See CBS News coverage of Mary Virginia Jones's release from prison after serving 32 years for a murder committed by her abusive boyfriend. See the story
Read the Los Angeles Times article about USC PCJP's efforts to free 74-year-old Mary Virginia Jones, convicted for her role in a 1981 murder, after 32 years behind bars. Read the article
In 2013, at age 38, PCJP Edel Gonzalez was considered for (and eventually granted) parole as the first inmate under a new law to have his life sentence reduced for a crime he committed as a juvenile. Governor Jerry Brown signed the California law that allows inmates similar to Gonzalez,…
Gary “Malachi” Scott has been incarcerated his entire adult life. Despite this, he has matured into a thoughtful, kind, and talented adult. On December 27, 2012, the Board of Parole hearing found him suitable for parole. Governor Brown will make his final decision May 2013. Malachi was born in South…
Glenda Jo Virgil, 65, has served 25 years for killing her physically, mentally, and emotionally abusive partner who, after beating Ms. Virgil for several hours, threatened to kill her to prevent her from leaving him. Ms. Virgil is wheelchair-bound and in poor health. In September, doctors diagnosed Ms. Virgil with…
The USC Law alumni attending the recent 30th anniversary of the Post-Conviction Justice Project hail from nearly ever corner of the legal world – they are judges, public defenders, state and federal prosecutors, public interest lawyers and partners at law firms.
(more…)On October 28, the California Habeas Project received a humanitarian award for advocacy from Peace Over Violence, a sexual and domestic violence, stalking, child abuse, and youth violence prevention center headquartered in Los Angeles. Norma Cumpian, a former PCJP client and domestic abuse survivor, presented the award.
In a defining case for the California parole system, the Post-Conviction Justice Project successfully argued before the California Supreme Court that longtime inmate Sandra Davis-Lawrence’s due process rights had been violated by the Governor’s reversal of her grant of parole.
A victim of human trafficking and extreme abuse by her captor, Marisol Garcia was finally released and reunited with her family in Mexico.
Since the early 1990’s, PCJP has provided pro bono representation to women serving life-terms, many of whom survived intimate partner violence. Hear from faculty, students, alumni and former clients Sandra Davis-Lawrence and Connie Keel. https://youtu.be/dUMo1wJelj4