Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
President Trump says he is considering issuing a “full pardon” for a boxer who died in 1946 after getting a call from Sylvester Stallone. “Sylvester Stallone called me with the story of heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson. His trials and tribulations were great, his life complex and controversial,” Trump tweeted late Saturday. “Others have looked at this over the years, most thought it would be done, but yes, I am considering a Full Pardon!” he said. Johnson became the first black heavyweight boxing champion in 1908 and dominated the boxing scene for years. But in 1913, he was convicted by an all-white jury for transporting his white girlfriend across state lines, a charge for which he spent a year in prison. He died in 1946. Johnson’s great-great niece and several lawmakers have called for a posthumous pardon for years, but previous presidents have declined to grant one. Justice Department guidelines advise against posthumous pardons, saying “the pardon and commutation requests of living persons” are generally preferred.