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Redefining public defense.

The Bronx Defenders Announcements

The Bronx Defenders Hosts Fifth Annual Community Day of Action in Albany to Redefine Public Safety  

The Bronx Defenders Joined Community Activists and Elected Officials to Rally for the Passage of Treatment Not Jail, Informed Consent, New York for All, and others Contact: Michael Paul Jackson, mjackson@bronxdefenders.org  The Bronx, NY – The Bronx Defenders traveled to Albany today with community leaders, supporters, and advocates to demand legislation that will redefine public…

NYPD Agrees to Pay $125,000 to Bronx Woman Who Sued to Stop Police Violence and Retaliation Against Black and Brown New Yorkers 

Media Contacts: Michael Paul Jackson, mjackson@bronxdefenders.org   The Bronx, NY – Today, The Bronx Defenders and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, LLP announced that the City of New York has agreed to pay Cheyenne Lee $125,000 after nine NYPD officers barged into her home without a warrant, arrested her teenage nephew, and then arrested her without…

BxD Celebrates New York City Council Vote to Ensure Greater Police Transparency and Accountability

Contact:  Michael Paul Jackson, The Bronx Defenders, mjackson@bronxdefenders.org  New York, NY – Today, the New York City Council voted to override Mayor Adams’ veto of the How Many Stops Act. In response, Christine Rivera, Policy Counsel for The Bronx Defenders’ Criminal Defense Practice, issued the following statement:   “We are pleased that the City Council stood up…

NYC Public Defenders Release 2024 Statewide Criminal Legal System Legislative Priorities

Measures Include Increased Funding for Public Defender Offices, Passage of the Treatment Not Jail Act, the Youth Justice & Opportunities Act and the Eliminating Mandatory Minimums Act, Along With Additional Key Reforms (NEW YORK, NY) – The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, The Bronx Defenders, New York County Defender Services, Neighborhood Defender Service of…

New York City Public Defenders Urge Federal Lawmakers to Reject the Most Catastrophic Immigration Reform Effort in a Generation

Contacts: Anthony Chiarito, The Bronx Defenders, achiarito@bronxdefenders.org  Dan Ball, Brooklyn Defender Services, dball@bds.org Alejandra Lopez, The Legal Aid Society, ailopez@legal-aid.org New York, NY – On Thursday, the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) – the nation’s first public defender program for detained immigrants – issued the following statement in response to reports that the…

IMPACTED PEOPLE, LABOR UNIONS, BUSINESSES, AND CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS CELEBRATE THE GOVERNOR’S SIGNING OF THE CLEAN SLATE ACT

Katie Schaffer, kschaffer@communityalternatives.org, 646-265-2044 Tanya Frable, tfrable@communityalternatives.org, 347-677-2463 NEW YORK – Today, Governor Hochul signed the Clean Slate Act, legislation that will help millions of people support their families, boost New York’s economy and help create safer and stronger communities. Her signature on this historic legislation was lauded by hundreds of labor unions, businesses, and…

The Bronx Defenders Response to its union’s October 20 Statement

Contact: media@bronxdefenders.org “The Bronx Defenders (‘BxD’) is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization whose central mission is to provide client-centered, holistic representation to low-income people in the Bronx. BxD helps approximately 20,000 Bronx residents a year navigate criminal, family, civil, and immigration legal proceedings. “The organization has decided to issue this statement in light of the…

Written Testimony re: to examine issues in the New York State market related to consumer accessibility and retail sale of legal adult-use cannabis

New York State Senate Senate Subcommittee on Cannabis; Standing Committees on Agriculture, Finance, and Investigations and Government Operations To examine issues in the New York State market related to consumer accessibility and retail sale of legal adult-use cannabis October 30, 2023 Written Testimony of The Bronx Defenders By Eli Northrup, Policy Director, Criminal Defense Practice…

The Bronx Defenders Condemns the Mayor’s Assault on the Right to Shelter for Families with Children

