App NEWS
Cuomo’s videotaped testimony released as former governor faces new federal probe
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“It would be an act of insanity to touch a woman’s breast and make myself vulnerable to a woman for such an accusation.”
App NEWS
Report: Ithaca’s police staffing levels ‘sufficient’ to handle calls
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The findings are contrary to messaging from the Ithaca Police Department and its labor union, the Ithaca Police Benevolent Association.
Crime and Justice
BGM mayor says more funding is key to reducing gun crime
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“It is much harder to protect our communities due to the handcuffs that are being put on judges, district attorneys, and police officers.”
Crime and Justice
New York governor opens door to reforming bail reforms
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“I’ll work with the Legislature to address this … to make sure their needs that they hear from their constituents just as much as I do, and we’ll get it done.”
Crime and Justice
A massive probe of PA’s largest pension fund is nearly done, but taxpayers may never know the results
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The PSERS board is debating how much to share with the public, how soon to share it — and how to cope with a pushback from employees.
Crime and Justice
Cuomo harassment probe transcripts released, including former governor’s testimony
|
Now a private citizen, Andrew Cuomo continues to deny that he ever touched anyone inappropriately.
App NEWS
Bail reform was a wedge issue in 2021. Will it be a factor in 2022?
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“The effects of bail and discovery reform and the dismantling of our criminal justice system, has effected every New Yorker and made them less safe.”
App NEWS
Proposed legislation would change New York’s bail reform law, but not scrap it
|
This doesn’t get rid of bail reform, said Congressman Katko, but gives more power to judges to consider this dangerousness concept when considering bail.
App NEWS
Governor Hochul Stays Out of Cuomo Attacks on Investigators
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“Everything else will unfold with or without my commentary, and that’s just fine with me.”
App NEWS
Sheriff calls Cuomo criminal complaint case “solid”
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“Mr. Cuomo is scheduled to appear November 17th in Albany City Court. At which point he’ll be processed.”
Crime and Justice
Cuomo to be charged with misdemeanor sex crime over alleged groping of former aide
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“Governor Cuomo has never assaulted anyone, and Sheriff Apple’s motives here are patently improper. Sheriff Apple didn’t even tell the District Attorney what he was doing.”
Crime and Justice
New York Cannabis Board Calls Free Marijuana Samples Illegal
|
The Chemung County district attorney’s office may raid a cannabis-gifting establishment in Elmira practicing “gifting.”
Crime and Justice
Governor Enacts New Anti-Harassment Policies for New York’s Workforce
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“We will take every complaint of harassment and discrimination seriously.”
App NEWS
PA Governor Targets ‘Corrosive’ Sexual Violence At Colleges, Universities
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The governor and Democratic lawmakers want to make affirmative consent policies standard practice at Pennsylvania colleges and universities.
Crime and Justice
Former New York Governor Still Fighting Report That Found He Sexually Harassed 11 Women
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“(The state attorney general) had a motive to draw every possible inference against the governor, who was a political rival.”
Crime and Justice
New York Lawmakers And Advocates Discuss Court Fee And Surcharge Elimination
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“We know that the vast majority of people who go through the criminal court system in New York State, are lower income individuals.”
App NEWS
PA Lawmakers Pushed For Federal Investigation Into False Claims Of Election Fraud
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“We must never allow this unprecedented abuse of power to happen again.”
Crime and Justice
Calling Opioid Crisis Personal, New York’s Governor Signs Anti-Addiction Bills Into Law
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The law will require better addiction treatment for prison inmates, and divert some offenders into rehab programs instead of jail.
Crime and Justice
PA Charges Energy Transfer With Environmental Crimes Over Mariner East Pipeline Project
|
Texas-based pipeline builder Energy Transfer faces 48 criminal charges related to construction of its Mariner East pipeline project.
Crime and Justice
PA School Pension Fund Leaders Seek To Gag Board Members Over Media Leaks
|
Upset at leaks about a federal investigation of the PSERS pension fund, board leaders have cut off other board members from legal briefings.
Crime and Justice
Fire Damaged Susan B. Anthony House May Reopen For Tours Next Wednesday
|
The fire last weekend is considered suspicious, and investigators are looking into it.
Crime and Justice
SEC’s Probe Of PA School Pension Fund Examines Staff Gifts And Trips From Wall Street Firms
|
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has widened the federal scrutiny of Pennsylvania’s mammoth public school pension plan.
App NEWS
Gillibrand Reintroduces Federal Gun Trafficking Legislation
|
“They can be prosecuted up to 25 years in prison if they’re convicted of running a trafficking ring. So it puts teeth.”
Crime and Justice
Embattled PA Teacher Pension Fund Subpoenaed Over ‘Compensation And Gifts’ To Staff
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The FBI and federal prosecutors launched a criminal probe of the $70 billion PSERS plan in March.
