legal aid society wrongful conviction unit legal aid society wrongful conviction unit

The move is part of an expansive effort by prosecutors across the city to review cases, even decades old, that involved discredited police officers. But we know that wrongful convictions happen. New York, NY 10013. | translate }}, {{ "How do I save resources on the app?" Notre Dame Law Schools Exoneration Justice Clinic is committed to correcting the miscarriage of justice and investigating, litigating, and overturning wrongful convictions. Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily. A conviction may be classified as wrongful for two reasons: Alfonzo Riley, a paralegal in TheLegal Aid Societys Wrongful Conviction Unit, was recently profiled by The Appeal. Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Interpreter Must Show Evidence of Fees in Same Geographic Area. Extra Extra: Did someone shortchange this East Hampton 'honor-system' egg stand? I would just hear them screaming Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!. At the Legal Aid Society of Westchester County, Sherry concentrates her practice on Criminal Defense. Many of the other officers had been convicted of crimes like perjury, disorderly conduct or civil liberties violations, including Oscar Sandino who pleaded guilty to forcing a woman he arrested to perform oral sex on him in a Queens police precinct bathroom in 2008. This article has also been updated to clarify that the CRU also moved to vacate 90 convictions based on the testimony of disgraced NYPD narcotics detective Joseph Franco. Wrongful Conviction Clinic. We hope you will pursue all available legal remedies, Felber said. One witness for the prosecution, who was under arrest for an unrelated attempted murder, repeatedly told police he had no information on Coopers alleged involvement in the murder, according to Coopers civil complaint. . Involved and accomplished at a range of pro-bono initiatives.Skilled in Legal Writing, Advocacy Appeals, Legal research Constitutional Law, Civil law, Criminal Law, Human rights law, Terrorism law, Evidence law, and Alternative Dispute Resolution. The lawsuit, against the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB), the New York State Department of Homes and Community Renewal (DHCR), and individual landlords, now includes . Hale then obtained a material witness order for Graves fiance as well, even though she was never called to testify at trial. The Legal Aid Society Wrongful Conviction Unit Jan 2021 - Present 2 years 2 months. Alfonzo Riley, a paralegal in The Legal Aid Society's Wrongful Conviction Unit, was recently profiled by The Appeal.. Riley was incarcerated for his role in a 1988 drug deal that ended in a homicide. Enough is Enough: Combating Sexual Misconduct | Notice of Non-Discrimination | Legal Notices | CUNY Copyright | Text Only View | A PRDU Staff Attorney represents clients accused of violating their conditions of release at administrative parole revocation hearings and recognizance hearings held in the criminal courts, federal detention facilities, hospital prison wards and, where applicable, local . Pro Bono Scholar, Wrongful Conviction Unit The Legal Aid Society Feb 2023 - Present 1 month. Sims trial counsel has since died. When a wrongfully convicted individual is exonerated, the original crime victim may experience feelings of guilt, fear, helplessness, devastation and depression. Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island Trial Offices, the Homicide Defense Task Force Unit, Wrongful Conviction Unit, Parole Revocation Unit, and the Criminal Appeals Bureau. Then, he was unmasked as a quack. This is a very important role; the work of this committee is of extraordinary importance, not just to the Muslim community, but to all communities in New York. Mr. Gonzalezs office will seek to dismiss the remaining cases over the next few weeks. The Exploitation Intervention Project works with trafficking survivors to help them vacate criminal convictions related to their trafficking and seal the records of those arrests. Legal Aid has secured a group discount at Aloft Long Island City. c/o The Legal Aid Society CUNY Policy On Sexual Misconduct. DECISION AND ORDER BRENDA K. SANNES Chief District Judge. The Wrongful Conviction Unit continues to grow in size and outreach since its inception in 2019. Yet, when he appeared at trial, Graves testified that he was in court voluntarily and that he regularly checked in with his probation officer. The Innocence Network is an coalition of organizations dedicated to providing pro bono legal and investigative services to individuals seeking to prove innocence of crimes for which they have been convicted, working to redress the causes of wrongful convictions, and supporting the exonerated after they are freed. The Legal Aid Society, one member of the 2021 group, urged the city's district attorneys to continue reviewing potentially wrongful convictions "on an ongoing basis and with full transparency . Conviction Review Unit. Find job opportunities near you and apply! Legal Services NYC. Nobody is currently incarcerated as a result of these convictions, and none of the 13 officers involved in the cases remain on the force. Browse Resources . After being in prison for three decades, he was finally granted clemency and released in early 2019. They cannot be made over the phone. Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez is searching for a replacement for Hale, and defenders are urging him to hire someone from outside the DAs office to lead the unit. Browse 21 WRONGFUL CONVICTION jobs ($60k-$91k) from companies with openings that are hiring now. Biography Early life and education. Mr. Danese was convicted of disorderly conduct in 2009 after he arrested a teenage boy on Halloween and abandoned him half-naked in a desolate Staten Island marsh. Sims with his sons, Antoine and Anthony Jr., in 2015 | Keisha Sims. But at trial, Sims defense counsel said that Graves, not Sims, was the perpetrator. As New York Citys primary public defender, The Legal Aid Society has trial offices across all five boroughs, and specialized unitssuch as DNA litigation, forensics, and a Wrongful Conviction Unit (WCU) launched in March 2019. Sims trial counsel has since died. PHOTO CREDIT: Eagle Photo by Noah Goldberg. The police stated that if I do not appear tomorrow morning at the trial, they are going to release Anthony and charge me with the murder, he said in his 2002 affidavit. Hes now 46. Sims said he told his trial counsel that he saw Graves commit the crime and asked to testify, but that the lawyer advised him not to testify. This wasnt the only leverage the prosecution had against Graves. In the year following Sims trial, Graves and his family received more than $22,000. George covers Brooklyn for THE CITY with a focus on criminal justice and housing. He and Graves then ran out of the restaurant. Visit Us. Despite his obligation to correct false testimony by witnesses, Hale did not challenge Graves claims. The Project can also tell you if you are eligible for the many other types of record relief that can help to end the perpetual punishment of a conviction record. 2023 The Legal Aid Society. Elizabeth Felber, supervising attorney with the wrongful conviction unit at the Legal Aid Society a lawyers organization that represents 11 defendants whose cases will be vacated and dismissed . The Wrongful Conviction Unit was created to address the population of prisoners who have exhausted all possible avenues of defense and are still fighting for their freedom. In April 2021, Mr. Gonzalez asked the court to dismiss 90 convictions involving Mr. Franco. Include a mailing address for the CRU to contact the convicted person or their attorney. All Rights Reserved, Wrongful Convictions, Appeals, Clemency & Sealing, Empowering People with Disability & Health Issues, Lifting the Voices of Children & Adolescents, Supporting Survivors of Violence & Navigating Divorce, City of New York Law School in Queens, New York (CUNY), 8th Annual Questioning Forensics Conference, 18B or Public Defender (Individual Rate) $125, Public Defender (Bulk Rate, 3 or more staff from the same office) $100, LAS Staff & Student Interns/Volunteers Free. | translate }}, {{ 'How do I search on One Degree?' The Legal Aid Society's Juvenile Rights Practice (JRP) is hiring entry-level Staff Attorneys for a Fall 2023 class. | translate }}, {{ "Why should I sign up for an account?" Supervising Attorney - Wrongful Conviction Unit at The Legal Aid Society Sidwell Friends High School, Northwestern University, Benjamin Cardozo School of Law View profile View profile badges The Wrongful Conviction Unit. Under a recent New York State law (CPL 160.59), some people may be able to get their criminal convictions sealed. Juvenile Rights Practice Entry Level Staff Attorney- Fall 2023. Freeing the innocent and preventing wrongful convictions worldwide. Even if he was not part of the review process, youre still asking a subordinate to make a finding about his superior., Conviction review units, said Sims, should not even be housed in prosecutors offices. 