Recording of Second Chance Stories: Returning to Freedom, a webinar hosted by NACDL for Second Chance Month 2022. 

Pursuing multiple avenues of relief for those directly impacted by a cannabis conviction and its consequences through clemency, compassionate release, expungement, and reform.

NACDL’s Return to Freedom Project helps those serving overly harsh sentences seek relief by partnering with partner organizations to recruit, train, and support pro bono volunteers to secure clemency, compassionate release, or expungement.  

NACDL’s Trial Penalty Clemency Project seeks to recruit volunteers to assist federal prisoners seeking commutations. 

Juan Carlos Barragan had served 16 years of his sentence when a federal judge reduced his sentence to “time served.” His release is one of the success stories of NACDL’s Return to Freedom Project, which files compassionate release motions and clemency petitions on behalf of federal prisoners convicted of marijuana crimes.

On January 12, 2022, Sincere B. Allah was granted a conditional pardon by Governor Ralph Northam after 24 years of incarceration. Sincere and his attorney were paired through the Virginia Redemption Project, an initiative of NACDL's Return to Freedom Project. 

Professor Katie Tinto recounts telling her client, Charlie Fragoso, that he was granted clemency after being incarcerated for over 30 years. Professor Tinto and her students worked through the Trial Penalty Clemency Project, an initiative of NACDL's Return to Freedom Project, to secure his release. 

Daniel Gregory describes the day he learned that he was granted compassionate release after being incarcerated for 15 years. Daniel and his attorney were paired through the Excessive Sentence Project, an initiative of NACDL's Return to Freedom Project. 

Kenneth Charles "Charlie" Fragoso describes the day he found out that he was granted clemency after over 30 years of incarceration. His attorney, Professor Katie Tinto, worked through the Trial Penalty Clemency Project, an initiative of NACDL's Return to Freedom Project, to secure his release. 

In November 2021, just days before Thanksgiving, attorney Trevor Parkes found out that his client, Daniel Gregory, had been granted compassionate release after 15 years of incarceration. He had been paired with Daniel through the Excessive Sentence Project, an initiative of NACDL's Return to Freedom Project. 

Brendan O'Toole volunteered as a pro-bono attorney through the Virginia Redemption Project, an initiative of NACDL's Return to Freedom Project. Brendan recounts telling his client, Sincere, that he was granted a conditional pardon and was going home after 24 years of incarceration. 

Introduction to the Cannabis Justice Initiative, part of NACDL's Return to Freedom Project, presented by John Albanes, Legal Director of the Return to Freedom Project, NACDL; and Sarah Gersten, General Counsel and Executive Director of Last Prisoner Project

The Virginia Redemption Project recruits, trains, and supports volunteers to assist individuals incarcerated in Virginia’s prisons to petition for post-sentencing relief and executive clemency (which in Virginia is called a conditional pardon and is an act by the governor to modify a sentence). Having counsel through the process greatly increases the chances of success, and the Virginia Redemption Project is focused on ensuring that those who want to file a conditional pardon and cannot afford a lawyer have access to meaningful review of their case.