App NEWS
PA Commission Votes To Scale Back ‘Prison Gerrymandering’ Reform
|
About 7,000 prisoners will still be counted as residents of the districts where their prisons are located.
Crime and Justice
50 Years Later: The Legacy Of The Attica uprising
|
“And unfortunately, the vast majority of the changes have been for the worse, not for the better.”
App NEWS
New York’s Ethics Agency Refers Alleged Cuomo Leak to Attorney General for Investigation
|
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo may be out of office, but his legal troubles aren’t over just yet.
Crime and Justice
In Farewell Address, Cuomo Doubles Down on Defense While Highlighting Accomplishments
|
“The attorney general’s report was designed to be a political firecracker on an explosive topic.”
Crime and Justice
F&M Poll Shows Most Conservative Pennsylvanians View 1/6 Insurrection Negatively
|
“Do you think it would be good or bad for our democracy if the events that took place at the capitol on January sixth happened after every election?”
Crime and Justice
Assembly Will Release Final Cuomo Impeachment Report, Speaker Says
|
The Assembly dropped the probe on Friday after advice from attorneys that it wouldn’t be legal to impeach Cuomo after he’s left office
Crime and Justice
Hochul Takes No Position On Impeachment Proceedings
|
“I’ve been in this business long enough to know that it’s not in the purview of the New York State governor to dictate to the New York State Assembly.”
Government
In Barely A Year, Governor Cuomo Went From A Pandemic Hero To A Political Pariah
|
The investigation brought down the governor less than a year after he won an Emmy Award for his famous coronavirus briefings.
App NEWS
Despite Cuomo Resignation, Ranking Impeachment Committee Member Wants To Continue
|
“There is a lot there. You know, we didn’t just investigate sexual misconduct allegations like the Attorney General. We have investigations in several other areas that are pending.”
Crime and Justice
Assembly Could Conclude Impeachment Investigations in ‘Weeks’
|
“You want to make sure things are right, but also done in an expeditious manner. And, you know, I believe that this is going to be dealt with in weeks.”
Crime and Justice
Cuomo Attorney: My Client Was ‘Ambushed’ By Attorney General’s Sexual Harassment Report
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“There has been no open-minded fact-finding in this case.”
binghamton
Cuomo Accuser Speaks Publicly For First Time
|
“It was the right thing to do. The governor needs to be held accountable.”
App NEWS
PA’s Taxpayer-Funded System For Lawmaker Perks Is Ripe For Abuse
|
Despite warnings from good-government advocates and even some inside the Capitol that the state’s reimbursement systems are ripe for abuse.
Crime and Justice
Sheriff Confirms Investigation Into “Executive Assistant #1” Allegation Against Cuomo
|
“We will cooperate fully with the Albany sheriff and turn over all evidence related to this complainant.”
Crime and Justice
In Light Of The AG’s Report, Will Cuomo Be Impeached?
|
Democrats will decide whether to move forward with impeachment charges against the governor. They’ve been building their own report to determine whether that’s the right move.
App NEWS
Child Victims Act Lawsuit Window Ends August 13
|
Survivors say it’s not too late to file a claim, but some would like another legal window sometime in the near future.
App NEWS
After Pushback In PA, A Widely Criticized Mandatory Minimum Bill Is On Hold
|
Pennsylvania legislative leaders say a bill that would institute new mandatory minimum sentences for gun-related crime is “off the calendar,” at least temporarily.
Crime and Justice
New York Attorney General, Local Law Enforcement Take Down Two Major Drug Rings
|
This comes as opioid overdoses and gun violence surge across the state.
Crime and Justice
Critics: New York Doesn’t Need Another State of Emergency
|
“Review some of the soft-on-crime pieces of legislation that have been passed in the last few years. I think the combination of all of those policies is having a big effect on this increase in violent crime.”
New York Court Suspends Giuliani From Practicing Law Over 2020 Vote Fraud Claims
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The court’s decision states that Rudy Giuliani’s conduct as a lawyer for former President Donald Trump during the election and in the aftermath “threatens the public interest.”
Crime and Justice
Wegmans Says Customers’ Personal Data May Have Been Exposed
|
Wegmans recently notified customers that two databases used for the company’s internal business purposes were inadvertently left open to potential outside access.
Crime and Justice
After GOP Senators Block Insurrection Commission, New York Republican Says ‘It’s Not Over Yet’
|
Five people were killed, including three law enforcement officers, in a riot at the Capitol, following a rally for then-President Trump. More than a hundred officers were injured.
Crime and Justice
PA Congressman’s Letter Surfaces In U.S. House Investigation Into Jan. 6 Insurrection
|
The effort supported a wider goal of overturning or invalidating election results in several swing states, including Pennsylvania.
Crime and Justice
Clergy Abuse Victims Want Speedier Action; Rochester Diocese Proposes $35 Million Settlement
|
The Diocese said the proposed settlement would be “a significant step forward” to compensate survivors of sexual abuse who have filed claims in the bankruptcy case.
