Statewide Family Defense Advocates Lay Out Legislative Agenda for 2022
Contacts: Mai Tran, The Bronx Defenders: mtran@bronxdefenders.org, (718) 508-3514 ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** Statewide Family Defense Advocates Lay Out Legislative Agenda for 2022 Defenders Call on Albany to Shrink the State’s Foster System, Deepen Support for New York Families, and Increase Funding for Family Defense (New York, NY) – In a recently issued letter, 21 family defense…
Joint Family Defense Providers’ Legislative Priorities for 2022
March 28, 2022 Hon. Kathy Hochul Governor of New York State NYS State Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224 Hon. Andrea Stewart-Cousins Democratic Leader, New York State Senate 188 State Street LOB – Room 907 Albany, NY 12247 Hon. Carl Heastie Speaker, New York State Assembly New York State Capitol Room 349 Albany, NY 12247 RE:…
NYC Defenders Urge New York Lawmakers to Reject Governor Hochul’s Mass Incarceration Plan in the State Budget
Media Contacts: Chi Nguyen, The Bronx Defenders (CNguyen@bronxdefenders.org) Redmond Haskins, The Legal Aid Society (RHaskins@legal-aid.org) Daniel Ball, Brooklyn Defender Services (Dball@bds.org) Lupe Todd-Medina, New York County Defender Services (ltoddmedina@nycds.org) Emily Whitfield, The Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem (ewhitfield@ndsny.org) Hettie Powell, Queens Defenders (hpowell@queensdefenders.org) ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** NYC Defenders Urge New York Lawmakers to Reject Governor…
The Bronx Defenders Asks Court to Order NYPD to Stop Accessing New Yorkers’ Sealed Arrest Records
THURSDAY, JULY 8, 2021 Contact: Emily Whitfield, ewhitfield@bronxdefenders.org The Bronx Defenders Asks Court to Order NYPD to Stop Accessing New Yorkers’ Sealed Arrest Records “Confidential” NYPD Training Documents Obtained Through Lawsuit Show Officers Were Instructed in Violation of Longstanding Privacy Law (NEW YORK, NY) Saying that the NYPD is flouting the law by permitting its…
The Fight for Justice for Communities of Color Continues, Advocates Tell Albany
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – JOINT STATEMENT June 11, 2021 Contact: Rachel Cohen, rachel@immdefense.org, 917-370-8464 The Fight for Justice for Communities of Color Continues, Advocates Tell Albany Justice Roadmap Celebrates Key Wins, But More Is Needed to End Criminalization of Black, Brown and Immigrant Communities ALBANY, NY — As the 2021 legislative session comes to a…
Law360: After ‘Dragging Their Feet,’ Bronx DA To Drop Pot Charges
“Eli Northrup, an attorney with the Bronx Defenders, however, told Law360 on Thursday morning that the DA’s office has agreed in conversations with public defenders to identify and dismiss open marijuana cases involving expungeable offenses under the MRTA. In a phone call last week with Ann Mathews, the director of the Bronx Defenders’ criminal practice, Chief…
Queens Daily Eagle: Public defenders call on New York to cancel ICE detention contracts
“Several public defender groups came out in support of a bill introduced in the state legislature that would put an end to paid contracts between Immigration and Customs Enforcement and New York State detention centers last week. The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project, a joint effort between The Legal Aid Society, Bronx Defenders and…
Spectrum News1: Bill would end ICE detention contracts with local jails
“The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project, a coalition that includes the Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services and The Bronx Defenders announced their backing of the bill, which is meant to reduce the power of ICE to separate immigrant families, supporters of the bill said. The measure is taking aim at multiple local governments…
Cannabis NewsWire: Public Defenders Accuse Bronx DA of Dragging Feet on Dropping Pending Cannabis Cases
“Despite the passage of the recreational cannabis law, those cases are still hovering over people’s heads, says Eli Northrup, a lawyer from Bronx Defenders. For instance, 41 people from the Bronx have been arraigned before court on marijuana charges, and their court dates are coming up. There are also cases involving individuals who, after being arrested, were…
Gothamist: Bronx DA Slow To Drop Open Marijuana Cases After Legalization, Public Defenders Say
“The Bronx Defenders sent a letter to Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark’s office on April 20th—three weeks after the law was passed—urging her to begin acting in accordance with the law. The letter estimated there were “hundreds” of pending cases in the Bronx in which the most serious charges were criminal sale or possession of…
The Riverdale Press: Advocates applaud New York legalizing marijuana
“A number of the neighborhoods that were most targeted for marijuana enforcement are out here in the Bronx,” said Eli Northrup, a policy lawyer for The Bronx Defenders, a public defender non-profit that helps low-income Bronx residents. “We represent people every day who are affected by marijuana convictions. Even if marijuana policing has gone down…
Insider: For advocates, New York’s new legal weed bill is a major victory against racist drug sentencing
“As a public defender, Eli Northrup and the organization he works for, the Bronx Defenders, represented thousands of young Black and brown community members facing life-altering marijuana possession charges. Northrup joined the fight to legalize marijuana in New York after witnessing countless lives destroyed over minor marijuana convictions while “mothers in the Upper East Side…
