IMPACT: Capreece Lackey

Capreece Lackey finally got her pardon in June 2013 and her record has been expunged to a clean one, giving her a fresh start. She is looking forward to beginning her healthcare career.

Below is Capreece’s story, reprinted from our FY2012 Annual Report:

Capreece Lackey is striving for a career where she can help people and provide for her family in a meaningful way. Clean and sober for 13 years, Ms. Lackey has a goal of becoming a Certified Nurse’s Assistant someday.

Capreece: “I’m trying to begin a new chapter of my life. I’m trying to stay on the right side of the law, do positive things, and work to take care of my family.”

Ms. Lackey needed help to expunge her criminal record so that she could work and become self-sufficient. Four minor offenses, all more than a decade old, were holding her back from obtaining reliable employment.

Capreece: “[When applying for jobs] Some employers automatically turned me away. They looked at me like I committed the crime right then and there… It really hurt me and affected my family.”

Other times, Ms. Lackey would gain employment, only to have her job terminated once employers found out about her past mistakes.

Willing and able to work, Ms. Lackey turned to CLS for help. CLS attorney Sharon Dietrich helped Ms. Lackey apply for an expungement of her record. Ms. Dietrich believed that Ms. Lackey had a strong case, and aided her without judgment. With CLS fighting for her, Ms. Lackey gained the strength to fight for herself.

A pardon for Ms. Lackey is expected in the next few months, and although she is currently working to pay her bills, a pardon will give her even better job opportunities and allow her to achieve her career goals in a more significant way. Working with CLS inspired Ms. Lackey to become an advocate for others in her situation, and to live her life with newfound optimism.

Capreece: “I’m really looking forward to better times, a better situation, and better opportunities, while still remaining humble and thankful.”