Case Dismissed

Ugandan inmates waiting for legal representation and

Stephanie with some of the Ugandan legal team after the Prison Project - Priscilla is in the red!

Lawrence* was accused of aggravated assault (a felony in Uganda).  He was held in prison awaiting an opportunity to go to trial having never spoken to an attorney about his case.  He knew it could be months or even years before anyone would take the time to hear his story. 

Fortunately, this summer, Lawrence met Stephanie, an American lawyer who travelled from Houston, Texas to join us as a volunteer at our annual summer Prison Project. 

A Prison Project is an exercise in “Legal Triage.”  It is also a key training opportunity for Ugandan judges, prosecutors and law students to master the art of Plea Bargaining which is significantly helping to reduce overcrowding in Ugandan prisons.

During the last week of June, we had 20 teams of lawyers (comprised of US and Ugandan attorneys and law students.)  Each team would get a file which outlines the case against the remandee. They review the file, then meet the client and discuss the charges with him.  This all happens around a table in the prison yard surrounded by hundreds of other inmates awaiting their turn to be represented. (See the video below!)

Stephanie had Lawrence called from the group of waiting inmates.  He came forward, not really knowing what this was all about.  There aren’t many foreigners who visit inside the prison courtyard, let alone a female, professionally dressed American lawyer.  This initial encounter is often overwhelming for the prisoner.  Many don’t speak English so must have another inmate translate for them. 

Stephanie had to introduce herself to Lawrence and explain to him why she was there.  She needed to gain his trust and discuss the issues outlined in his case file.  She needed to give him time to tell his story and determine the facts of the case.  Stephanie and her team quickly determined that there was insufficient evidence to determine that Lawrence was the actual person who should have been charged with the crime.  On top of that, Lawrence was adamant that he was not involved with the crime. 

Stephanie spoke to the prosecutor and attempted to negotiate a resolution that would withdraw the charges against Lawrence.  He would not budge.  Stephanie than spoke to Priscilla, one of the Ugandan Pepperdine lawyers.   Priscilla suggested writing a memo of dismissal to the head of the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for her consideration.  The challenge here is time, follow-up and the fact that ONE person in the entire country, the Director of the DPP, will make this determination.  Not her office or her team, but her.  There are no digital files in Uganda so Lawrence’s paper file had to meander through the system to finally get to the DPP’s desk.

Stephanie had returned to Houston and her own legal practice.  I’m sure that Lawrence wondered if, once again, he’d been forgotten and the flurry of the advocacy he’d received in June was all just a show.  But it wasn’t.  Priscilla faithfully continued to follow-up with the progress of Lawrence’s case.  She did not forget. 

Last week, Priscilla got word that the head of the DPP filed a voluntary motion to end the legal proceedings against Lawrence.  His case was dismissed.  Lawrence is now home with his family and Stephanie is celebrating his freedom from Texas.  Her work planted the seed of justice for Lawrence and Priscilla faithfully watered and tended that seed in Uganda for the past three months. 

Lawrence was just one of 911 clients served in our four-day project.  Of this number, 395 individuals had their cases resolved and 162 inmates were immediately released from custody. That week, Lawrence was one of 5 inmates for whom we filed a request for case dismissal.  Please pray that we hear positive outcomes for the 4 remaining clients in the days ahead!

*Lawrence is a pseudonym.