Crime and Justice
New York Legislature To Act On Some (But Not All) Criminal Justice Measures
|
“If we were talking about very specific crimes, non-violent crimes, first offender type crimes, that’s something that I could consider. But we’re not talking about that. We’re talking about all crimes.”
Crime and Justice
Advocates Demand Assembly Action On The Adult Survivors Act
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“With a 62 to nothing vote in the senate just last week, I don’t know what else they need to know or learn about the bill, I think they just need to bring it to the floor.”
Crime and Justice
New York Lawmakers Reach Deal On Criminal Justice Measures
|
The two bills would, respectively, allow people who’ve served their full sentence to have records sealed in most cases, and reduce the likelihood that technical parole violations will land them back in prison.
App NEWS
Parole Changes In The Spotlight As New York’s Legislative Session Ends
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The Elder Parole measure would require a person who is 55 or older to be considered for release by the parole board if they’ve served at least 15 years of their sentence.
Crime and Justice
A Last-Minute Push For Clean Slate In New York
|
“I’m the manager at a bank, I’m looking to hire somebody. I can’t know if this person stole money in his previous job, or her previous job.”
Crime and Justice
GOP Lawmakers Push Back Against Criminal Justice Changes
|
“It seems like every morning we wake up to see another story about violence in our streets or a shooting where innocent victims are either killed or injured.”
App NEWS
Assembly Impeachment Inquiry Committee Gives Update On Cuomo Case
|
“There is already more than enough evidence to warrant Cuomo’s removal from office, yet the Assembly continues to dither and protect his power at the expense of New Yorkers.”
App NEWS
New York Attorney General Seeks Statewide Use of Force Standard for Police
|
“This has rekindled a flame of righteousness, and righteous indignation that has been smoldering for centuries. We are in the midst of a racial reckoning in this country.”
What We Know So Far About The Trump Organization Criminal Investigation
|
The New York attorney general’s office has expanded its probe of former President Donald Trump’s business. Here’s what that means — and what could come next for the criminal inquiry.
Crime and Justice
New York Lawmakers, Advocates Push “End Predatory Court Fees Act”
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“Marginalized New Yorkers who can’t pay the arbitrary fees baked into nearly every step of our state’s legal process deserve a justice system that doesn’t pick their pockets and jeopardize their freedom.”
App NEWS
New York Bill Would Give Adult Sexual Abuse Survivors Their Day In Court
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The bill is gaining strength in the State Legislature.
Crime and Justice
New York Correction Officers Sue To Overturn New Solitary Confinement Law
|
“This ‘reform’ shows a deliberate and callous indifference to the lives and safety of Correction Officers, Correction Sergeants and peaceful incarcerated individuals in the general population of State prisons.”
Crime and Justice
Bill In New York Legislature Would Erase Some Lingering Criminal Records
|
“I’ve been denied a lot of jobs because of my criminal background. I’ve been denied a lot of housing throughout the years because of my criminal background.”
App NEWS
New York Lawmakers Hear Testimony On ‘Clean Slate’ Legislation
|
“If passed, this legislation would pose a serious threat to public safety. Day care providers would have no way to ensure the people they hire to look after your children are not violent criminals.”
New York Man Guilty Of Threatening To Kill Congress Members
|
Although he was not at the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, Brendan Hunt posted statements on social media prior to and following the riot calling for the killing of elected officials.
Crime and Justice
District Attorneys Push Back On Proposed Prosecutorial Misconduct Panel
|
Another version was struck down in court early last year, when a state judge declared it unconstitutional as written.
Federal Investigators Search Rudy Giuliani’s Apartment Over Ukraine Ties
|
The former New York City mayor has been under investigation for years by federal authorities, who have been looking into his business dealings in Ukraine.
Asian Man In Critical Condition After Another Attack In New York City
|
In an attack that is being investigated as a possible hate crime, a 61-year-old Asian man was pushed to the ground and kicked in the head repeatedly on Friday evening.
Crime and Justice
Assembly Impeachment Inquiry Leader Gives Update On Cuomo Investigations
|
Judiciary Committee Chair Charles Lavine said a hotline set up by the committee has generated over 200 tips on probes into sexual harassment allegations made by multiple women.
Crime and Justice
Democrats Seek To Build On Recent Criminal Justice Changes
|
“We know that real justice is not found in a single conviction. Real justice is transformative, systemic change.”
Crime and Justice
Advocates, Lawmakers Hope To Reform Parole In 2021 Session
|
“When the parole board in the State of New York does not grant the paroles that so many deserve, and you allow them to die in prisons, you have now become a murderer yourself.”
New York Assembly Hires Top Law Firm For Cuomo Investigation
|
The attorneys tapped to handle the investigation include a former federal prosecutor who helped investigate foreign meddling in the 2016 election.