199 Water Street Later, when he tried to recant, investigators with the DAs office told him that the DA would pursue the attempted murder charges if he disavowed his earlier statement. CLEAR offered assistance [], Stay connected: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn, Human Resources | Information Technology |Communications & Marketing | Consumer Information (ABA Required Disclosures), Plan an Event at CUNY Law | Student Handbook | CUNY Law Giftshop It's the daily routine for Elizabeth Felber, Alfonzo Riley and Thomas McCall the trio that runs the Legal Aid Society's new Wrongful Conviction Unit, a small new bureau for New York City . One eyewitness, who knew both Sims and Graves, called police and told them that she saw Graves, not Sims, running out of the restaurant with a gun in his hand, according to a report by Graves fiancee. Section II looks at the role cognitive biases play in wrongful convictions. From 2014 until Thompsons death in the fall of 2016, Brooklyns unit exonerated 21 people. Defendants offered guilty pleas in 34 exonerations and gave false confessions in 24 cases. Strong legal professional with a . In fact, Hale told the jury during closing arguments: Now you heard the summation of the defense Mr. Tims [Sim defense attorney] wants you to believe that Julius Graves is the perpetrator of this crime., In Sims 2016 letter to the CRUwhich he wrote himself, without legal counselhe said that he was innocent and included Graves recantation, but did not say he had witnessed Graves kill the victim. One of those officers, Jerry Bowens, was charged with killing his girlfriend while he was facing charges arising from the corruption case. Wrongful Convictions The group Families of the Wrongfully Convicted, along with lawyers from the Legal Aid Society, argued that the Conviction Review Unit established in 2014 under the late Brooklyn DA Kenneth . One of those officers, Richard Danese, was also named several years ago on a list of seven officers whom Brooklyn prosecutors stopped calling as witnesses because of concerns about their credibility. You will get this benefit if you were convicted of possessing up to 16 oz or selling up to 25 grams. The audience is typically ~100-200 defense attorneys from around the United States. Pursuant to a federal grant, our WCU has teamed up with CUNY Law Schools Criminal Law Clinic and the Henry Lee Institute of Forensic Science to broaden its ability to represent the wrongfully convicted. Less than 24 hours after Chens murder, Sims was the primary suspect. View Case Acceptance Criteria. Keith Brown makes $142,000 representing his Long Island district and about half a million representing corporate real estate interests. The Legal Aid Society 4.3. A jury of my peers found me guilty with the evidence that was presented to them and not the true facts., At the time, his sons were 4 and 5-years-old. The Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) provides direct legal services to taxpayers who have personal income tax disputes with the Internal Revenue Service or the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. The expertise of renowned forensic scientists at the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science, with decades of experience in post-conviction work will enhance this collaboration. c/o The Legal Aid Society. CUNY Law was one of 13 recipients of this national competitive bid. Before the murder, he said, I had everything going for me., I remember looking forward to coming home because my sons would hear me in a hallway, he said. . In court, Katz promised that these expungements were just the beginning as her office continues to probe the work of the other officers tied to convictions in Queens. The Brooklyn review grew out of the offices investigation of cases involving Joseph E. Franco, a former narcotics detective who was charged with perjury and other offenses. I want to support him now because hes another one of the many individuals thats in there for something he didnt do, said Cooper. Subscribe to The Legal Aid Society's newsletters for campaign updates, case victories, client stories, and more. The Legal Aid Society is grateful and honored to partner with CUNY School of Law in this endeavor, and we look forward to making more of a difference in the lives of New Yorkers and communities that we serve.. Experienced Litigation Support Specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the legal services sector. On February 2, 2021, the New York legislature repealed the loitering for the purposes of prostitution statute, commonly called the Walking While Trans Ban. This means loitering for the purposes of prostitution is no longer a criminal offense in New York, and the records of past convictions should have been sealed automatically. contribute to wrongful convictions, and the best practices that address these factors. Convicted but innocent: wrongful conviction and . Copyright 2022 The City University of New York School of Law | 2 Court Square, Long Island City, NY 11101-4356 | Phone: 718-340-4200 His then-wife, Kisha Sims, said she expected that he would be acquitted and had been planning a coming home party for him. About Us. Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2023. Pro Bono Scholar, Wrongful Conviction Unit at The Legal Aid Society The Defenders Clinics new grant-funded wrongful conviction project will build on the expertise developed through its parole and clemency work, add forensic evidence investigation to its post-conviction practice and deepen a long-standing partnership with The Legal Aid Society. 