Help raise money for an attorney

I'm raising money to help my father, Tavares Scott Sr., get an experienced attorney for his resentencing case.

My dad's case goes all the way back to 2002, when he was only 22 years old. He has now been incarcerated for approximately 24 years and was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Throughout these years, my dad has maintained his innocence, and our family believes there are serious issues surrounding the evidence, identification, and circumstances that led to his conviction that deserve to be looked at again by an experienced attorney.

A lot has changed in California law since 2002. Back then, certain legal doctrines allowed people involved in the same incident to face extremely serious consequences even when their actual level of involvement was different.

California has since changed its laws through Senate Bill 1437, putting more focus on a person's individual actions and level of responsibility. When this reform was passed, the California Legislature recognized that people should be punished according to their own level of involvement and culpability.

That's why getting my dad the right attorney means so much to me. He went to prison at 26 years old, and approximately 24 years of his life have passed since then. During that time, he has missed countless moments with his family and friends—birthdays, holidays, celebrations, and even the simple everyday moments that most of us don't think twice about.

One of the hardest things he has had to go through was losing his younger brother, my uncle, while he was incarcerated. My dad can never get that time with his brother back, and our family can never get those moments together back either. That's just one example of how much life has passed by during these 24 years.

I want an experienced attorney to go through my dad's case, look at the evidence and circumstances surrounding his conviction, and determine what resentencing or other legal relief may be available to him today. After maintaining his innocence for all these years, I believe he deserves the opportunity to have his case carefully reviewed and to have someone qualified fighting for him.

Unfortunately, getting the right legal representation is expensive, and this isn't something my family and I can afford to do alone.

I know times are hard right now. Everybody has their own bills, families, and responsibilities, so I'm not asking any one person to carry this burden for us. I'm just hoping enough people can come together and each help a little.

If just 100 people can donate $25, that's $2,500 toward getting my dad the attorney he needs.

If you can't give $25, that's okay. Any amount helps. And if you aren't able to donate, even sharing this could help our story reach somebody who can.

At the end of the day, this isn't just a case to me. This is my dad.

He was only 22 when this started. He's lost approximately 24 years away from his family and friends, and we've lost those years with him too. We can't get that time—or the people we've lost—back. But I can do everything in my power now to make sure my dad has a fair opportunity to have his case looked at again.

I'm simply asking for help giving my dad that opportunity and, hopefully, a chance to one day come home and spend the years ahead surrounded by the family and friends who are still here waiting for him.

Whether you donate, share this fundraiser, or simply take the time to read our story, thank you. It truly means a lot to me and my family.