Crime and Justice
The FBI Has Arrested Over 300 Capitol Insurrectionists. About A Tenth Are From PA
|
Several of the men and women from Pennsylvania are among the highest-profile cases under investigation by the FBI.
In DC Insurrection, Federal Judge Orders Buffalo Man Held Without Bond
|
The defendant is accused of helping rioters overpower D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, who was beaten with flagpoles, tased and had his gear stolen.
Crime and Justice
Unemployment Insurance Fraud? Even A District Attorney Can Be A Victim
|
“The Department of Labor told my office that they are investigating, and they have already identified 425,000 fraudulent claims statewide.”
App NEWS
Prude Case Raises Questions On Reforming New York’s Criminal Justice System
|
“It’s kind of a Catch-22. They teach the only way to subdue (a person) under excited delirium is choke holds — knees to the neck, hog ties — things of that nature which brings on death.”
After Lengthy Legal Battle, New York Prosecutor Receives Trump Tax Returns
|
The office of Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. confirmed that it obtained the former president’s tax returns and related documents on Monday.
Life Without Parole For ‘Felony Murder’: PA Case Targets Sentencing Law
|
More than 1,000 people are serving life sentences in Pennsylvania, even though they never intended to kill anyone — 70% of them are Black. A lawsuit calls the concept cruel and unconstitutional.
Got The COVID Vaccine? Don’t Show Your Card Online, BBB Warns
|
“There’s a lot of ways that scammers can use this information.”
Mets Terminate General Manager Who Reportedly Sent Lewd Texts To Reporter
|
The team’s owner said Jared Porter has been terminated after ESPN reported he repeatedly sent explicit messages to a reporter while he worked for the Chicago Cubs in 2016.
Crime and Justice
Cuomo: ‘I Believe President Trump Should Resign’
|
“I call on every New York federal official to call on president Trump’s resignation. Don’t put the country through impeachment. Don’t wait for any cabinet action. Call for him to resign as his own act.”
New Yorkers Who Attacked The U.S. Capitol Could Face Federal Prosecution
|
“They don’t necessarily have to know they traveled to go to a riot. They just have to travel and then intentionally get themselves intentionally involved in a riot.”
Crime and Justice
Top PA Law Enforcement Leaders Pledge To Prosecute Insurgents
|
“The question is whether or not the evidence can be linked to a particular individual and what is the proper jurisdiction to bring those charges.”
Crime and Justice
Advocates, Legislators Call For Limits On Solitary Confinement
|
As the New York state legislature resumes session today (Wednesday), advocates and some legislators are calling for limits on solitary confinement in state prisons.
Crime and Justice
Confidentiality Program Gives Victims Of Domestic Violence Online Access To Protections
|
“You can just go online and just fill out the application. Which is especially helpful with COVID, thinking about ways to give survivors access to resources in a faster way.”
Government
COVID-19, Criminal Justice on the Ballot this Year in NY
|
After the new bail reform laws took effect in January, some areas of the state started to report a rise in crime, particularly in New York City.
Crime and Justice
Judge Rules New York Attorney General Must Depose By Oct. 7
|
“To be clear, no entity or individual is allowed to dictate how or when our investigation will proceed or set the parameters of a lawful investigation,”
Crime and Justice
Can One Support Black Lives Matter And Still Prosecute Marijuana Cases? This PA Prosecutor Says Yes.
|
Months of protests urged prosecutors and police to support criminal justice reform. But court records show a different path.
Crime and Justice
Report: SEC To Look At Government Loan To Kodak
|
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, (D-Massachusetts) said she sent a letter to the SEC Chairman asking that agency to look at the potential for insider trading.
New York Police Draw Anger After Plainclothes Officers Throw Woman Into Unmarked Van
|
Online video shows men grabbing a woman during a demonstration and hauling her away in an unmarked van. Police said they arrested the woman on suspicion of damaging police cameras.
Why New York State Is Releasing So Few Inmates During The Pandemic
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“There are men just like me in there. They should have been walking out with me. But instead they’ll probably die in prison.”
Ex-NY Assembly speaker sentenced to 6 1/2 years for corruption
|
“I destroyed that legacy that I built over 35 years,” he said, blaming his downfall on “improper, selfish and ethically indefensible” behavior that grew from a sense of entitlement.
Bail Reform Rollback In Effect
|
They made several crimes once again eligible for bail, including second-degree burglary, promoting child pornography and vehicular manslaughter.
Federal Prosecutors Discussed ‘Burying’ Evidence In Troubled New York Case
|
The government acknowledged problems with sharing evidence with the defense, but prosecutors argue the missteps were inadvertent, not malicious. A judge is assessing the matter.
NYPD Suspends Officer Over Using Apparent Chokehold During Arrest
|
Video shows an officer using an apparent chokehold on a man who had been shouting invective at passersby and police. Chokeholds have been banned in New York City since 1993.
