Category: In the News
New York Daily News: Over 1,500 private phone calls between NYC jail inmates and legal advisers wrongly recorded, audits show
“Criminal defendants have a constitutional right to lawyers and legal counsel — and New York law says their communications with lawyers and others helping their cases is strictly confidential. The Correction Department first heard about the system screw up in December when several Bronx defenders flagged the issue, sources said. The department requested an audit […]
The Trace: Promising Crime Solutions Are Being Undermined by Flawed Federal Ratings, Researchers Say
“For more than two decades, the Bronx Defenders has provided a holistic form of legal aid to indigent residents in New York. In addition to pro-bono criminal defense, lawyers help clients with the gamut of social and legal challenges that often surface in the wake of an arrest. The work is expensive, and like many […]
The Trace: Promising Crime Solutions Are Being Undermined by Flawed Federal Ratings, Researchers Say
“For more than two decades, the Bronx Defenders has provided a holistic form of legal aid to indigent residents in New York. In addition to pro-bono criminal defense, lawyers help clients with the gamut of social and legal challenges that often surface in the wake of an arrest. The work is expensive, and like many […]
The New York State Senate: Senate Passes the ‘HALT’ Solitary Confinement Act
Julia Solomons, Policy Advocate and Social Worker at The Bronx Defenders, said, “Today we celebrate the passage of this critical legislation. While there is much work left to do to achieve justice for Black and brown communities impacted by mass incarceration, HALT’s passage sends an important message that we value all New Yorkers, regardless of race, […]
LIC Post: CM Van Bramer: What’s the Rush? If We Want Safe, Dignified and Truly Affordable Housing, We Need to Get This Right!
“This coalition includes over 25 well-respected organizations such as AARP, Legal Aid Society, Bronx Defenders, Center for Independence of the Disabled in New York, DC37, Coalition for the Homeless and many more.” Read the full article here
AMNY: Solitary ending at NYC jails, but incarcerated at Rikers need more COVID-19 vaccines
“Justine Olderman, executive director of The Bronx Defenders, said that calls for adequate care and warnings were met with “indifference” that led to the deaths of people in custody. “COVID is still as dangerous today as it was a year ago. Rikers is still overcrowded, people still can’t socially distance from one another. They still […]
Law360: Expansive NY Bill To Expunge Criminal Records Gains Steam
“The current law really isn’t accessible to most people,” said Scott Levy, an attorney with The Bronx Defenders, which supports the new bill. “Our clients who have criminal histories are trying to get back on their feet, trying to support their families, and just run into roadblock after roadblock. The Clean Slate is designed to eliminate those […]
CATO Institute: Evidentiary Seizures Let Police Take Your Smartphone. They Don’t Have to Give It Back.
“Of course, this practice isn’t just limited to New York. For example, during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement last year, police in Richmond, VA conducted targeted seizures of smartphones from activists. But what makes New York’s system so interesting is that, following a class action lawsuit from the Bronx Defenders settled in 2018, we now […]
Forbes: The Empire State Of Cannabis: Clues For The Congress In New York’s Legalization Debate
“The CRTA provision was unacceptable for social justice activists, including Eli Northrup, policy counsel for The Bronx Defenders, who said, “If criminal penalties exist for marijuana, those laws are not going to be enforced evenly. They’re going to be enforced disproportionately for people of color.” Read the full article here
DocumentedNY: DOJ Appeals Ruling Limiting Immigrant Detentions Without a Court Hearing
“We were certainly disappointed to see the government’s continuing to resist the most basic due-process protections for people arrested by ICE,” said Peter Markowitz, a professor at Cardozo Law School, which filed the case with the Bronx Defenders and New York Civil Liberties Union.” Read the full article here