It's a deflection to exempt. It means that he was forgiven, excepted, dispensed. That you should not comply with something that was ordered to others. It also means excluded, pardoned, excused, redeemed, exonerated, released.
" exempted ": masculine singular past participle of verb " exempt ".Meaning of " " exempt: tr. and prnl. Librar, extricate someone charges, obligations, faults, etc.:; It has double p. p.: one reg.: exempted, and another irreg.: free.Meaning of " " exempt: tr. and r. deliver one of its obligation.