Huge shout out to Harriet Ryan for this incredible reporting - this man has taken millions from our families with incarcerated loved ones for smoke and mirrors and false hope, and he must be stopped.

“If they’re defending a parole grant rate that’s under 30% when the legislature has been telling them for FIFTY YEARS to normally grant parole, they’re having a very different conversation than the one we should be having.” - Keith Wattley

Tune in: assembly.ca.gov/schedules-publ…

🧵 THREAD: Our organization is gearing up to testify before the legislature TODAY on the state of California’s broken parole system. Here’s a closer look at the issues we’ll be addressing, and our proposals for much-needed reform:

This week marks the 60th anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright, the landmark case establishing the right to counsel – regardless of wealth. In honor of #Gideonat60 , we call on #CAleg to #FundPublicDefense .

A great start will be to maintain $ already allotted.

California's DOJ rolls out a statewide post-convictions unit. San Francisco's public defender said this is good news, with estimates that 4-6% of people in prison were wrongfully convicted- or up to 5,700 people with cases awaiting review. Courthouse News courthousenews.com/california-rol…

Slashing an entire program that represents only 0.016% of the overall state budget feels a little bullying.

The Freedom Project in SF used our portion of this money (less than 2%) to serve 82 families. We reunited 19 of them, saving the state millions going forward.

Urging Gavin Newsom to reconsider a proposed budget that would slash $50M from public defenders. This would gut a successful re-sentencing pilot program that has freed people who were eligible for release because of new sentencing laws. 1/

Please join the dozens of organizations, individuals, and elected leaders who support a pardon for Sal Prasad by signing & sharing this petition to Gavin Newsom. /3
change.org/p/tell-governo…

Here's why the healing journey feels so lonely and why it's worth it, anyway:

#APSC4 are beloved leaders, advocates, and mentors. Despite their work and transformation As formerly incarcerated immigrants and refugees, they are at risk of deportation. Demand that Gavin Newsom pardon Ke Lam, Maria, Bun, and Peejay today.

Sign here: action.18mr.org/pardonapsc3/

“A lot of us were incarcerated as children. We went through a lot of life lessons and we have changed. We’re not kids no more and we’re not the crimes that we’ve done.”

Check out this beautiful profile piece written by VictoriaLaw

truthout.org/articles/these…

Can't wait to join our SF community with Board of Supervisors calling on President Biden The White House to #FreeLeonardPeltier #Clemency NOW! 2022!
Vice President Kamala Harris #SanFrancisco beseeches you: hear our calls!
Nancy Pelosi Matt Haney Senator Scott Wiener Phil Ting Jackie Speier Kevin Mullin Alex Padilla Senator Dianne Feinstein

This is what leadership looks like. Thank you, Governor Kate Brown!

California Governor Gavin Newsom - please join in this effort and continue the legacy of California's moratorium on the Death Penalty!

i'm sorry to disappoint you, but you can't find healing from people who hurt you. you can't find healing when you keep staying in their presence.

healing requires disconnection from the people who caused you pain. +

Why I stopped being nice, so that I could be kind:

Keith Wattley is the executive director of UnCommon Law, a group that helps people who are serving life sentences navigate the parole process. He shares his Brief But Spectacular take on changing the narrative about people who commit violent crimes.
to.pbs.org/3gyJyYV

Everyday Injustice Podcast Episode 175: A Look at Critical Resentencing Opportunities in California | Davis Vanguard davisvanguard.org/2022/11/everyd… .Ella Baker Center

LIVE from this morning in Oakland.

We stand in solidarity with the families of Dujaun Armstrong, Charles Ballard, Nick Piña, Matthew Harry, Paul Giacomoni and all loved ones stolen at the hands of Alameda County Sheriffs.

After MANY YEARS of pushing, we made prison calls free in California. It’s a huge victory that will save our people MILLIONS of dollars that they can now put towards food, rent, college, & some things they don’t need cause they deserve those, too. But there’s more to do…