2018 was a big year for SCP!

A Pardon Halts an I.C.E. Deportation

SCP was thrilled to be involved in securing an attorney for Roeuth An, a 45-year-old father of two who had come to the US as a Cambodian refugee and was scheduled to be deported this month. Mr. An's criminal record - and the reason given for his deportation - was nearly two decades old, when he had been an accomplice in a drive-by shooting. Mr. An has stayed out of trouble since, building a wonderful life with his wife and children. All that was at risk before SCP stepped in... and before Joanne Kalas and Andrea Bradford of Foster Pepper stepped up. Ms. Kalas's and Ms. Bradford's swift and urgent advocacy helped convince Gov. Inslee to sign off on the pardon with just days to go before the scheduled I.C.E.-chartered flight back to Cambodia. 

We can't thank Ms. Kalas, Ms. Bradford, and our friends at Northwest Immigrant Rights Project enough for diving into this case and for helping to keep this family together. 

If you'd like to read more about Mr. An's story, we recommend this NBC News story. 

George Clark wins his freedom!

In June of 2018, Reshvin Sidhu and Meredith Dishaw from Williams Kastner represented George Clark at a hearing of the Clemency and Pardons Board, and Mr. Clark received a 3-1 recommendation for commutation.

In November, the governor followed the recommendation, commuting Mr. Clark’s life sentence.
 

Mr. Clark is 65 years old and had struck out on a second degree robbery charge. Abuse during his childhood lead him to run away from home at the age of thirteen, at which point Mr. Clark turned to crime to support himself. Mr. Clark had an extraordinary personal transformation in prison, finding direction, purpose, and a desire to give back to those around him. We’re thrilled that the Clemency and Pardons Board found him deserving of a second chance.

Many thanks to Reshvin Sidhu and Meredith Dishaw for their dedication to Mr. Clark's case!

Updates from the December Hearings

• Louis Barrow was given a 2-1 recommendation for clemency by the board. A three striker, Mr. Barrow was represented by Mark Bartlett, Katharine Herz, and Bret Wilmot from Davis Wright Tremaine.
• Eustace Jennings was given a 3-0 recommendation for clemency by the board. Mr. Jennings is a three-striker who has served 20 years and was represented by Ashley Brown from Cooley LLP and Mark Bartlett of Davis Wright Tremaine. (Mark really worked overtime at this hearing... thank you!)