Crime and Justice
PA House Committee Advances Two Police Reform Bills
|
Action comes one week after Black Caucus members led protest on House floor
Three More Police Reforms Signed Into Law By Cuomo
|
“It’s about people wanting to change. Well, New York will be the place that actually makes the change and we pass laws that have done just that.”
New York Governor: Now Is The Time For ‘Fundamental Redefinition’ Of Policing
|
For years, the governor says, Democrats in the state didn’t have the political or popular support to enact reforms. Now, lawmakers have passed sweeping police accountability and transparency measures.
App NEWS
New York Lawmakers Push Police Reform Bills Following George Floyd Killing
|
“We want police accountability, we want police reform. We want to make sure that if someone makes a 911 call and a false claim, this is potentially a hate crime.”
App NEWS
VIDEO: Two Buffalo Officers Suspended After Violently Shoving Elderly Man
|
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in a tweet, called the incident “wholly unjustified and utterly disgraceful.”
App NEWS
Binghamton Protesters: Reduce Arrest Rates, Increase Social Services
|
“It takes resources away from the things that we actually need in our community, that make our community thrive.”
App NEWS
Cuomo Tells DAs To Hold Looters On Bail, DAs Say No
|
“If the police were arresting looters, and they were then being arrested and returned to the street the next day again, that would be nonsensical.”
Peaceful Daytime Protest Turns Violent At Night, 2 Police Officers Injured In Buffalo
|
Both officers, one a Buffalo Police officer and the other a New York State trooper, are currently in stable condition.
App NEWS
Can You Be Cited Just For Going On A Drive?
|
Pennsylvania DA says he’s withdrawing citation against woman who allegedly violated stay-at-home order
New York State Prisons: 105 employees, 14 Inmates Positive For COVID-19
|
“Tell them I am doing well, taking it day by day. Spending most of the days sleeping. Symptoms seem to come and go in waves.”
Crime and Justice
PA Police Can Now Shut Down ‘Non-Life-Sustaining’ Businesses, But They’d Rather Not
|
“Nobody is looking to get anybody unnecessarily involved in the legal system.”
App NEWS
Advocates Fear More Time At Home Could Lead To An Increase In Domestic Violence
|
“Now people are trapped in their homes, sometimes unsafe, non respectful loving homes.”
Prisoners Make Hand Sanitizer For New York State; Inmate Advocates Compare It To Slavery
|
“It is wrong for New York State to have prisoners do those types of labor, because they’re getting paid slave wages.”
Ronan Farrow Lauds #MeToo After Verdict: ‘There Are Harvey Weinsteins Everywhere’
|
The New Yorker journalist, who led the reporting on the movie producer’s decades of alleged sexual assault, hailed the bravery of the women who spoke up. Still, he said, “there’s a long way to go.”
App NEWS
PA State Senator Admits Guilt In Child Porn Possession Case
|
An account traced to him had uploaded an image showing a sexual act between a female minor and adult male. The office said police found two other images on Folmer’s cell phone.
App NEWS
Momentum Grows For Revisions To New York’s Bail Reform Laws
|
The Leader of the New York State Senate says it’s likely that changes will soon be made to the state’s new bail reform laws, which end most forms of cash bail for non violent offenses.
App NEWS
ICE Chief Slams New York’s Green Light Law
|
“As a 25-year law enforcement professional, it is unfathomable that information which could be used to prevent crime or a potential terrorist attack, is purposely being withheld.”
Crime and Justice
How To Lower Prison Costs? PA Secretary Advises Medical Parole
|
Pennsylvania sentences a lot of people to life without the possibility of parole. Research has shown their odds of reoffending are low after years of incarceration.
App NEWS
New York Man Accused Of Making Death Threats Against Senator Schumer and Congressman Schiff
|
“The rights secured in our Constitution carry with them certain responsibilities. When it comes to the First Amendment, that responsibility includes the obligation not to threaten to kill others.”
App NEWS
Now Exonerated, Yusef Salaam Changes Minds At Cornell About Incarceration, Justice
|
“It did change how I look at people because they’re not, like, all criminals. There are more of, like, people who maybe, like, just had bad luck.”
Crime and Justice
Disgraced Former Minority Leader Won’t Seek Reelection To New York Assembly
|
Brian Kolb stepped down from his leadership post after being arrested for drunk driving on New Year’s Eve.
Crime and Justice
New York Senate Proposal To Rollback Bail Reform Sparks Anger
|
“Sometimes you’ve got to be profane to be profound.”
Wall Street Financier Seeks Early Release Because He Has ‘Less Than 18 Months’ To Live
|
A lawyer says Madoff, who is serving a 150-year sentence, suffers from terminal kidney failure. The Federal Bureau of Prisons denied a similar request for release last year.
Here’s What We’ve Learned So Far At New York Trial Of Harvey Weinstein
|
New York prosecutors have said their piece; now it’s time for Weinstein’s legal team to take the stage. But before his rape trial moves on, here’s a glimpse of the four biggest courtroom moments so far.