199 Water Street But Graves 2002 statement said that he did not see who shot the victim and did not know who did, but that police had threatened to charge him with Chens murder unless he testified against Sims. Find and save resources 24/7 from anywhere!' Thompson recruited Harvard professor and former public defender Ronald Sullivan to lead the units effortsbut Mark Hale, the prosecutor from Sims case, was charged with supervising the units day-to-day activities. In the Clinics Second Look Project: Beyond Guilt, students work diligently on parole and clemency cases to locate and review court documents and records, re-investigate cases, and prepare motions and advocacy petitions. but did not discuss the year that she supervised the Conviction Review Unit before the Bureau was created. Professors and Defenders Clinic Co-Directors Steve Zeidman (left) and Nicole Smith-Futrell (right) discuss their work on clemency. He served more than 25 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. The Cop Accountability Project (CAP) of the Criminal Defense Practices Law Reform and Special Litigation Unit empowers organizations and communities across New York City to hold police accountable for human rights violations. Join to connect . Sims is no longer angry with Graves. Two men who died of drug overdoses after leaving Manhattan gay bars last spring died by homicide, according to findings from New York Citys chief medical examiner. The expungements are the result of a campaign by the Legal Aid Society, the Exoneration Project, and other organizations focused on overturning wrongful convictions, which asked prosecutors across the city in May to investigate cases involving 22 NYPD officers who were convicted of crimes at some point in their careers. He pleaded guilty in 2011 and was sentenced to a prison term of a minimum 37 years. In 2013, controversy over Hynes tactics helped Kenneth Thompson defeat Hynes. About half of them involved four officers who were involved in a corruption scandal that rocked the police departments narcotics operations in Brooklyn more than a decade ago. Coopers appellate criminal defense attorney and civil attorney is Tom Hoffman, the same person representing Sims. Read our cookies policies here. I always just wanted to run in the back and just run with my dad and just hide, like, Dad, Im staying with you, Anthony Sims Jr., now 27, told New York Focus. Prior to joining the Legal Aid Society in 2016, David spent 10 years as the Managing Attorney at the Innocence Project, where he supervised attorneys working to exonerate innocent clients and spearheaded the organization's amicus curiae practice throughout the country. Requests for review must be done by letter or email. It was founded in 2012 in conjunction with the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University School of Law. According to Coopers civil complaint, two eyewitnesses said they recognized the assailant and it was not Cooper. Under a recent New York State law (CPL 160.59), some people may be able to get their criminal convictions sealed. Alfonzo Riley, pictured above, worked with the Defenders Clinic on his clemency application; he was granted clemency from Governor Cuomo in 2018 after 30 years in prison. New York, NY 10013 (Tribeca area) $73,868 - $78,030 a year. If the true focus of the CRU is to do justice, you need someone whos not going to get everything from a prosecutorial perspective and look at ways to save the conviction, said Collins, a legal analyst with Horizon Research Services. They should be an entirely independent agency, totally separate from any DAs office., A lot of the prosecutors know each other, he said. Meet the Newest Network Sims trial lasted five days. The concerns over his cases sparked the broader review in Brooklyn, as prosecutors began to examine past cases handled by other officers who were similarly charged and convicted of misconduct that was directly related to their jobs. To me that's just an inherent dual loyalty," said Elizabeth Felber, a supervising attorney at the Legal Aid Society's wrongful conviction unit. If you are innocent and have exhausted all appeals for a conviction in New York City, write to The Wrongful Conviction Unit and request our questionnaire to be considered for representation: The Wrongful Conviction Unit Civil law is the law that controls non-criminal issues.Civil lawsuits generally do not result in jail time or "punishment." Instead, the outcome of a civil case is usually an order from a judge that one person pay another person money to make up for harm that they caused, handling a family law (custody, divorce, etc.) This involved evaluating court documents, conducting