Tag Archives: New York Criminal Defense Attorneys
New York Employers Face Strict New Sexual Harassment Laws
In response to the transformation that the #MeToo movement has had in our society and on workplace culture, New York and New York City passed what many are referring to the country’s most stringent workplace sexual harassment laws, which went into effect on October 9. Both the city and state regulations require employers to… Read More »
New York Judge Orders Man Freed, Noting “Zero Tolerance” Immigration Policy Is Cruel
In a major victory for individuals charged with immigration crimes, in late July, a New York judge (Paul Crotty) ordered an Ecuadorian immigrant (Pablo Villavicencio) freed from an immigration detention camp in New Jersey, noting that the U.S. government was applying its “zero tolerance” policy in a “cruel and thoughtless manner.” Judge Crotty also… Read More »
New York Council Passes Significant Uber & Lyft Restrictions & Launches Voter Registration Efforts In Jails
During the month of August, a number of important initiatives that affect New Yorkers’ civil rights moved forward, as we discuss in detail below: Increasing Voter Registration for Inmates On August 7, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a new voter registration drive for the city’s correctional facilities, which will allow inmates… Read More »
Pope Francis Declares Death Penalty Unacceptable In All Cases
In an announcement that could affect the use of the death penalty throughout the U.S. and elsewhere in the world, in early August, Pope Francis declared that the death penalty is always wrong, regardless of the circumstances of a case. He also officially altered this in the “Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church,” the… Read More »
New Report Sheds Alarming Light On Increasing Use Of Guilty Pleas & Decreasing Jury Trials
According to a new report published by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, jury trials have been decreasing significantly to the point where they now occur in fewer than three percent of all state and federal criminal cases. This has raised a number of criminal justice-related concerns, as jury trials are ever-increasingly being… Read More »
In Spite Of New Record Sealing Law, Many In New York Still Have Criminal Records Unsealed
On July 4, the New York Times covered an important story about “expungement” (or, rather, record sealing) in states like New York, and how so few have been able to have their records sealed in spite of the new law that went into effect in October 2017. This law allows anyone with a conviction… Read More »
Can PTSD Lead To Violent Criminal Behavior?
We’ve previously addressed the link between brain trauma and violent, criminal behavior: It is an increasingly important topic in the field of criminal defense, as more and more research demonstrates that brain trauma can influence behavior and even lead to people committing crimes, in some circumstances. This is especially important when it comes to… Read More »
A Close Look At The Issue Of False Confessions
Every day, defendants plead guilty to crimes they did not commit; all over the country. This is often done in order to “get a deal”; public defenders making deals with prosecutors and their clients for lighter sentences or some other form of consideration. Thinking about how many of these could involve untrue confessions is… Read More »
June Marks Major Step For Marijuana Legalization In New York
This week (June 18th), New York took important steps towards legalizing marijuana: The state health commissioner first recommended legalizing the drug. Mayor de Blasio then announced that the city would start handing out tickets to people smoking marijuana instead of arresting them. While the recreational use of marijuana in New York is still technically… Read More »
“The Case For Shutting Down New York City’s Rikers Island Jail”
We’ve discussed issues at New York’s Rikers Island facility before, documenting the significant number of violent incidents and violations of inmates’ constitutional rights at the facility, which investigators have documented and some legislators have cited as reasons to close the facility within the next 10 years. Now on a mission to reform New York’s… Read More »