NY Amsterdam News: Police reforms locked in place, but nobody’s happy
“But Justine Olderman, executive director of The Bronx Defenders, deemed the final plan empty and toothless. “This weak and unimaginative plan will do nothing to address the NYPD’s endemic racism, nor will it reduce the footprint of policing in communities of color,” said Olderman. “Instead, the proposals funnel more funding towards failed policing strategies and…
Spectrum News1: New Marijuana Law Expunges Convictions for Many
“Some experts recommend those with certain immigration statuses who might benefit from expungement to talk to a lawyer. Eli Northrup with The Bronx Defenders says communities of color have been largely impacted by marijuana laws. “Even though, white people, people of color use [marijuana] at similar rates, people of color are the ones arrested, convicted…
News12 The Bronx: Gov. Cuomo signs bill legalizing recreational marijuana for adults in the state
“Eli Northup, an attorney for The Bronx Defenders, says the decision is long overdue. “If you ever had a conviction for a marijuana offense and that behavior is now legal, that record is automatically expunged,” Northup says. “You don’t have to do anything.” Read the full article here
Gothamist: “Can I Smoke Weed On The Street?”: What You Need To Know About Legal Marijuana In NY
“It’s a violation to sell any amount of marijuana unlawfully under the MRTA, but harsh penalties for selling lower amounts have been removed. “Because there’s no regulated market, you would be subject to a criminal violation and a fine of up to $250, if you sell any amount under 3 ounces,” said Eli Northrup, policy…
Spectrum News 1: Judge Orders New York to Vaccinate Prison Inmates
“The Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, The Bronx Defenders, The Legal Aid Society, the New York Civil Liberties Union, and Brooklyn Defender Services brought forward the lawsuit and said this ruling confirmed the state’s decision to leave inmates out was “dangerous and discriminatory.” Read the full article here
NY Supreme Court Rules Incarcerated People Must be Offered COVID Vaccine Immediately
NY Supreme Court Rules Incarcerated People Must be Offered COVID Vaccine Immediately Judge sides with public defenders and advocates in suit, says state’s exclusion of incarcerated people from vaccine eligibility is unconstitutional March 29, 2021 CONTACT Sam McCann, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem (smccann@ndsny.org) Arianna Fishman, New York Civil Liberties Union (afishman@nyclu.org) Redmond Haskins, The…
The Bronx Defenders Praise Introduction of Marijuana Legalization Agreement
(ALBANY) – Lawmakers announced last night that they have a deal on a bill that will legalize marijuana in New York. Eli Northrup, Policy Counsel for the Criminal Defense Practice at The Bronx Defenders, issued the following reaction: “We are extremely happy to see that the bill announced closely mirrors the framework of the Marijuana Regulation…
New York Daily News: N.Y. state lawmakers finalize deal on legalizing recreational marijuana
“Public defenders praised the legislation. “Marijuana justice means working to undo the immense damage done by the war on drugs and ensuring that the communities most impacted by prohibition — including many here in the Bronx — have a chance to benefit from legalization as well,” Eli Northrup of the Bronx Defenders said in a…
PIX11: Inside the deal to legalize marijuana in New York
“Eli Northup is an attorney with the Bronx Defenders. He hopes the deal will also include a provision to automatically wipe out past marijuana convictions from criminal records. “Marijuana convictions can affect people in all these different ways outside of the criminal context, in the child welfare system, when you’re applying for housing, education, there’s…
The New York State Senate: Senate Passes the ‘HALT’ Solitary Confinement Act
Julia Solomons, Policy Advocate and Social Worker at The Bronx Defenders, said, “Today we celebrate the passage of this critical legislation. While there is much work left to do to achieve justice for Black and brown communities impacted by mass incarceration, HALT’s passage sends an important message that we value all New Yorkers, regardless of race,…
Bronx Defenders Statement On The U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 And American Dream and Promise Act of 2021
March 11, 2021 Contact: Ryan Karerat, rkarerat@bronxdefenders.org ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** BRONX DEFENDERS STATEMENT ON THE U.S. CITIZENSHIP ACT OF 2021 AND AMERICAN DREAM AND PROMISE ACT OF 2021 (Bronx, NY) – Last month, the White House and Congress unveiled the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 and the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 in…
AMNY: Solitary ending at NYC jails, but incarcerated at Rikers need more COVID-19 vaccines
“Justine Olderman, executive director of The Bronx Defenders, said that calls for adequate care and warnings were met with “indifference” that led to the deaths of people in custody. “COVID is still as dangerous today as it was a year ago. Rikers is still overcrowded, people still can’t socially distance from one another. They still…
Law360: Expansive NY Bill To Expunge Criminal Records Gains Steam
“The current law really isn’t accessible to most people,” said Scott Levy, an attorney with The Bronx Defenders, which supports the new bill. “Our clients who have criminal histories are trying to get back on their feet, trying to support their families, and just run into roadblock after roadblock. The Clean Slate is designed to eliminate those…