KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — For years, an East Tennessee mother says the consequences of a felony conviction followed her long after her sentence was served, affecting work, housing and even everyday moments with her children.
Jessica Stanley Birch said those barriers remained even after years of recovery. She applied for a pardon in 2022 and was denied. This year, that decision was reversed following a lengthy review process that includes years of documented rehabilitation.
“Everywhere you turn, when it comes to the basics that most people know of like housing, employment, it absolutely affects those things,” Birch said. “And then there’s a lot of things that people don’t think of, like not being able to do things with my kids.”
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Birch said one of the most emotional moments came after receiving the pardon, when her son realized how much had changed…