Class hopes to clear criminal records

By: Angela Marino

Posted: 10/15/09

"I started using and drinking at an early age."

"I was uneducated."

"I chose to live out on the streets and commit a whole bunch of crimes."

"I never thought about tomorrow, I only thought about today."

Winnonah Carlos commented to students and new clients of justice studies class 180 at a meeting held on Tuesday evening in McQuarrie Hall Room 523.

Carlos, a former client, was involved last year in the justice studies class. The class is in the process of helping 10 San Jose residents expunge their records of past felonies that hinder them from getting jobs, a justice studies lecturer said.

"This is our fourth semester doing this program, and it has been a very positive experience for both the students and the clients," said Margaret (Peggy) Stevenson, a justice studies lecturer.

The class held a meeting with the clients and students that featured an introduction of the deputy public defender who will be present when the students address the court in December, Stevenson said.

Keshia Yusman, a junior justice studies major, said she thought the class was going to be a typical lecture class but has learned much through this hands-on experience.

"Our client told us about his record and his arrests," she said. "We really want to get our client's case dismissed, because he has a goal in his life that he wants to accomplish. I used to think criminals were bad people, but after listening to our client's story it turned out that there was much more to the circumstances than what I expected."

Carlos said she was truly grateful for the life-changing experience.

"The students did such a beautiful job on my petition," she said.

The petition was given to the judge to determine if her felonies should be expunged from her record, Carlos said.

"I showed up that day to court completely grateful for being there," she said.

She was introduced to the program by a friend who had been a part of the class before, she said.

"I am now able to be whatever I want to be when I grow up," Carlos said. "I can go back to school and be a good example for my kids."

Neha Nagrath, a deputy public defender for Santa Clara County, said she will represent seven of the clients when they go to court.

"This is a great class - it is my first semester," Nagrath said. "I think that the outcomes for these clients will be very positive, actually I'm sure of it."

Brittany Crockett, a junior justice studies major, said the class description doesn't explain the client project, but she has learned a lot from the project.

"Working with the clients has been intriguing," Crockett said. "I am excited for the outcome from the court decision in December."

Lionel Mata, a senior pastor at Life Changing Christian Fellowship, said he was a former client who received an expunged record.

"Everything that I have done in the past is expunged, it's done, it's gone," Mata said. "(I know) I can drive down the street without worrying about a cop behind me and being pulled over."

He now works with youths who are involved in gangs by trying to pull them out of the gangs, he said.

The final court hearing will determine the clients' felony records and will take place Dec. 1 at the Santa Clara County Courthouse, Stevenson said.