Doug Deason, the son of ACS founder Darwin Deason, was 17 in 1979 when he held a party at a neighbor’s house while they were gone. Booze flowed. Music was loud. Cops were called. Deason was charged with felony burglary. A well-connected lawyer convinced prosecutors to reduce the charge to a misdemeanor, which was expunged a year later. Deason said a felony could have ruined his life.
On Tuesday, Deason donated $3.5 million to SMU Dedman School of Law to create a legal institute that conducts innovative research and educational outreach efforts designed to promote criminal justice reform. Charles Koch gave another $3.5 million for the effort. This article has full details.