ACJP Events

ACJP in East San Jose Celebrates Two Years of Re-Uniting Families, Beating False Arrests, and Stopping Deportations

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beckyCongratulations to Becky Cardenas and the rest of the ACJP team on their two year anniversary of ACJP at East Valley Pentecostal Church! Every Tuesday, rain or shine, the ACJP squad has met with families who have come to those evening meetings seeking assistance for themselves and their loved ones. The ACJP team have partnering with them to better understand the court system (both criminal and immigration court), identify what role they can play as a supportive family, and ultimately change the outcome of countless cases. The gatherings have allowed families to know that they are not alone, can get supported by the community, and can bring their loved ones home. Families have learned how to better connect with the appointed lawyer, and ensure that their loved one is receiving the zealous defense they deserve. We’ve had a countless number of families come through our Tuesday ACJP sessions, but here were some examples that show a glimpse as to the transformative power of family and community organizing. And if you are so moved, we would love if you “like” the blog page,  “follow” the blog to stay updated, and share the work with those who may be interested.

ACJP at EVPC In Action:

1) Families Can Transform the Courts: Mom Attends First ACJP When Son is Detained, Son Attends First ACJP When He is Released

2) Charges Dropped After Illegal Search

3) Three Strikes Sentencing Looses.Family Wins.Father Home to Raise Baby Girl

4) Son’s Advocacy Steers Court Away from 2 Year Prison Sentence for Mother

5) San Jose Mercury News: Some living in Santee neighborhood allege security guards roughing up residents

Continue reading →

ACJP Presents on Mitigation to the San Mateo County Juvenile Private Defenders Program

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Two weeks ago, De-Bug’s ACJP presented to the San Mateo County Juvenile Private Defender’s Program on our work in supporting families develop mitigation packets.  This presentation was part of a longer session on San Mateo County Probation’s ICE referral policy for youth.  Coordinated by Adam Wells Ely, a juvenile private defender who has been active in local efforts to stop this referral practice, De-Bug co-presented with Helen Beasley from Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto and Alison Kamhi from the Stanford Law School’s Immigrants’ Rights Clinic. A key part of the change advocated by the San Mateo County Coalition for Immigrant Rights to the Probation Chief’s policy on referring youth to immigration was that before a probation officer was to make a referral to ICE, the juvenile private defender and the youth’s family were to be notified so they could present mitigating information that can help the PO to decide otherwise.  Thus, being able to gather that information by the team of people supporting their loved one can be key to helping stop an ICE referral.

De-Bug’s ACJP shared different examples of mitigation packets we developed that resulted in families being able to change the outcome of their loved ones’ cases — from a packet of letters, to photo diaries, to a mini-documentary video that helps the court system see the full life of the person behind the case file.  Thanks to San Mateo County’s Private Defender’s Program for acknowledging the role and value of community in advocating for loved ones in the courts! 

Families Can Transform the Courts: Mom Attends First ACJP When Son is Detained, Son Attends First ACJP When He is Released

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Rosie and her daughter Denise first came to our ACJP meeting at East Valley Pentacostal Church when Rosie’s son, and Denise’s brother, David was facing a life sentence for a crime he did not commit. The private attorney the family hired said the best possible resolution of the case would be for him to accept a plea deal of 7 to Life. Denise was fighting cancer, and before David was detained he was the main person helping Denise — taking her to doctor appointments, getting medications,and her other daily needs. Despite their medical issues, Rosie and her daughter would come to ACJP meetings every week to see how they could help David fight for his freedom. David and his family stayed united, removed the attorney, and got appointed an attorney from the Public Defender’s Office, and worked with that attorney to advocate for David. David was home with his family within a couple months. Above, on the left, is a picture of Rosie and Denise at their first ACJP meeting, sharing David’s story. On the right is a picture of David who came to his first ACJP mtg, just two days after his release.

VIDEO: Stop Deporting Youth in San Mateo County

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On Wednesday, July 11, 2012, the San Mateo County Coalition for Immigrant Rights held a county-wide forum to urge the Board of Supervisors and Probation Chief Stu Forrest to stop reporting youth to ICE. More than 250 people attended. Check out the video below, and to see other media coverage of the campaign check out our storify! And to stay posted in our progress, check out www.stopdeportingyouth.com!

San Jose Stands Up for Trayvon Martin

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This past Friday, March 30, 2012, San Jose residents of all ages and backgrounds gathered at San Jose City Hall to honor the life of Trayvon Martin, and to voice outrage at the injustice of his death. At the rally, organizations such as the NAACP, the Black Leadership Kitchen Cabinet, and Silicon Valley De-Bug/ACJP called on both city and county officials to sign a proclamation calling for justice for Trayvon Martin. Here are some photos:

Miguel Gonzalez made his own shirt to honor Trayvon.