Crime and Justice
Bail Reform Debate Sparks Accusations Of Racism On Social Media
|
“They don’t give a damn about our community. What they want is to continue to put black and brown folk and poor white folk (in jail).”
Crime and Justice
GOP Lawmakers Intensify Pushback Against New York’s Bail Reform Laws
|
“This is the number one issue, it’s not even close. This is what people are talking about.”
Prosecutor Says Proposed Elder Parole Bill “Ain’t Flying” For New York’s Violent Offenders
|
The county prosecutor is willing to consider the idea for offenders who committed crimes at a young age and have proven their rehabilitation while behind bars.
The New York Trial Of Harvey Weinstein: A Brief Timeline Of How We Got Here
|
For years, dark rumors swirled around the movie producer. So how did those whispered allegations result in a full-fledged criminal trial? Here’s an abridged history.
App NEWS
PA State House May Make It Easier To Terminate Rapists’ Parental Rights
|
A bill that would change the process made it through a House committee unanimously, and now goes to the full chamber for a vote.
App NEWS
As Criticism Grows In New York, Supporters Of Bail Reform Describe Fight As A Civil Rights Struggle
|
Bail reform has become a major flashpoint, with Republicans and some Democrats saying the law has meant some repeat offenders and potentially violent suspects being released too quickly.
Crime and Justice
Lt. Governor On Bail Reforms: ‘There Is A Lot Of Fear-Mongering Going On’
|
“There is a lot of people exaggerating the situation. The vast majority of people, they are non-violent crimes, that’s the premise, they are misdemeanors.”
App NEWS
Senate Dems Face GOP Pressure To Revise New York’s Bail Reform Laws
|
“They are tone-deaf. They are not listening to people back in their districts.”
Crime and Justice
PA House Moves To Keep People Convicted Of Gun Crimes In Jail Longer
|
The chamber narrowly passed a measure that would require judges to issue consecutive sentences for multiple crimes involving guns.
Crime and Justice
Friends Want Leniency, But Chris Collins’ Ex-Constituents Want An Example Made
|
The approximately 170 letters filed in U.S. District Court this week paint very different pictures of disgraced former Congressman Chis Collins.
Crime and Justice
Assemblyman Pleads Not Guilty At Court Appearance On DWI Charge
|
Assemblyman Brian Kolb was in court in the town of Victor on Thursday where he pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of DWI.
Video Outside New York Jail Cell During Jeffrey Epstein’s First Suicide Attempt ‘No Longer Exists’
|
After first reporting that the video had been preserved, prosecutors now say that further investigation shows officials “inadvertently preserved video from the wrong tier” within the Manhattan prison.
Featured in Category
PA Reforms Childhood Sex Abuse Laws In Response To Clergy Scandal
|
After a grand jury implicated more than 300 priests in a statewide sex scandal, nearly every case was too old to be prosecuted. Legislators say that problem inspired these new laws.
App NEWS
New York Democrats Show Cracks Over Support For Criminal Justice Reforms
|
“There’s no doubt this is still a work in progress, and there are other changes that have to be made.”
Crime and Justice
New York Attorney General Looks For Some Changes To New Bail Reform Laws
|
Some state officials are already asking for revisions to a law eliminating cash bail for people charged with misdemeanors and non-violent felonies.
Crime and Justice
Kolb Steps Down As Assembly Minority Leader
|
Deputies say Kolb was taken into custody for driving while intoxicated. There were no injuries, and Sheriff Kevin Henderson said there was minor damage to the vehicle.
Crime and Justice
District Attorney Assigned As Special Prosecutor In Minority Leader’s DWI Case
|
Kolb was charged on New Year’s Eve when his state-owned SUV got stuck in a ditch near his home in the town of Victor.
New Lawsuits Against Buffalo Diocese Include First-Time Accusation, Claims Of Cover-Up
|
One identifies a local priest as an alleged abuser for the first time, while the other accuses a former auxiliary bishop of providing “hush money” in a 1980s case.
App NEWS
Minority Leader For New York General Assembly Arrested For DWI
|
Deputies said Brian Kolb was taken into custody for driving while intoxicated. There were no injuries and Sheriff Kevin Henderson said there was minor damage to the vehicle.
Crime and Justice
New Laws In New York In 2020
|
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who shepherded the criminal justice reforms through his chamber, said the new laws are meant to change a “racist and classist system.”
Crime and Justice
PA Judge Admonished For Abusing Power At Traffic Stop
|
The letter from a statewide board could be used against Judge Dennis Reinaker in future misconduct cases.
Crime and Justice
New York Ends Most Cash Bail In 2020
|
New York will end cash bail for everyone accused of a nonviolent crime and adopt new rules in the pretrial discovery process.
