A special Bronx Defenders project—in which a Wall Street law firm was lined up to help those accused of misdemeanors after arrests resulting from questionable stop-and-frisk tactics by police—has reached a grim conclusion. Contrary to what the U.S. Constitution and New York state law requires, there is effectively no right to trial or meaningful court…
In New York City, marijuana is the most common reason for arrest, even though only possession of marijuana in public view is a crime. A dramatic spike in these arrests has accompanied the rise of the New York Police Department’s controversial stop and frisk tactic, and an equally controversial reported tactic of considering the marijuana…
The report, No Day in Court, finds that manufactured marijuana arrests, prosecutorial delay, and an overwhelmed court system all conspire against justice in the Bronx. New York – Today, The Bronx Defenders released a report that shows that people who are unconstitutionally arrested for marijuana possession every year are consistently denied meaningful access to justice in…
One man was walking home with groceries. Another was on a break from his job at a meat market. A third was walking down the street listening to headphones. That is when the men say police officers confronted them, sometimes violently, searched their clothing and discovered small amounts of marijuana, according to a federal civil…
LATE in the summer of 2011, police officers in New York City arrested a full-time college student named Luis in the lobby of his apartment building in the Bronx and charged him with two misdemeanor offenses, obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest. Luis, though, wasn’t guilty of either — a fact supported by a video…
Francisco Zapata keeps a copy of the Constitution on his cellphone. So when the police stopped, frisked and charged him with misdemeanor marijuana possession, he wanted what that cellphone document promised. “I was under the assumption,” he said, “that if I kept going back to court, eventually I would get my day in court.” But…
On April 24, 2013, Jennifer Friedman spoke on a panel at New York Law School following a screening of the immigration documentary, “Two Americas.” The panel included attorneys and advocates from the ACLU, the American Immigration Lawyers Association and NYCLU discussing comprehensive immigration reform. See event information here.
Robin G. Steinberg, executive director of The Bronx Defenders, discusses her reasons for deciding early on in her legal career, to represent the poor, people of color, the under-served. The Bronx Defenders, an organization of 190 lawyers, social workers and advocates, is committed to “providing inclusive and extensive services” to Bronx residents charged with crimes….
Julio Pabon, Candidate for City Council South Bronx, NY This last Thursday, April 18, 2013, I attended a Bronx Town Hall Meeting on Community Safety & NYPD Accountability. The event was held at the Vacamas Glow Classic Center located at 286 East 156th St., located in the heart of the Melrose projects in the South…
On April 19, 2013, Lisa Beneventanto presented at The Center for Child Advocacy’s 8th Annual Conference, “The Forgotten Child: Multidisciplinary Approaches to Child Neglect” hosted by Montclair State University in New Jersey. Her presentation was part of a workshop entitled “Supporting Vulnerable Families: A Preventive Intervention.” Click here for more information.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 18, 2013 Contact: Joanna Bernstein, The Bronx Defenders, 215-603-3113 or joannab@bronxdefenders.org South Bronx Residents, Elected Officials Demand End to Stop-and-Frisk Abuses and Discriminatory Policing Senator Gustavo Rivera, City Council members Melissa Mark-Viverito and Annabel Palma, and hundreds of community members call for reforms Bronx, NY – At a Bronx town hall…
The Bronx Defenders Organizing Project brings together clients, former clients, and community members to fight for justice and fairness in the South Bronx and beyond.
The right to a lawyer, regardless of whether you can afford it, has been a cornerstone of American justice for 50 years, ever since a landmark US Supreme Court ruling in 1963. But thousands of Americans–and New Yorkers—still can’t exercise that right. New York State Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman discusses what our courts and politicians…
Eighteen years ago, Carlos Perez was playing with his two-year-old son on a South Bronx stoop when a group of police officers drove up and shouted, “Freeze!” Carlos was handcuffed, arrested, and charged with murdering a cab driver and a Fed-Ex worker in the Bronx. He was eventually convicted and sentenced to 50 years to…
David Berrios becomes an activist after a violent encounter with the police lands him in the hospital. Join David at our Bronx Town Hall on April 18th to change the NYPD: on.fb.me/YfcGnO Produced by Joanna Zuckerman Bernstein Music: Clips from Tutto Finito Jazz “Sol Nocturno 1”
The NYPD stopped, searched, and humiliated Angel Aviles and his wife last summer — for no reason. In this episode, Angel tells his story. He now advocates for police reform with the Bronx Defenders Organizing Project (www.bronxdefenders.org). Recording, editing, and production by Joanna Zuckerman Bernstein. Music by Brotmond, Cydonia Pianoversion.
Fifty years ago, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Gideon vs. Wainwright that criminal defendants have the constitutional right to legal representation, whether they can afford it or not. But today’s public defenders are overworked and underpaid, and the scales of justice still tilt heavily in favor of the wealthy. An organization in…
The Bronx Defenders’ Center for Holistic Defense selected six public defender offices in 2013 to receive training in holistic advocacy techniques. New York – The Bronx Defenders’ Center for Holistic Defense, in partnership with the Center for Court Innovation (CCI), chose six public defender offices to receive its Training & Technical Assistance Grant in 2013….
We have spearheaded a city-wide initiative to radically change the way judges set bail in New York. We have created teaching materials and conducted trainings for public defenders, private attorneys and judges on alternative forms of bail.
On March 18th, 2013, Robin Steinberg spoke about the Bronx Freedom Fund at Gideon’s 50th Anniversary Symposium at American University, Washington College of Law. Her remarks were part of a panel entitled “Gideon, Strickland, and the Right to Effective Representation.” Click here for more information
On March 18th, 2013, Justine Olderman made remarks about holistic defense at a news conference in Albany on the 50th Anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright. The statement was made in conjunction with other public defender organizations and political leaders with the theme: “On 50th Anniversary, Fulfill Gideon’s Promise.” For more information click here
Clients are at the center of our holistic practice, working alongside team members to ensure that their specific priorities and needs are being addressed seamlessly. Clients are advised and assisted on their varying legal and social issues by their advocates, but they are ultimately empowered to make the critical decisions that affect their lives and…
The Center for Holistic Defense is a national training resource center located at The Bronx Defenders and funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance.
This morning, our very own Christian Lassiter appeared live on HuffPost Live to talk about the Kimani Gray killing by the NYPD in Brooklyn last weekend. As you can see, Christian did a fabulous job in this very important and critical conversation about the NYPD’s campaign to target young Black and Latino men in low…
An innovative clearinghouse on the consequences of criminal proceedings, Reentry Net grew out of our role as a statewide expert in the field.