Tag Archives: New York Civil Rights Defense Attorney
Rikers Island Facility May Close Early To Better Protect Inmates’ Civil Rights
A 70-page report delivered to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature on February 14th documents the rise in violent incidents and violations of inmates’ constitutional rights at Rikers Island, leading the state commission that oversees New York City’s jail system (the Commission of Correction) to possibly try to close the… Read More »
Defense Attorneys’ Protest Outside Of Brooklyn Courthouse Highlights Flaws In Immigration & Criminal Justice Overlap
On November 28th, nearly 100 New York criminal defense attorneys organized a protest, making a statement against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, who arrested one of their clients on an immigration charge at the Brooklyn courthouse. For defense attorneys committed to representing their clients, every courthouse represents a safe haven that is… Read More »
Indigent Defendants’ Lawsuit Declares Public Defender System Significantly Compromised
A class-action lawsuit that was just allowed to move forward by a judge in Louisiana could have implications for the criminal justice system around the country. The lawsuit was filed by a group of 13 prison inmates who allege that their constitutional right to counsel was denied due to an insufficiently funded public defense… Read More »
Proposed Federal Law Could Have Broad Repercussions on Civil Rights
A bill that was introduced in the House this month (September) has many civil rights advocates extremely concerned: H.R. 3697—titled the “Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act—would create sweeping grounds for barring entry and/or justifying the deportation of immigrants based on mere suspicions of gang affiliation. Perhaps of most concern is how key terms—such… Read More »
While Street Stops Are On the Decline in New York, Racial Profiling Is Still a Huge Problem
A new statistical analysis conducted by a federal monitor has revealed that street stops by New York City police officers—a form of search and seizure under the Fourth Amendment—have been on the decline since 2011. However, racial disparity (profiling) when it comes to these stops still appears to be an issue. The analysis was… Read More »
The Future for Federal Efforts to Curb Police Abuse in the Cities
There’s been a lot of discussion of “consent decrees” as they apply to police abuse and the Justice Department in the news of late. These consent decrees are court-enforced agreements between cities and the federal Justice Department on how to reform city police departments accused of civil rights and systemic constitutional violations. Widely supported… Read More »
How the New Attorney General May Affect Criminal Prosecutions and your Rights
Now that Jeff Sessions has been confirmed as attorney general at the Justice Department, it is important to note what effect he will likely have on federal civil rights enforcement, as this will affect countless numbers of people who are subject to police abuse, racial profiling, and numerous other civil rights violations. Specifically, the… Read More »
Justices Hear Case on When Immigrants Can Be Deported For Crimes
President Trump’s recent rules on immigration have sparked controversy, protests, and litigation recently, only a few days after the Supreme Court considered how broad the government’s authority is in terms of deporting immigrants who have been convicted of “serious crimes.” The question is ultimately part of a bigger picture concerning the administration’s definition of… Read More »
In The U.S., Being Homeless Has Become a Crime
In the latest news detailing what many are calling a huge injustice, the homeless are now being given citations by police officers for setting up camp in abandoned lots; lots that are, in many cities like New York, the only places the homeless have to go. According to the federal government, more than 30… Read More »