investigations, presenting to a panel of academic and legal professionals, and devising a new method of archiving documents for the project. When he was convicted, she told New York Focus, she thought that was the end of my world.. We seek to be a beacon of hope for those who feel neglected . This case presents a number of disputed factual and legal issues which are appropriately resolved in a court of law and not in the media, the statement said. It is my belief Mr. Graves will indicate he in fact saw the defendant shoot and kill the deceased in this case. It will be a measure of justice to make up for the original injustice of your arrest and conviction.. It hires more graduates from CUNY Law than any other law school. The Brooklyn review has been underway since last year and came after the offices review of cases involving a former narcotics detective, Joseph E. Franco, who was charged with perjury and other offenses in connection with his undercover work and testimony for prosecutors. All rights reserved. Sims attorneys have filed a petition to overturn his conviction, but the judge hearing their case, Danny Chun, has never reversed a conviction during his 16 years on the bench. 8th Annual Questioning Forensics Conference. Prior to joining the Legal Aid Society, Sherry was Of Counsel Bashian P.C. Nearly 75% of Defender Clinic students intern at The Legal Aid Society. A hearing before Chun is scheduled for next month. His son began to sob. Legal Aid Society Wrongful Conviction Unit, Iowa State Public Defender Wrongful Conviction Division. Maintaining his innocence, he was retried and convicted again to life in prison. Since 2015, the DNA Unit of the Legal Aid Society in New York City has held an annual, two-day forensic conference for defense attorneys called Questioning Forensics. In April, the CRU also moved to vacate 90 convictions based on the testimony of disgraced NYPD narcotics detective Joseph Franco. The Wrongful Conviction Unit continues to grow in size and outreach since its inception in 2019. 5. Hochul Projects Horse Racing Renaissance, Declines to Share Evidence. Crime and delinquency 32: 518-544; Huff C, Rattner A & Sagarin E 1996. Subscribe to The Legal Aid Society's newsletters for campaign updates, case victories, client stories, and more. After three days of deliberations, the jury sent a note to the court saying that they were deadlocked. , the Brooklyn DAs office has claimed that Hale did not review Sims case. All members of the Legal Aid community have a shared responsibility to support and comply with policies and protocols to protect the health and safety of our . Each of the NYC DA offices are currently reinvestigating our cases. The article has been updated to account for the one exoneration produced in that year. Law&Crime's managing editor Adam Klasfeld has spent more than a decade on the legal beat. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Photo: Legal Aid Society. The Legal Aid Society's Wrongful Conviction Unit represents those wrongfully committed once all appeals have been exhausted. The Criminal Appeals Bureau prepares commutation applications for eligible clients individuals with excellent institutional records who have served more than half of their minimum term and are more than a year away from parole eligibility. Provided at no cost, it protects those who do not have the means to defend their rights in the criminal justice system: the detained, arrested or imprisoned; those suspected, accused of, or charged with a criminal offence; and victims . {{ "Available to anyone, anytime" | translate }}, {{ "Read about our impact and get recent news:" | translate }}, {{ "See One Degree in the Media:" | translate }}, {{ "Explore helpful videos, webinars, slides and more for Pro members" | translate }}, {{ "One Degree keeps all of our resources up-to-date every 6 months" | translate }}, {{ 'Search by text message available!' Many of these convictions were secured in the late 1980s and early 90s, when misplaced and biased prosecutorial and police responses to substance abuse, poverty, and racial tension within communities, led to a surge of questionable arrests and convictions. There are many more men and women incarcerated in New York who I believe deserve clemency and who have moved toward transforming their lives from whatever moment or mistake that led to their incarceration, Riley said. The partnership between CUNY Law and the Legal Aid Society is symbiotic: The Legal Aid Society increases the capacity of their client services; experienced attorneys learn about clinical teaching and supervision in an academic setting, and students are exposed to the most current and specialized practice approaches. (formerly Bashian & Farber, LLP), from November 2017 to September 2019, where she practiced criminal defense, general civil litigation and trusts & estates.