I made some mistakes when I was 18. Spent the night in a holding cell before my bail hearing the next morning. The cops lied on my charges, and stole drugs from me. I ended up with extra charges for “possession of stolen property” (belonged to my roommate) and less pot and mushrooms on my charges of “controlled substance” then were there. I never asked where the rest of the drugs went. But I was from a poor family so I couldn’t fight it properly and I wasn’t educated enough to understand the situation. I made a deal, plead guilty on some of the bullshit charges to get rid of fighting an even longer list. Well over 20 years later, and I filed all my paperwork for a pardon just a week before lockdown. The paperwork process was ridiculous, exponential charges to print off documents from courts and police departments. The cost of a pardon was about $1000. Not a small expense for poor people. Now since covid, my employment of 18 years shutdown. I’d really like that pardon to look for a new job, but he gov doesn’t care about ex-con. I don’t know when it will be processed, their offices are not answering inquires right now.

It’s amazing how a little time behind bars can change your life. It sure changed my life for the better.