On October 4, 2024, we filed a writ of habeas corpus in a death penalty case under California’s Racial Justice Act asking for our client, Carl Powell, to have his conviction and sentence vacated because his trial was infected by racism. Mr. Powell was convicted and sentenced to death by a jury that included multiple jurors who expressed racially discriminatory views during voir dire and in juror questionnaires. The prosecutor in the sentencing phase closing argument compared Mr.
Melissa Hernandez is an administrative specialist at the ACLU of Northern California, where she provides technical and administrative support to the development department and engages in donor inquiry.
Melissa began her time at the ACLU of Northern California in 2018 as the development department’s first intern. Since graduating from college in 2020, she has held different roles in the department capacities, with a focus on gift processing and donor support.
In May 2024, the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) banned over 110 students and faculty from campus after their arrest at a pro-Palestine protest. The bans went into effect immediately and cut off students and faculty from classes, jobs, and other school resources, such as meal plans, health care, and housing.
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