SAN DIEGO - Nine people convicted of crimes in San Diego County over the past 40 years were granted pardons Friday by Gov. Jerry Brown.
They were among 112 pardons issued by the governor, a tradition during the holidays. A pardon may be granted to people who have demonstrated exemplary behavior and have lived productive and law-abiding lives following their conviction, and are not given unless they are earned, according to the governor's office.
The pardons were granted to:
-- Pierre Carbonneau, who spent a month in jail in 1977 and three years probation for possession of marijuana for sale
-- Thomas Dao, who spent six months in jail in 2001 and 2002 and three years probation for possession of marijuana for sale
-- Maria Espinoza, who spent more than a month in jail in 2000 and three years probation, also for possession of marijuana for sale
-- David Gibson, a served two years and four months in state prison beginning in 1988 for various narcotics convictions
-- Dawne Michele Graham, jailed for 220 days and placed on three years probation in 1993 for possession of marijuana for sale
-- Bruce Miller, behind bars for six months in 1981 and served three years probation for possession, and possession for sale, of a controlled substance
-- Karen Miller, who spent seven months in state prison and more than three months in jail after being sentenced in 1995 for possession of a controlled substance
-- Hobert Gary Porterfield Jr., who spent a year in jail after being sentenced in 1999 for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and hit-and-run with death or injury
-- Steven Michael Unwin, placed on three years probation in 1994 for burglarizing an apartment
While the governor said the nine met the qualifications for pardons, he added that Porterfield was honorably discharged from the Navy, became a firefighter, is active with a 12-step rehabilitation program and coaches youth sports. Unwin has been involved with Alcoholics Anonymous and volunteers with a youth organization, he said.
Those granted pardons all completed their sentences and the majority were convicted of nonviolent, drug-related crimes, according to the governor's office. All applicants for a pardon who were eligible obtained a certificate of rehabilitation, which is an order from a superior court declaring that a person convicted of a crime is now rehabilitated.
