July 17, 2026
Los Angeles County Public Defender Ricardo D. García and Compton Mayor Emma Sharif Hosted Freedom Through Expungement Resource Fair
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Chief of Staff John Mathews recently joined the UCLA Law Fellows outreach program to speak with aspiring legal professionals about careers in public defense!
Irreversible punishment has no place in an imperfect system. Universal clemency is a necessary step toward ending a punishment that is costly, inequitable, and vulnerable to irreversible mistakes.
“Granting clemency to every person on death row is not an act of leniency; it is an acknowledgment that a system this flawed should never have the power to take a life. It is the only just response to decades of evidence showing that the death penalty has failed.” says L.A. County Public Defender Ricardo D. García.
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The inaugural edition of Defender Digest has arrived! Go beyond the courtroom with stories that highlight the impact of the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office—from innovative programs and free legal events to Know Your Rights resources, community partnerships, staff achievements, and the client-centered advocacy happening every day across LA County.
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Libertad a través de la Eliminacion de Antecedentes Penales es un evento comunitario gratuito en la Ciudad de Compton diseñado para ayudar a las personas a borrar antecedentes penales elegibles y eliminar barreras para el empleo, la vivienda, la educación y otras oportunidades. Los asistentes pueden recibir información y asistencia gratuita sobre la limpieza de antecedentes de profesionales legales, ayudándoles a dar el siguiente paso hacia un nuevo comienzo y un futuro más prometedor.
Freedom Through Expungement is a free community event in the City of Compton designed to help individuals clear eligible criminal records and remove barriers to employment, housing, education, and other opportunities. Attendees can receive free expungement information and assistance from legal professionals, helping them take the next step toward a fresh start and a stronger future.
Wrongful convictions, racial bias, and systemic failures have led to irreversible injustices. When the punishment is permanent, even one mistake is too many.
The LA County Public Defender’s Office stands with advocates and community partners in urging Governor Gavin Newsom to grant universal clemency. Irreversible punishment has no place in an imperfect system.
#UniversalClemency #EndTheDeathPenalty #JusticeReform
@smartjusticeca @aclu_norcal @ellabakercenter @us_cdep
In partnership with USC’s School of Social Work, we welcomed a delegation of social workers from Taiwan to learn about the vital role social workers play in public defense. The visit included court observation and meaningful conversations about client-centered advocacy, fostering international collaboration and the exchange of ideas.
The California Department of Justice is still processing previously unreported arrest disposition reports due to an error in the Superior Court’s previous case management systems. Our Office is working with the Superior Court to find ways to “mitigate harm to individuals who might otherwise suffer job, housing, or licensure loss as a result of incidents for which they long ago made amends.”
“Our ability to address or prevent these harms will require the cooperation of all justice system parties to ensure that these missed, but decades-old, offenses do not destroy lives” says L.A. County Head Deputy Public Defender Nick Stewart-Oaten.
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