Contact: media@bronxdefenders.org The Bronx, NY – The Bronx Defenders issued the following statement following a media availability yesterday where Mayor Adams announced a new 60-day shelter limit for migrant families and children:  “The Mayor’s new shelter limit is cruel and inhumane. Not only will this new limit force the most vulnerable families and children in…

Written Testimony re: the Child Welfare System and the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse or Maltreatment in New York State

New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Children & Families The Child Welfare System and the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse or Maltreatment in New York State September 27, 2023 Joint Written Testimony of The Bronx Defenders, Brooklyn Defender Services, Center for Family Representation, and the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem Read the testimony here

ACS Agrees to Pay Bronx Mother Who Sued Agency for Racial Discrimination Against Black and Brown Families in NYC

Agreement resolves first-of-its-kind lawsuit to enforce New York’s cannabis legalization law, which ACS violated when it separated Ms. Rivers from her newborn baby  Contact:  Michael Paul Jackson, The Bronx Defenders, mjackson@bronxdefenders.org  Issara Baumann, Arnold & Porter, issara.baumann@arnoldporter.com   The Bronx, NY – Today, The Bronx Defenders and Arnold & Porter announced a resolution with New…

New York City Public Defenders’ Joint Statement on the Crisis on Rikers and the Need for Receivership

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   (New York, NY) – New York County Defender Services, The Bronx Defenders, Brooklyn Defender Services, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, and Queens Defenders issued the following joint statement regarding the ongoing humanitarian crisis on Rikers Island and the urgent need to close Rikers once and for all: “For years, we’ve watched New York…

Written Testimony of The Bronx Defenders re: Improving the living conditions for asylum seekers staying in the DHS shelter system, HERRCs, and Respite Centers

New York City Council Committees on Immigration and General Welfare Improving the living conditions for asylum seekers staying in the DHS shelter system, HERRCs, and Respite Centers June 21, 2023 Written Testimony of The Bronx Defenders By Rosa Cohen-Cruz, Director of Immigration Policy & Miriam Mack, Director of Family Defense Policy for The Bronx Defenders Read the…

Justine Olderman Stepping Down as Executive Director at The Bronx Defenders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Chiarito, media@bronxdefenders.org (The Bronx, NY) – Today, Justine Olderman announced she will step down as Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders after six years at the organization’s helm, and after 23 years serving in various roles at the 25-year-old organization, from criminal defense attorney to Managing Director of the Criminal Defense Practice, and from Managing Director of the Organization to…

The Bronx Defenders Host Fourth Annual Community Day of Action in Albany

Contact:  Anthony Chiarito, The Bronx Defenders, achiarito@bronxdefenders.org  The Bronx Defenders and State Elected Officials Rallied in Albany to Fight for Transformative Change in the Bronx and Beyond  The Bronx Defenders host their 4th Annual Community Day of Action in Albany  Advocates called for the passage of Clean Slate, Treatment Not Jail, New York For All, and Family Miranda Rights, among many more  New York, NY – On Wednesday, May 17th, The Bronx Defenders…

The Bronx Defenders and Arnold & Porter Sue ACS to Stop Its Reign of Terror Against New York’s Most Marginalized Families

Contacts: Michael Paul Jackson, The Bronx Defenders, mjackson@bronxdefenders.org Issara Baumann, Arnold & Porter, issara.baumann@arnoldporter.com Lawsuits seek to force ACS to finally answer for decades of systemic racism Includes first of its kind lawsuit to enforce MRTA after ACS separated a Black family over lawful cannabis use The Bronx, NY – Today, The Bronx Defenders and Arnold &…

NYC’s Public Defenders Condemn Mayor Adams’ Remarks Calling for More Criminalization and Forced Hospitalization of New Yorkers in Need

