Former Tenn. State Senator Brian Kelsey Secures Pardon

Litson PLLC announced today that its former client, former Tennessee State Senator Brian Kelsey, has received a full presidential pardon. The firm represented Mr. Kelsey at multiple stages of his criminal case and prepared a comprehensive pardon petition, which he submitted to the White House and the Department of Justice.

“This pardon validates what Mr. Kelsey has maintained from the beginning — his innocence,” said Alex Little, partner at Litson PLLC. “The star witness in his case was recorded admitting that the DOJ fed him statements to read to the grand jury that were not true. Mr. Kelsey's legal path was difficult, but he can now move forward with his life.”

Litson PLLC represented Kelsey for over a year, successfully keeping him out of prison pending appeal for more than 12 months. And the firm played an important role on the team that secured his pardon, creating detailed documents to explain the myriad problems with the government’s prosecution. Prosecutors lost nearly 3,000 documents, withheld exculpatory evidence, and coerced him into pleading guilty to a crime he did not commit.

The pardon petition, supported by multiple members of Congress, former federal officials, and community leaders, highlighted significant concerns about the prosecution’s conduct and the circumstances surrounding Kelsey’s plea agreement, including that the government’s key witness—Jeremy Durham—recanted his allegations in a recorded conversation shortly after sentencing.

Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, in his letter supporting clemency, emphasized Kelsey's character and dedication to public service: "Brian is a man of God who entered public service to serve the Lord by serving others. His prosecution represents a concerning pattern of weaponizing the Department of Justice against Republican leaders."