Human Rights Watch: An Innovative Approach to Justice for New York Police Violence
“The Bronx Defenders, a public legal defense organization representing 24 people alleging the New York Police Department (NYPD) committed abuses against them during protests last summer, are taking a different approach to achieving justice. Instead of suing the NYPD, as many other organizations and the New York State Attorney General have done, the Bronx Defenders asked the New York City Comptroller on Tuesday…
The Appeal: New Jersey Could Force Cuomo’s Hand On Pot Legalization
“Under Cuomo’s plan, while people 21 or older would be able to purchase marijuana, sales to people under the age of 21 would be classified as a felony. It is currently a misdemeanor to sell a small amount of marijuana to a person between 18 and 21 years old. Eli Northrup, a public defender and policy…
Law360: Could 2021 Be The Year Of Civil Justice Reform?
“The pandemic has also revealed problems in the family law system, especially child protective services, said Erin Miles Cloud, a former family defense attorney with the Bronx Defenders who is now co-president of Movement for Family Power, an activist group seeking to shrink the child welfare system.” Read the full article here
Reason: Cuomo Seems Intent on Screwing up New York’s Marijuana Legalization
“The proposal also doesn’t authorize delivery or point-of-sale marijuana consumption but will leave it to regulators to develop new categories of licenses later on. More bad news about Cuomo’s plan came from public defender Eli Northrup of The Bronx Defenders. He noticed that Cuomo’s plan actually increases the criminal penalty for anybody caught selling marijuana to somebody…
Blackstar News: HRW: NY AG’s Lawsuit Against NYPD May Help Bring Accountability
“In September, Human Rights Watch published a 99-page report focused on one of the dozens of incidents covered in the lawsuit: the NYPD’s June 4 planned assault on protesters in Mott Haven, a low-income, majority Black and brown neighborhood in the South Bronx that has long experienced police brutality and systemic racism. A video produced by Human…
Bronx Defenders Statement on Gov. Cuomo’s State of the State
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** Bronx Defenders Statement on Gov. Cuomo’s State of the State January 14, 2021 CONTACT Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org) (NEW YORK, NY) – Governor Andrew Cuomo today delivered his 2021 State of the State Address, outlining his key priorities ahead of the new legislative session. Scott Levy, Chief Policy Counsel for…
Public Defenders Nationwide Announce Plan for Immigration Justice; Provide Ten-Point Plan to Biden Administration
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 13, 2021 MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Ibarra – San Francisco Public Defender’s Office – (628)249-7946 – Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org Lindsey Hortenstine – New Orleans Public Defender’s Office – (404)520-3087 – LHoretnstine@opdla.org **PRESS RELEASE** Public Defenders Nationwide Announce Plan for Immigration Justice; Provide Ten-Point Plan to Biden Administration Public Defenders Urge Federal Government to Take Bold Steps to…
Bronx Defenders Respond to Governor Cuomo’s Call for Marijuana Legalization
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** January 6, 2021 CONTACT Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org) (NEW YORK, NY) – Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced his proposal for marijuana legalization as a part of his 2021 State of the State address. Eli Northrup, Policy Counsel for the Criminal Defense Practice at The Bronx Defenders, issued the following reaction: …
The Appeal: New York Ends A Punishment That Traps People In Poverty
“But a failure to appear in court is connected to poverty as well. People who can’t pay a traffic ticket may also not be able to take time off work to go to court, or may be unable to arrange child care. Those who can afford it can pay off their fines without the need to show…
Statement from Driven By Justice Coalition: Gov. Cuomo Signs Driver’s License Suspension Reform Act
Statement from Driven By Justice Coalition: Gov. Cuomo Signs Driver’s License Suspension Reform Act Compromise Reached With Gov. Cuomo to End License Suspensions for People Unable to Pay a Traffic Fine January 4, 2020 CONTACT Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders, rkarerat@bronxdefenders.org Jag Davies, Fines and Fees Justice Center, jdavies@ffjc.us NEW YORK – Governor Andrew Cuomo…
Politico: Public defender groups lay out legislative agenda
“New York City public defenders will be pushing for a new slate of criminal justice reforms when state lawmakers meet in the new year. The Legal Aid Society, Bronx Defenders, Brooklyn Defender Services, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, New York County Defender Services, and Queens Defenders will release a legislative agenda Thursday that calls for…
NYC Defenders Renew Call for Urgent Reforms of the Criminal Legal System Following New Democratic Supermajority
November 23, 2020 Daniel Ball, Brooklyn Defender Services (Dball@bds.org) Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org) Redmond Haskins, The Legal Aid Society (RHaskins@legal-aid.org) Sam McCann, The Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem (SMccann@ndsny.org) Lupe Todd-Medina, New York County Defender Services (LToddmedina@nycds.org) ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** NYC Defenders Renew Call for Urgent Reforms of the Criminal Legal System Following…
New York Law Journal: Distinguished Leader: Scott Levy
