DeWine’s pardon program hits milestone

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — More than 100 people have been given a second chance due to Ohio’s Expedited Pardon Project for individuals who have been convicted of a crime and have since worked to make changes in their lives.

In Wednesday’s announcement, Gov. Mike DeWine said a milestone had been reached: 108 people have been granted a second chance at life. It launched in 2019, and DeWine created the project to simplify and expedite the lengthy pardon application process.

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Gene Hill and Carla Thomas both benefitted from the program and said they tried hard to turn their lives around but kept failing. It wasn’t until the program, and getting pardoned last year, that they both got a second chance at life.

“So, this is what a pardon looks like,” Hill said smiling as he read from the document. “’I do hereby direct that the said offenses of Richard Hill, be pardoned.’”

“So, if you ask me who I am, I’m Carla Thomas. I’m a child of God, I’m a servant, I’m a leader, I’m a mentor. But, let me tell you what I’m not; I’m no longer a convicted felon,” Thomas said.

It’s been four years since DeWine created the program.

“One hundred and eight people, they’ve turned their lives around by working hard, giving back to the community, abiding by the law,” DeWine said.

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Since 2019, 327 applicants have met the criteria to participate in the project. Nearly 200 cases are currently in various stages of the application process.

“Bottom line is we want to make pardons more easy, more accessible for those individuals who truly, truly deserve them,” DeWine said. “The trust is, as we all know, that criminal conviction or felony conviction can close doors for people, they can close opportunities.”

Which is what happened to Thomas and Hill. They both have college degrees but struggled to keep a job. Hill faced three years in prison for drug-related charges, while Thomas was charged with attempted robbery.

“I got to, like, the second and third-round of interviews of all these companies, and then they would say, ‘We really like you. You’re very qualified, but we can’t hire you.’ So, after you get the door slammed in your face a few times, it sucks,” Hill said.

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“To me, it was a small fight,” Thomas said. “That’s the choice I made. Those are the consequences that I had to sit in, and I sat in them. It’s tough, but I’m tenacious, I’m a’keep at it.”

Both agreed that it was tough having to relive their past choices, but it feels like the dark cloud that’s been looming over them for decades has been lifted.

The governor’s Expedited Pardon Project eliminates administrative hurdles while also providing one-on-one support from partnering law schools in Ohio. Benefits of a pardon include expanded career, education, and volunteer opportunities.

Since the creation of the project, Ohio law has changed to allow the governor to automatically seal the records of those who have received a pardon. Anyone pardoned before September 2021 can also take steps to have their records sealed.

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