Hoover continued to exert his influence over the gang from within the Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Illinois. In 1997, he was convicted again for running a continuing criminal enterprise from state prison, earning him another life sentence. Hoover has been with Winndye Jenkins for 54 years, and the two have been married for the past two years. He is father to three sons. Hoover and his family have been advocating for his release for several years, insisting that he has cut ties with the Gangster Disciples and is no longer involved with the organization. His son, Larry Hoover Jr., has been especially vocal about his father's imprisonment. In 2021, he appeared on the Kanye West song 'Jesus Lord,' which touched on his father's case. That same year, Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Drake even held a benefit concert aimed at drawing attention to Hoover's incarceration. Ye also took the case to the highest office, speaking with then-President Donald Trump in the Oval Office in 2018 to push for Hoover's release and highlight his positive work while in prison.
