Category: Archive

Vox: Ousman Darboe could be deported any day. His story is a common one for black immigrants.

Ousman Darboe is a 25-year-old undocumented Muslim immigrant, raised in the Bronx since he was six years old. Unfortunately, his journey lays bare what a school to prison to deportation pipeline looks like. Sophia Gurule, his immigration attorney, walked alongside Darboe through his proceedings and said his experiences had “No empathy, compassion, no sense of […]

The Appeal Podcast: The War On Drugs Continues In Family Court

“As cannabis use is legalized in more and more jurisdictions across the country, child welfare systems aren’t always keeping pace. Allegations of drug use are still raised in family court, particularly against parents of color, and those who admit using cannabis are often subject to heightened surveillance. We are joined today by Miriam Mack and […]

Cuny Law Review: Accidents Happen: Exposing Fallacies in Child Protection Abuse Cases and Reuniting Families Through Aggressive Litigation

“In New York City, much needed-critical attention has been paid to the racial disproportionality and overreach of the city’s child welfare system, the Administration for Children’s Services (“ACS”), and its conflation of poverty with neglect. The vast majority of child protection cases brought in New York City allege child neglect rather than abuse. This article […]

The City: Big Influx of 17-Year-Olds Poses Next ‘Raise The Age’ Test

“Now courts are bracing for a large number of teens, as even more 17-year-olds than 16-year-olds funnel into State Supreme Courts’ new Youth Part for initial hearings on felony charges as well as Family Court, beginning Oct. 1. “My fear is that once they double the number of people… we are going to see even longer arrest-to-arraignment […]

Jewish Council for Public Affairs: Criminal Justice Reform NY Conference: End Mass Incarceration

On September 15, 2019, the JCPA Criminal Justice Reform NY Conference convened 225+ people from the diverse Jewish community. The conference sought to engage in a meaningful way to end today’s modern civil rights crisis of mass incarceration. The conference was sponsored by Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), UJA-Federation of New York and JCRC […]

The Appeal: Parents Threatened With Losing Children Over Cannabis Use

“Ms. D, a mother of two living in the Bronx, smoked cannabis occasionally. She never smoked in front of her children, and her casual use never affected her ability to parent. So when a child protective investigator asked her if she smoked, Ms. D was forthcoming. After all, her children were healthy, happy, and well […]

Scott Levy Presented Testimony at Hearing on the Implementation of Discovery Reform

The New York State Senate Standing Committee on Codes Hearing on the Implementation of Pre-Trial Reform September 9, 2019 Testimony of Scott D. Levy, Chief Policy Counsel THE BRONX DEFENDERS This spring, New York passed historic comprehensive discovery reform. BxD applauds the New York State Assembly, Senate, and the Governor — Senator Bailey and Assembly […]

The City: Layleen Polanco’s Death Inspires Bail Fund For Transgender Inmates

“The effort has generated more than $10,000 in donations from fewer than 100 donors in less than a month, according to Kaminer, 52, who works in IT and lives in Hells Kitchen. The money has been used to free six transgender inmates so far, he said. “All of the discrimination the trans community faces in […]

The Appeal: What’s Not To Love About The NYPD Slowdown?

“The Daily Appeal spoke to Alice Fontier, the managing director of the criminal defense practice at The Bronx Defenders. I asked Fontier about how the slowdown has played out in criminal court in the Bronx, one of the most heavily policed counties in the country. Over the last few months, Fontier said, there had been at […]