Ex-Viking Marshall gets pardon for drugs

Even 28 years removed from the game that defined him, former Viking Jim Marshall cut an imposing figure as he made his way Monday from the back of a conference room at the state Judicial Center in St. Paul. But now, as he nears age 70, the impact of two decades of pro football could be seen in a halting gait.

Walking with him and his attorney was his longtime coach, Hall of Famer Bud Grant.

Marshall sat down at one end of a long table before the Board of Pardons and soon after began to speak in tones barely audible. Befitting the player-coach relationship that has lasted long after the game was over, Grant, seated next to Marshall, punched at his shoulder. "Speak up," the coach ordered his former player.

Marshall, the ironman who set an NFL record that lasted 26 years by playing 282 consecutive games, had one record that he wants everyone to forget: a 1991 conviction for cocaine possession in Duluth.

On Monday, the board granted him a pardon.

"This is the last stop we need to relieve the shame I have felt and to remove the one blemish from my record," Marshall wrote in his petition to the Board of Pardons. The board, consisting of the governor, attorney general and chief justice of the state Supreme Court, approved the request unanimously.

The pardon means Marshall will no longer have to report the conviction, which he said has hampered him in obtaining visas for foreign travel, and, more important, has hung over his head as he has moved on with his life. Marshall, who declined to comment, had earlier had the record in the case sealed in St. Louis County.

Marshall's attorney, Ron Meshbesher, said the numerous injuries that Marshall suffered during his career and the pain he was under led him to abuse prescription medications and other drugs.

He was arrested in Duluth in late 1990 with two ounces of cocaine in his pocket. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 90 days of electronic monitoring in his home and five years' probation.

Treatment and activism

After his conviction, Marshall underwent treatment and was one of several people who established a nonprofit organization to help Minneapolis inner-city youth. He also has volunteered for organizations such as the YMCA and has participated in USO tours.

Grant said that Marshall, more than any other player, remains "the image of the Vikings" because of his leadership, integrity and honesty. He is one of the few former Vikings who have remained in Minnesota. Grant said he quickly agreed to vouch for Marshall at the hearing.

"Coaches reflect what players do. I'm nothing without Jim Marshall," Grant said.

Marshall was one of several people seeking action Monday from the Board of Pardons, which meets twice a year. The board looks at several factors in determining whether to grant the pardon: whether the person has been law-abiding for a significant period of time, whether the person has expressed remorse, and whether the person has led a life that would indicate that he or she has taken the crime seriously. Afterward, Gov. Tim Pawlenty dismissed any suggestion that celebrity affected the decision.

"On the merits, it's the kind of case we would have granted a pardon for anybody; whether they were a Viking or whether they worked in South St. Paul," he said. "I'm not 10 anymore. As much as I love the Vikings, I've met a lot more interesting people than old football players."

While Marshall may retain a special place for longtime Vikings' fans, his record has not been sufficient enough to secure a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame alongside Grant, former General Manager Jim Finks, and six of his former teammates. Meshbesher said the conviction may have had an impact on the voting. Grant said Marshall's professional performance speaks for itself, particularly compared with players of today.

"He deserves it on the record. But in the hearts of the Minnesota people he is in the Hall of Fame," Grant said.

Mark Brunswick • 651-222-1636 • mbrunswick@startribune.com