“What are some of your proudest recent achievements? Creating a cross-practice, interdisciplinary policy team at The Bronx Defenders with advocates from the criminal defense, family defense, immigration, and civil action practices. This team coordinates with our communications and organizing divisions and has drafted legislation, testified at dozens of hearings, and held community education events. Getting…
Bronx Defenders Urge City and State Officials to Assist Incarcerated People with Stimulus Check Applications
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** Bronx Defenders Urge City and State Officials to Assist Incarcerated People with Stimulus Check Applications Nationwide Injunction Issued Recently Found that Incarcerated People Are Entitled to Benefits October 5, 2020 Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org) (NEW YORK, NY) – A federal court ruled that thousands of incarcerated people and their children…
City Limits: Opinion: Disinvestment Deepens the Impact of COVID-19 and Racism in the Bronx
“The twin pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice that have ripped through this country the past six month have exposed and exacerbated long-standing inequities in our collective health, prosperity, and safety. Thousands of low-income people of color have died, millions of low-wage workers are out of a job, and Black people are experiencing violence, trauma,…
The Wall Street Journal: Algorithm Helps New York Decide Who Goes Free Before Trial
“You’re codifying these structural inequalities into the tool,” said Scott Levy, chief policy counsel at the Bronx Defenders, a public-defender organization. “That is particularly pernicious because you are doing it under the guise of science.” Read the full article here
Document Journal: A new law seeks to expose the NYPD’s secret surveillance technology
“As surveillance technology evolves, New Yorkers will have to balance surveillance power with personal freedoms. In addition to license plate readers, x-ray vans, and stingrays, the NYPD now has a unit dedicated to operating face recognition systems—but it isn’t just being used in the fight against terrorism. “There’s been an explosion in face recognition in the…
Written Testimony of The Bronx Defenders: Virtual Public Hearing on Police/General Public Interactions During Recent Protests
New York State Attorney General Letitia James Virtual Public Hearing on Police/General Public Interactions During Recent Protests Wednesday, June 17, 2020 Written Testimony of The Bronx Defenders The Bronx Defenders (“BxD”) is a public defender non-profit that is radically transforming how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the legal system, and, in doing…
Notice of Claim
In the wake of protests and increased police violence and misconduct, we know that many have been harmed fighting for justice. If you have experienced abuse at the hands of the police, such as physical violence or the destruction of your property, filing a Notice of Claim is a step towards holding them accountable. What…
Bronx Defenders Statement on Passage of STAT Act and 50-A Repeal
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** Bronx Defenders Statement on Passage of STAT Act and 50-A Repeal June 9, 2020 CONTACT Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org) (NEW YORK, NY) – Justine Olderman, Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders, released the following statement in response to the passage of criminal justice reforms in Albany, including the STAT Act…
Joint NYC Defender Statement On NYPD Brutality
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 1, 2020 CONTACTS: Jared Chausow, Brooklyn Defender Services, JChausow@bds.org Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders, RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org Redmond Haskins, The Legal Aid Society, RHaskins@legal-aid.org Sam McCann, The Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, SMccann@ndsny.org Hettie Powell, Queens Defenders, hpowell@queensdefenders.org Lupe Todd-Medina, New York County Defender Services, LToddmedina@nycds.org Joint NYC Defender Statement On NYPD Brutality…
MySanAntonio: Advocates call for canceling court fees, fines; reinstating drivers’ licenses
“According to the Driven by Justice Coalition, New York issued nearly 1.7 million driver’s license suspensions for traffic debt during a 28-month period between 2016 and 2018. Nearly 75 percent of those with suspended licenses drive anyway, said Ranit Patel of The Bronx Defenders, a nonprofit public defender organization. The calls to suspend fines and…
Filter Magazine: NY Gov. Cuomo Signs Away Bail Reforms Despite COVID-19 Decarceration Calls
“After the reforms took effect, criminal justice experts found they were working well in keeping people out of jail. “People were going home to their families and their jobs and their kids, not spending time in a jail cell,” Scott Levy of the Bronx Defenders told Filter. “The sky was not falling. There was a ton…
Law360: New York’s About-Face On Bail Reform Wins Few Fans
“The deal that passed the Senate on Thursday night and the Assembly on Friday morning makes crimes like second-degree burglary, promoting child pornography, vehicular manslaughter and several others bail-eligible once again. In a statement Friday, a coalition of New York City public defender groups that includes the Bronx Defenders, The Legal Aid Society and Brooklyn…
NYC Defenders Statement On Legislative Rollback Of Bail And Discovery Reforms
April 3, 2020 Contact: Jared Chausow, Brooklyn Defender Services (JChausow@bds.org) Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org ) Redmond Haskins, The Legal Aid Society (RHaskins@legal-aid.org) Sam McCann, The Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem (SMccann@ndsny.org) Lupe Todd-Medina, New York County Defender Services (LToddmedina@nycds.org) ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** NYC DEFENDERS STATEMENT ON LEGISLATIVE ROLLBACK OF BAIL AND DISCOVERY…