App NEWS
Upstate Professor Collects Thousands Of Holiday Cards For Kids Impacted By Mass Shootings
|
“I’m writing you to wish you a very happy holidays. Remember there will always be people who care about and support you. The world is a better place with you in it.”
Crime and Justice
Brindisi Will Vote For Impeachment, Katko Opposed
|
Congressmen in two of New York’s swing districts will vote along party lines in this week’s impeachment vote in Washington.
App NEWS
Former Congressman, Co-Defendants Settle With The Securities And Exchange Commission
|
Former congressman Chris Collins, his son Cameron, and Stephen Zarsky pleaded guilty to criminal insider trading charges in October.
Crime and Justice
PA House Adds Mandatory Minimums To High-Profile Justice Reform Bills
|
Many Democrats and some Republicans say mandatory minimum sentences are ineffective and biased against black people. The GOP committee chair says he ‘doesn’t see color.’
App NEWS
Despite Concerns From Counties, New York Lawmakers Won’t Revise Criminal Justice Reforms
|
The leader of the New York state Senate said lawmakers will not revise criminal justice reforms that will result in an end to most forms of cash bail beginning in January.
Crime and Justice
His Life Sentence Commuted, PA Prisoner Now Faces Theft Charges Dating Back To 1992
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After 25 years in prison, David Sheppard received clemency for a second-degree murder charge. But he may have to go back to prison for allegedly stealing jeans in 1992.
Apostolic Administrator Tells Catholic Weekly Buffalo Bankruptcy A “Likelihood”
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“I think that has to be faced, and sooner rather than later. I would probably be the one to make that ultimate call, but I would want to make sure there wasn’t any other reasonable option.
App NEWS
Supporters Of New York’s Bail, Discovery Law Reforms Rebut Backlash
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Beginning in January, New York ends cash bail for all nonviolent crimes and prosecutors reveal all the evidence they have to suspects within 15 days.
Crime and Justice
PA State Representative Charged With Stealing Over $500,000 From Nonprofit
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Democrat Movita Johnson-Harrell says she plans to resign. She won her seat in a special election nine months ago, replacing a representative charged with bribery.
App NEWS
Police, Prosecutors Also Concerned Over Criminal Justice Reforms In New York
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“We are forced to stand here, after the fact, calling to the attention of the public, the legislature, and the governor, the serious flaws in these new laws.”
Crime and Justice
After Years Of Internal Fights, PA Legislature Overhauls Statute Of Limitations
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People abused as children will be able to file criminal suits against their abusers no matter how much time has passed.
App NEWS
PA House Moves To Protect Prison Guards By Cracking Down On Inmates
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Among other things, the measures would impose longer sentences for assaulting guards, and punish inmates for a broader range of crimes.
App NEWS
Binghamton Mayor Leads Chorus Of Concerns Over 2020 Criminal Justice Reforms
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“We do not currently have the staffing to meet the timeline that’s in place right now,” Binghamton Mayor Rich David said.
Crime and Justice
PA Will Take Death Row Inmates Out Of Indefinite Solitary Confinement
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They’ll now get at least 42½ hours per week out of their cell, and will be allowed to eat and attend religious services with other inmates.
Opioid Addiction In Jails: A New York Prison Doctor’s Perspective
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Rikers Island doctor says drug treatment in U.S. jails and prisons is often shaped by societal prejudice, not science.
Crime and Justice
Prosecutors Say They Need More Money To Enact Changes To New York’s Criminal Justice Law
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“Every DA in the state is going to try. What you’ll see is that there are going to be difficulties.”
App NEWS
Tompkins DA Explains How State Criminal Justice Reforms Will Cost The County
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Several other counties have criticized these reforms as another unfunded mandate.
Crime and Justice
Pushback From Police, Republicans To New York’s Bail Reform Laws
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Sweeping reforms that will end cash bail for all misdemeanor and nonviolent felony charges in New York state take effect in January. But some law enforcement groups are objecting.
China-New York Jail Suspects In A Fentanyl Trafficking Case
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The traffickers were caught with 11.9 kilograms of fentanyl — enough to kill nearly 6 million people, by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s standard.
New York Appeals Court Rules Trump Must Turn Over Tax Records
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Lawyers for President Trump say they plan to appeal to the Supreme Court, potentially setting up an election-year decision about disclosing the president’s finances.
App NEWS
In Unprecedented Move, PA Judge Blocks Marsy’s Law Ballots From Being Counted—For Now
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The ACLU and other groups had argued the victims’ rights constitutional amendment is too broad and could compromise the rights of the accused. The judge agreed.
Jeffrey Epstein Case: Former New York Medical Examiner Suggests Doubt On Suicide Finding
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A New York pathologist who observed the autopsy says Epstein’s neck fractures are “more indicative” of homicidal strangulation than suicide. The current medical examiner stands by her conclusion.
