BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — CSU-B's Pre-Law program, area attorneys, and other members of the Kern legal community will help residents who have criminal records get a second chance by helping them expunge their records.
- The clinic drew considerably more interest than organizers expected previously, which is why they've opted to hold a pre-clinic to ensure participants interested in getting their records expunged have their affairs in order prior to the May 9 clinic. Information on how to register for the clinic can be found on CSU-Bakersfield's website.
- 23ABC spoke with criminal defense attorney David A. Torres, who's helped residents expunge their records through the clinic, said the purpose behind it is to, "breathe new life into our community."
- Eric Huggins Sr., who spent time incarcerated due to drug-related offenses, says he was one of the many who had their record expunged as a result of the clinic said, "it's good to know that this is not going to be haunting me once again; for something I've done over 30 years ago."
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
When you typically see us in front of the Kern Superior Court House, it's usually 'so and so is accused of this crime,' but this story's a bit different, I'm Sam Hoyle, your neighborhood reporter. Members of the Cal-State Bakersfield Pre-Law program, local attorneys, the Kern Superior Court, and many more will begin helping Kern community members expunge their records for free.
Eric Huggins Sr. spent several years in jail for drug-related offenses, and as a result says he was affected by his past, despite turning his life around for the better.
"That's one thing about this expungement. It keeps me from being reminded of my past because when I fill out an application and I'm going through a background check, it's good to know that this is not going to be haunting me once again for something I've done over 30 years ago."
Kern County Criminal Defense Attorney David Torres is one of the lawyers who will be taking part in the clinic, from his perspective, having a record expunged gives new life to those who've gone through the rehabilitation process.
"What we're trying to do is breathe new life into our community, give individuals who otherwise would not have this opportunity, the opportunity to clean their record, to completely seal and destroy their record so that they can go in, and attempt to better their lives, better their family, and clean the record at the same time."
Over the last two clinics, Torres says they've been able to help hundreds of Kern residents get that second chance, exceeding expectations of how many would take advantage of the service, so now the clinic will hold a preclinic on April 4th, to help streamline the process. To be eligible for the clinic, participants need to have a valid ID, their Kern County case numbers, and have all fines paid in advance, however, no federal or juvenile cases will be considered. Torres also noted that those seeking expungement need to have been out of state prison for at least two years and not been convicted of charges including sex offender registration.
For Huggins, now a businessman with state licenses, the hope is that people take advantage of the clinic to better their lives.
"The opportunity, if they want it, that's what I hope for them, to have that opportunity, to be able to fill out a state job application or a job that requires your background check, and they're not defined by who they were in the past, but by defined by who they are in the present. And hopefully, you know, this will help a lot of them out."
To learn how to register for the clinic, we'll have links to that information in this story on our website.
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