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In 2010, Kelly Keegan’s client was pulled over in Scott County in a rental vehicle. After a search uncovered twelve packages of marijuana weighing almost one pound each, Kelly’s client was convicted of Felony Fifth Degree Sale of a Controlled Substance. Kelly’s client committed this offense after losing his job as a carpenter in the recession in an attempt to make quick money to keep his house. The offense served as a catalyst for change, with Kelly’s client returning to school to become a successful web developer. Despite strong opposition from the prosecutor, the judge agreed with Kelly that her client had rehabilitated and that the benefit to expunging his record outweighs any public disadvantage.

When Kelly’s client was between the ages of 17 and 18, he went on a burglary spree with his older roommate, burglarizing over 20 vacation properties in Northern Minnesota where the duo stole firearms, hunting gear, tools and other items. Kelly’s client was ultimately convicted of four Felony Third Degree Burglary counts for those burglaries committed after he turned 18. After many years of self-betterment, including a 16-year marriage, raising a daughter, and a successful career in construction, he retained Kelly to represent him in seeking a pardon extraordinary before the Minnesota Board of Pardons in order to finally put the episode behind him after many years of remorse and personal therapy.   Kelly prepared a thorough and convincing application and prepped her client for the hearing, where he spoke movingly of his extremely difficult childhood and his reasons for seeking a pardon. The three member board, consisting of Minnesota Governor Walz, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Gildea and Attorney General Ellison, unanimously granted Kelly’s client a pardon extraordinary at its December 2020 meeting, with Governor Walz thanking Kelly’s client for his honesty, progress and remorse, while also inviting him to return to Minnesota.

Kelly’s client came to her mystified by why his firearm purchases were being denied on federal NICS background checks. Kelly reviewed his record and determined that he had no offenses that prohibit him from purchasing guns. Based on her extensive experience with gun rights issues, Kelly suspected his problem was the result of an incorrect Identification for Firearm Sales (IFFS) Flag maintained by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). Such flags are not visible to the public, but after extensive discussion with various employees at the BCA Kelly was able to bring the issue to their attention and have the IFFS Flag removed from her client’s records. As a result, Kelly’s client is now free, as he should be, to purchase firearms.

Kelly’s client retained her to represent him in Anoka County District Court on a charge of Speed in Excess of 100 mph in a 65 mph Zone. He had already pled guilty to the charge, paid a fine and had his license suspended for six months. Kelly was able to vacate his conviction and reinstate his license within days, with the result that the conviction no longer appears on his driving record and he can once again help transport his ailing father to medical appointments.

A client who originally retained Kelly to fight Misdemeanor Theft charges for shoplifting that were successfully resolved, retained Kelly a second time after being charged for allegedly stealing $89 worth of groceries from a Hyvee store in Robbinsdale. Despite the fact that repeat offenders often receive harsher sentences, Kelly was able to negotiate a plea for a stay of adjudication, provided her client completes one year of unsupervised probation.