Crime and Justice
Marsy’s Law Explained
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What Pennsylvania voters need to know about the victims’ rights amendment on the Nov. 5 ballot
Crime and Justice
After Hot Mic Comment, Tensions Between PA Prisons Chief And Prison Staff Flare
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Union leaders interpreted Corrections Secretary John Wetzel’s quiet aside at a prison closure hearing as dismissive.
App NEWS
Ithaca Pacifist, Six Others Convicted On Charges Stemming From Anti-War Protest
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“We have choices about what we consent to and what we don’t consent to. That’s a nonviolent practice of withdrawing consent.”
Crime and Justice
Is Marsy’s Law Constitutional? A PA Judge Will Decide Soon.
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Opponents of the victims’ rights amendment say it’s too broad and would cause “immediate and irreparable harm” to the accused. Marsy’s Law backers firmly disagree.
ACLU
ACLU Files Last-Minute Suit In PA Against Marsy’s Law Amendment
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Marsy’s Law would insert a bill of rights for crime victims in Pennsylvania’s constitution. The ACLU thinks it’s too sweeping and would need to be broken into parts.
Addiction
ACLU Says A Lebanon County Medical Marijuana Policy Violates PA Law
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Lebanon isn’t not the only county that does this. The Pennsylvania ALCU says it has heard at least seven others have similar policies. The group is hoping its suit has statewide implications.
Crime and Justice
New Law Extends New York’s Statute Of Limitations For Sex Crimes
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“There has been an ongoing and pervasive culture of sexual harassment and abuse in our society, and it is made worse by the fact that victims of second- and third-degree rape only have five years to bring a legal claim against their attacker,”
As Drugmakers Face Opioid Lawsuits, Some Ask: Why Not Criminal Charges Too?
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“The Sackler family does not belong in bankruptcy court,” Rep. Max Rose said of Purdue Pharma’s owners. “They belong in handcuffs.” He and others want charges for drug companies linked to the crisis.
App NEWS
PA Lawmakers Reel After Folmer’s Ouster
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The top Republican, arrested on child pornography charges, was heavily involved in efforts to overhaul redistricting and elections laws.
PA State Senator Resigns After Arrest On Child Porn Charges
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Mike Folmer, 63, was arrested at his home on Tuesday. According to court documents, he told police that he “had been dealing with some personal problems.”
Crime and Justice
State Senator Arrested In PA On Child Pornography Charges
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The state attorney general says the high-ranking Republican is not “above the law.”
Fugitive Couple From New York State Caught After Weeks On The Run
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The U.S. Marshals Service says Blane Barksdale, 56, and wife Susan, 59, “overpowered and kidnapped” three people, including two security guards, on Aug. 26 during extradition from New York to Arizona.
Buffalo Bishop Restates He’s Staying, While Critic Says Call To Resign Is “Major Move”
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“The fact that his own kind of kitchen cabinet of support, a kitchen cabinet of reforms, has turned on him and said you must leave, this could be the tipping point.”
Crime and Justice
Clergy Abuse Victims Call For Forgiveness
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The two men want to propose an alternative to the anger and bitterness the scandal has wrought.
Crime and Justice
Postal Feature Might Protect Mail From ‘Porch Pirates’
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For people concerned about “porch pirates” walking off with their packages, the U.S. Postal Service offers a free service to help customers keep track of their mail.
Crime and Justice
New Tool Allows School Districts To Catch Drivers Who Illegally Pass Buses
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School districts in New York have a new tool to catch drivers who pass school buses that are stopped to drop off or pick up kids.
New York City Fires Officer Who Used Banned Chokehold Before Eric Garner’s Death
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The decision backs the recommendation of an NYPD administrative judge earlier this month that Pantaleo should be fired for his role in Garner’s death in 2014.
App NEWS
Cuomo Wants Life In Prison For Domestic Mass Shooters
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“The penalty should be the same as it is for other terrorism crimes — up to life without parole — because these are hate crimes on steroids.”
App NEWS
Accuser To Priest: ‘You’re A Murderer Of Souls’
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‘The people in Geneva that you come back and visit, do they know the kind of person you really are?’ And for the first time there was silence. Do you know you’re a murderer of souls?’ And there was silence and he dropped the phone, then he hung up.”
‘Serious Irregularities’ At New York Jail Where Epstein Died, Attorney General Says
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Attorney General William Barr says he was appalled by the death of Jeffrey Epstein at a New York City jail over the weekend. He blamed the correctional center for failing to”adequately secure” him.
Crime and Justice
Congressman Collins: “I Intend To Go To Trial To Clear My Name”
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A key issue in this criminal case is the U.S. Constitution’s “speech and debates” clause. That says a member of Congress can’t be challenged for something he says in Congress.
Crime and Justice
Brindisi Calls For Probe After Graphic Photos Of Utica Murder Stayed On Social Media
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The alleged killer of Bianca Devins posted images of her death on social media that remained visible on platforms like Instagram for more than a week.