Mark Wahlberg's Assault Victim Forgives Actor

[Nellore Pedda reddy]

Mark Wahlberg recently made headlines for requesting a pardon for the assault he was convicted of in 1988.

Now, Johnny Trinh, the man Wahlberg hit in the head with a five foot long wooden stick while trying to steal two cases of beer, is speaking out for the first time to say he has forgiven the actor.

 

"[Wahlberg] was young and reckless but I forgive him now. Everyone deserves another chance," Trinh told the Daily Mail. "I would like to see him get a pardon. He should not have the crime hanging over him any longer."

Though the actor was 16 at the time he committed the assault, he was charged as an adult and served 45 days of a 90 day sentence.

 

The 59-year-old Trinh said he doesn't hold a grudge against the actor and would like to meet him in person.

"He paid for his crime when he went to prison. I am not saying that it did not hurt when he punched me in the face, but it was a long time ago," he told the U.K. paper. "He has grown up now. I am sure he has his own family and is a responsible man."

Additionally, Trinh cleared up reports that Wahlberg blinded him in his left eye, when he hit him.

 

"I was not blinded by Mark Wahlberg. He did hurt me, but my left eye was already gone. He was not responsible for that," he said.

Request for comment made to Walhberg's managers has yet to be returned at this time; however, at the premiere of his new movie, "The Gambler," on Wednesday the actor told the Associated Press he's well aware that not everyone believes he deserves to pardoned.

 

"Everyone has an opinion and has a reason why they think I'm doing it. I've been working very hard to correct a lot of mistakes that I made since the day that I woke up and realized, 'You know what? I need to be a leader instead of a follower,'" he said.

The actor wanted to clarify that he's not trying to use his celebrity or success to say that he feels entitled to be pardoned, and said prepared regardless of the outcome.

 

"I will continue to do that whether the pardon is granted or not," he said.