Gail Noble and Nanji Jayadev.

Becky Cardenas stands with Oscar Grant's Uncle Cephus Johnson who recently returned from a trip visiting with the Martin family.

Former City Councilmember Forrest Williams addresses the crowd.

Malcolm Lee does a spoken word piece in honor of Trayvon.

INVITE TO FREE EVENT: Bringing Our Loved Ones Home Through The Appeals Process (Friday March 16; 6 p.m at De-Bug)

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ACJP Event Series Presents:

Bringing Our Loved Ones Home Through The Appeals Process

Featuring Michael Kresser; Executive Director,

6th District Appellate Program

Friday, March 16th 2012

6pm to 8pm

Silicon Valley De-Bug,

701 Lenzen Avenue, San Jose, California


Do you have a loved one who you feel has been wrongfully convicted? Many
families that come to Silicon Valley De-Bug’s Albert Cobarrubias
Justice Project have loved ones who are fighting their criminal cases
through the appellate process, or would like to start one.  The
appellate process is a way for a higher court to re-look at a lower
court’s decision.  The Sixth District Appellate Program is Santa Clara
County’s local office that handles appeals.  Come hear Michael
Kresser, Director of the Sixth District Appellate Program speak about
the appeals process, inspiring cases that he has won, and answer any
questions that you might have for him. 


Light refreshments will be provided.
Brought to you by:
Silicon Valley De-Bug
Albert Cobarrubias Justice Project (ACJP)
www.acjusticeproject.com
(408) 971-4965
Please feel free to share this invite with anyone who might be interested.
The ACJP event series is an effort to inform our families about the criminal justice system in order to create a more knowledgeable and empowered community. 

Santa Clara County courts: Now providing legal representation in misdemeanor court to anyone who can’t afford their own

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A couple of years ago, it was common to hear of Santa Clara County indigent community members tell us they plead guilty to a misdemeanor at arraignment. Since the Public Defender’s office didn’t staff all arraignment courts, many took a plea without consulting an attorney. Many would pay the consequences of their uninformed decision after the fact in terms of jobs, housing, and immigration. We still remember going to meet with Jeff Adachi in San Francisco, and being stunned at the differences of services offered for public defender clients who faced misdemeanor charges. The main difference being ofcourse that in San Francisco people could consult with an attorney at arraignment, and in Santa Clara County, they were denied that right. De-Bug’s ACJP and other members of the Coalition for Justice and Accountability met with the Public Defender’s office about this discrepancy in 2010. Very excited to see now that the Santa Clara Public Defender’s Office will staff all arraignments!

By Tracey Kaplan for the Mercury News: Ending an era in which criminal defendants’ constitutional rights were routinely jeopardized, Santa Clara County will now offer legal representation to anyone who can’t afford an attorney at their initial court appearance.

The reform, which begins next week, brings the local judicial system in line with the majority of other California counties — including San Mateo and San Francisco — that have long staffed misdemeanor arraignments, a defendant’s first court appearance. A 2009 Mercury News investigation prompted the county to provide representation for defendants in custody. Now that right will apply to all defendants accused of misdemeanors. Continue reading →

Sisters That Been There: New Women’s Peer Mentorship Program Offers Innovative Alternative to Incarceration

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Steeda McGruder, Founder of Sisters That Been There

At a forum on realignment towards the end of 2011, our very own Steeda McGruder blew away the audience as she described how the strength and encouragement she found from other women while incarcerated is what allowed her to transform her life, and break a cycle of incarceration. She had a dream of working with incarcerated women to help them turn their lives around. Just months later, Steeda is running a ground-breaking new program in Santa Clara County in collaboration with probation. Check out her story!

By Steeda McGruder — Below is a letter I wrote and handed out to all the women participating in my new program called Sisters That Been There – a support group for women being released from prison and returning to Santa Clara County, done in partnership with the Santa Clara County Probation Department. Continue reading →

Family Power Can Triumph Over Police Abuse

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Powerful afternoon at De-Bug’s ACJP. The Custodio family shared their experiences, wisdom, and energy with a San Mateo Filipino family who are the victims of extreme police violence — repeated tasing and beating (including of an elder) of this family. And as these stories go, the police made-up and filed false charges against the family — the more excessive the police abuse the more unreasonable the charges. The Custodios — founding members of ACJP — shared their strength, as they had gone through a similar road, inspiring a community as the went (check out the video of their story made by one of our youth from 2007). Stay posted, big win coming out of San Mateo County in 2012. Family by family, family to family, true justice will be won…