  (New York, NY) – In response to Mayor Adams’ remarks this week, The Bronx Defenders, The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, New York County Defender Services, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, and Queens Defenders issued the following statement: “Mayor Adams used the language of compassion and care this week to reassert an anti-Black, anti-poor,…

NYC Public Defenders Joint Statement on DOI Investigation of Wrongly Recorded Phone Calls in NYC Jails

Contact: Anthony Chiarito, The Bronx Defenders, (AChiarito@bronxdefenders.org) (NEW YORK, NY) – The Bronx Defenders, Brooklyn Defender Services, The Legal Aid Society, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, New York County Defender Services, and Queens Defenders issued the following joint statement in response to a new report released by the New York City Department of Investigation on…

New York City Public Defenders Joint Statement on New York’s Fiscal Year 2024 Budget

(NEW YORK, NY) – The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, The Bronx Defenders, New York County Defender Services, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, and Queens Defenders issued the following joint statement on New York’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget: “Governor Hochul and the Legislature’s decision to yet again rollback New York’s bail laws, eliminating the…

The Bronx Defenders Statement on the Governor’s Announcement to Weaken NY’s Bail Laws in the State Budget

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Chiarito, The Bronx Defenders, achiarito@bronxdefenders.org  New York, NY – Following last night’s announcement by the Governor on a “conceptual agreement” on the State budget that includes changes to the bail laws, The Bronx Defenders issued the following statement:  “Governor Hochul’s efforts to strip the ‘least restrictive means’ language from New…

State Lawmakers Must Stop the Governor’s Plan to Send More People to Die on Rikers Island

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Chiarito, achiarito@bronxdefenders.org   New York, NY – As State lawmakers return to Albany and Governor Hochul attempts to rollback bail and discovery reform yet again through the State budget process, The Bronx Defenders issued the following statement:  “The Governor’s attempt to rollback bail and discovery reform is deeply disturbing and should be called…

State Lawmakers Must Halt 11th Hour Attempt to Rollback Discovery Laws, Preventing Accused New Yorkers from Seeing the Evidence Against Them

IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Chiarito, achiarito@bronxdefenders.org  New York, NY – The Bronx Defenders issued the following statement following reports that Governor Hochul and New York City’s District Attorneys are proposing changes to the discovery reform law passed in 2019:  “Not satisfied with trying to roll back bail reform to make it easier to jail more…

The Bronx Defenders Condemns Governor Hochul’s Continued Delay of the Budget to Jail More New Yorkers Pre-Trial

IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Chiarito, achiarito@bronxdefenders.org  New York, NY – After watching the New York State budget deadline come and go, The Bronx Defenders issued the following statement:  “Once again, the budget is late because our Governor is insisting on changes to our bail law that would lead to thousands of New Yorkers being jailed…

Inmigrantes Detenidos Demandan a Funcionarios de ICE y de Nueva York por Represalias Contra Protesta Protegida por la Primera Enmienda

Retribución “rápida y aplastante” en la cárcel del Condado de Orange después de hablar en contra de la brutalidad, el abuso racista y la negligencia medica   Contacto: Michael Paul Jackson, The Bronx Defenders, (646) 397-8069, mjackson@bronxdefenders.org Jen Nessel, Centro para los Derechos Constitucionales, (212) 614-6449, jnessel@ccrjustice.org Kaye Dyja, Unión de Libertades Civiles de Nueva York,…

Detained Immigrants Sue ICE and NY Officials for Retaliation Against First Amendment Protected Protest

Retribution“swift and crushing” at Orange County Jail after speaking out against brutality, racist abuse, medical neglect  Contact:  Michael Paul Jackson, The Bronx Defenders, (646) 397-8069, mjackson@bronxdefenders.org Jen Nessel, Center for Constitutional Rights, (212) 614-6449, jnessel@ccrjustice.org  Kaye Dyja, New York Civil Liberties Union, (212) 607-3372, kdyja@nyclu.org  April 4, 2023, New York – Federal and local officials…