ACJP Original Media

Defense Attorney Charges Over $350 to Read Text Messages

/ acjpdebug / 1 Comment

When a mother’s son was picked up for a serious offense, she did what many parents do — she cleaned out her bank account to hire a private attorney. The attorney spoke confidently at first, giving the impression that the young man would be in good hands if they hired this attorney. The communication slowed to a near stop after the money was paid. The mother asked for an accounting of what work the attorney did for all of the money she was paid. The itemization included time used to read text messages and send text messages to the mother. Since the attorney charged $350 an hour, the attorney charged the family $385 for 8 text messages. We won’t even tell you how much she charged to listen to voicemails!

shadylawyer

 

Getting Ready to Bring Her Brother Home After 18 Years

/ acjpdebug / Leave a comment

Armed with letters from the community, Mary heads out to Modesto for a final meeting with the attorney of her brother. He is serving a life sentence, and has been inside for 18 years already. With the passage of Proposition 36, he now has the possibility of being re-sentenced, which would lead to his release. Mary started coming to De-Bug and advocating for her brother well before the 3 Strikes Reform. Some attorneys told her his release was unlikely. But then again, most did not expect her to get this far. Next week, Mary, her family, and De-Bug will be caravaning to the his court date, to hopefully witness the start of a re-unification of this family. (See the photo of Mary from the beginning of the year, when her and her mother first learned that her brother may be on the list of potential re-sentences.)

marytwo

Re-Entry Profile: When a Son Helps Lead a Father Home From Prison

/ acjpdebug / 1 Comment

This video, produced by De-Bug youth videographer Daniel Zapien, was made as part of a larger project ACJP/De-Bug did in collaboration with New America Media and the Open Society Foundation called, “Children of Re-Entry.” This piece chronicles the story of Greg Hughes Senior as he navigates his re-entry from prison, with the support of his son. Let us know your re-entry story! (Click image to view video.)

Picture 3

“I Want To Be Like Him When I Grow Up”

Society of Professional Journalists Honors De-Bug with the 2013 Silver Heart Award!

/ acjpdebug / 1 Comment

Much gratitude to the Society of Professional Journalists for honoring De-Bug with the 2013 Silver Heart Award for, “extraordinary dedication to helping empower marginalized members of society.” And they referenced our social biography video innovation too! They called it  a “journalistic initiative that brings community voices into the criminal justice system on behalf of indigent defendants.”  Let’s keep amplifying family and community voice in 2014! Here’s a shot from the awards night…

1472902_200900436760447_492787303_n

The “Storify” of Santa Clara County Preserving the Best Immigrant Detainer Policy in the Country

/ acjpdebug / Leave a comment

Media coverage, and our own media, chronicling the culmination of a year long campaign to beat back a challenge to our county’s immigrant detainer policy. This win for public safety & immigrants rights is a result of efforts by the FIRE Coalition, the Public Defender’s Office, and wisdom of the BOS. (Click here or image to go to Storify page that has videos, articles, infographics, tweets, and more from the win!)

griselspeech

De-Bug’s ACJP Presents at National Legal Aid and Defender Association

/ acjpdebug / Leave a comment

gandbMuch thanks to the good people at the National Legal Aid and Defender Association for inviting us to participate in their annual conference in Los Angeles. We got a chance to meet some amazing movement makers from all across the country, and share our model of how families and communities can impact cases, be important resources for defenders trying to even the scales of justice, and change the landscape of power in the criminal court system. Here’s a shot of organizers Gail and Blanca after they presented!

 

 

Returning To Life From Life: A Daughter’s Journey To Freeing Her Mother From Prison

/ acjpdebug / Leave a comment

Check out this moving video made by De-Bug’s Jean Melesaine on Lisa Carter, the first woman in Santa Clara County who won her release from a life sentence due to Proposition 36.  Judge Deborah Ryan granted Lisa release after serving 18 years in prison for a $150 shoplifting charge (her 3rd strike), with the tremendous support from her family, friends, community, and public defender. This video will be part of the Time Saved series, chronicling stories of families bringing loved ones home from incarceration.

Grandmother Freed from Life Sentence

/ acjpdebug / 1 Comment

The first woman up for a potential re-sentencing in Santa Clara County due to Proposition 36 won her release this week. A 55-year-old grandmother, Lisa Carter had done 18 years of a life sentence due to the recently reformed 3 Strikes Law. Lisa’ third offense was $150 shoplifting charge. When moved up from prison to the county jail in anticipation of court, Sister’s That Been There founder Steeda McGruder was asked by Lisa’s attorney to give counsel on the possible re-entry process. Lisa, her daughter, and her 12-year-old granddaughter offered testimony at the hearing — all calling for her release. At one point the prosecutor noted that Lisa was “on her own personal journey” but thought that journey should continue in prison. That will not be the case, as Judge Deborah Ryan issued the release. Here is an image of family, friends, even former bunkies of hers who knew Lisa years ago — at the steps of the court right before the hearing. They lit candles and prayed before court. Read the Mercury News article here.

lisacourt

 

1 Week at De-Bug’s ACJP: Family Brings Son Home from Immigration Detention, Other Family Stops a Life Sentence

/ acjpdebug / Leave a comment

Photos of a powerful week in De-Bug’s Albert Cobarrubias Justice Project (ACJP), where families fight to bring their loved homes home from jail, prison, and immigration detention. At Sunday’s meeting, one family brought a son home from immigration detention after two years, on Tuesday’s meeting, one family brings a son home who was facing a life sentence. To stay updated on the work, follow www.acjusticeproject.org.

Sunday at ACJP Meeting:
Home after 11 years in prison, two years in immigration detention. Got his conviction overturned, but then still faced deportation. The ICE agent told him he didn’t have a chance. ICE was wrong and he’s home now. Top left: We ask people to erase their name from our board when they get free, it inspires the other families there who are starting their journey. He asked his mom to do the honors since she was fighting for him all those years. Middle left: Mom hugging Charisse, last time it was for consolation when it looked impossible, today it was to celebrate. Bottom left: His sister shows the families a slideshow of his first day home, which was last week. Rightside: For those who ask, this is what we mean when we say #Debugthesystem. Gotta love Sunday afternoons at De-Bug.

Tuesday at ACJP meeting:
Remarkable. His mom started coming to our Tuesday De-Bug/ACJP meetings at East Valley Pentecostal Church a few months ago. He was facing life because they were charging him with a strike, and the lawyer and courts said he had 2 strike priors. But mom said he only has one strike prior. Lawyer said mom was wrong. Turns out he did only had 1 strike, the system just thought he had 2 strikes, and no one bothered to check the paperwork, until mom. This week, they also dropped the charge to a misdemeanor, and he’s home now, erasing his name from our board (meaning he resolved his case.) Gotta love Tuesdays at ACJP meetings, and gotta respect a mom’s commitment to bring her son home.

Gideon’s Army Deserves Back Up

/ acjpdebug / 1 Comment

By Raj Jayadev

gideonWhen I watched Dawn Porter’s Gideon’s Army, the HBO-aired documentary on public defenders in the South, it made me think of the irrationality of our court system, mass incarceration, and broken families. But it also made me think of the X-Men.

In the X-Men movie series, the superheroes are misunderstood, even vilified at times by the public, but nonetheless are charged with saving humanity. The budding heroes, who already have the innate abilities within them, develop their skills at a special school to be prepared for the high stakes battles they are charged to engage in.

Gideon’s Army has a similar story line, minus the mind-melds and mutant genetics. Continue reading →