It began with an idea of the Pardon Project Steering Committee, got legs with funding from the Thomas Skelton Harrison Foundation, started running under the direction of award-winning television news anchor Renee Chenault Fattah, achieved depth with the enthusiastic participation of Board of Pardon Secretary Brandon Flood (himself a pardon-winner) (photos at left), and became real thanks to the students at Drexel University’s Dragon Productions.

Its centerpiece is nine peer-to-peer videos in which those who have gone through the pardon application process share their experiences and advice. It has nine step-by-step videos featuring leading PLSE volunteer Joe Mitchell guiding people through the application form. And it includes informational videos about criminal records from PLSE’s staff attorneys and stories (“Walkies”) about people who have transformed themselves since they were justice involved produced by Shuja Moore, our second Mike Lee Fellow.

And, breaking news: our videos are highlighted on several pages of the official website of the PA Board of Pardons! Commenting on them, Secretary Flood wrote:

Thanks to everyone who made this library possible, including our very first Pardons Coaches who appeared in the videos! We are working to add more in 2021.

It began with an introductory email in May, quickly grew to a working group of a dozen meeting weekly by Zoom, and resulted in a first-ever Criminal Record Clinic held at Nancy’s Revival Diner in October. Pittsburgh Community Services, Inc. (PCSI) is the designated Community Action Agency (CAA) for the city of Pittsburgh, and with addressing “the pervasive issues of poverty and its impact on individuals, families, and communities.” The fit with PLSE was a no-brainer for Bill Freed, PCSI Workforce Coordinator, and Executive Director Odell Richardson. They quickly involved Pittsburgh entrepreneur Jeremy Burnworth (of Revival Chili and ReStartUP), Americans for Progress, and Neighborhood Legal Services, the region’s legal aid office. Since then, the Public Defender and the Allegheny County Bar Foundation have BOTH held CLE programs taught by PLSE ED Tobey Oxholm, connecting the attendees (not just lawyers) with pro bono pardon clients.

Capitalizing on this wonderful success in Pittsburgh, we are now working in Venango, Washington, and Bucks Counties using our new Pitt Law Fellows (see story next month) - as well as in Dauphin, Luzerne, and Monroe Counties. Thanks to the leadership of the legal aid and bar associations in all of these counties. Stay tuned for updates! 

In 2018, PLSE honored its co-founder (and founding Executive Director) with the creation of the six-month Mike Lee Fellowship in Criminal Justice. Last month, we appointed the third Mike Lee Fellow: Antoinette (Tonie) Griffin. She is a mother, an educator of mathematics for 18 years and someone who personally experienced the life-altering effects of contact with the criminal justice system when she was racially profiled and excessively charged in a traffic incident. Recommended to us by our colleagues in Community Legal Services, she comes to PLSE seeking justice for herself and her community. She is eager to share her knowledge of the criminal-record clearing process and learn the laws to help her community. She knows how to empower and support people, and that has been PLSE’s mission since our founding in 2011. Welcome, Tonie! And thanks to everyone who has made a contribution to PLSE in honor of Mike Lee.

Back in 2016, we worked with the Sheller Center for Social Justice at Temple University Beasley School of Law, and it produced one of our first staff attorneys, Zane Johnson. Now we have TWO second-year students doing their practicums with PLSE!  This fall we welcomed Jamie Klein and Sydney Meyer, who have been working closely with staff attorney Taylor Pacheco learning to draft expungement petitions, coach pardon clients, and research new laws impacting criminal justice issues that affect our clients. 

Sydney describes her experience this way: “Working with PLSE has reminded me why I first decided to pursue a legal career. To learn the inner workings of the American criminal justice system, while working directly with those affected by it has been incredibly rewarding. Having the chance to receive feedback and converse with passionate attorneys in the field is invaluable. I feel very grateful to be part of the team.”

Jamie comments: “I feel passionately about the work PLSE does and have already been able to apply my experiences in the practicum to my work as Co-Chair of the NLG Temple’s Pardons Clinic. It has been a great learning experience and I appreciate the trust and independence we have received from the start. I feel supported by everyone in the office, and have really enjoyed working with my pardon client, as well as my other cases. I hope to be able to continue working with PLSE.”

PLSE looks forward to expanding our relationship with Temple Law. Thank you, Temple Law!

PLSE only represents low-income people with criminal records in Philadelphia County; but many of our clients also have convictions in one of the counties surrounding Philadelphia. The Board of Pardons requires every pardon application to attach the underlying criminal records (police affidavit of probable cause, complaint, information, plea or verdict, and sentencing memo). Getting to those courthouses is not easy for our clients, or their Pardon Coaches.

First to step in to help was the Honorable Kevin Kelly, President Judge of the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, and Mary Walk, the Director of the County’s Office of Judicial Support. He issues an Administrative Order allowing PLSE and its Pardon Project volunteers to request and obtain copies of the criminal records, without charge, via email. Following their lead was the Honorable Valerie Arkoosh, Chair of the Board of Commissioners, and Lori Schreiber, Clerk of Courts of Montgomery County. Then, in short order, followed Brian Munroe, Clerk of Courts in Bucks; Yolanda Van de Krol, Clerk of Courts in Chester; and Marc Gaillard, Deputy Director of the Office of Judicial Records in Philadelphia.

As a result, all Five Counties are following the same practice, reducing the time and costs for our volunteers and their clients who have such excellent chances to obtain a pardon. This is truly an amazing expression of support for the clients who have turned their lives around and now intent on receiving, for themselves and their families, the final release from the criminal justice system that only a pardon can provide.

THANK YOU, One and All!!