Here We Go Again

Or, The Little Retrial That Shouldn’t

The retrial for Carlos Reales Dominguez is scheduled to start this Friday with jury selection. I’m a mixture of dreading it and over it. We’ve been here before. Except not really, because the prosecution’s throwing out the baby, the bath water, and previous arguments, and bringing in a whole new theory. They’re back at square one. I’ll avoid spoilers but provide a hint: It’ll involve dispensary visits and new expert testimony.

Very much on a related note, I’m spending today at the California State Capitol in Sacramento visiting legislative offices with a new restorative justice group, Survivor Action for Equity (SAFE), made up of Californians who’ve lost family members or friends to homicide. We believe that people who’ve caused harm but genuinely changed should be given the opportunity to come home through the parole process. We believe in second chances. We believe in compassion.

It’s a strange but fitting series of events that saw me helping friends and community members navigate the criminal justice system, losing David, and now finding myself advocating once again with a group of like-minded and like-hearted people whose mantra, in the words of one of our group members, is “Love fucking wins.” Coincidentally, it’s something Grrrilda might say.

I’ll report back to blog subscribers about the trial. And, as always, as we continue to get through this thing called life, root for compassion.