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Groups to protest outside DA's office asking to modify, drop restitution fees

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A protest is planned for Monday to challenge a Mecklenburg County district attorney's policy on deferred prosecution.

The program can give first-time offenders a second chance, but they must pay partial restitution, which some can't afford.

The NAACP and the Charlotte Clergy Coalition for Justice will protest outside the district attorney’s office asking to modify or drop those fees in hardship cases.

This week, there is a workshop for those who couldn’t get their prosecutions deferred to start the process of clearing their records.

The Exodus Foundation is hosting a public expungement workshop where attorneys will explain how to seal criminal records for free from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday on Jackson Avenue in uptown.

The process only applies to first-time, nonviolent misdemeanors and low-level felony convictions.

Supporters said it helps people secure good-paying jobs.