In a statement responding to questions sent to the DAs office by New York Focus, spokesperson Yaniv characterized Sims account as novel. Convicted but innocent: wrongful conviction and public policy. Subscribe to The Legal Aid Society's newsletters for campaign updates, case victories, client stories, and more. About Us. The average condemned person spends six-and-a-half years on Death Row as their case . Queens DA Melinda Katz Moves To Expunge 60 Convictions Linked To Corrupt NYPD Officers, We rely on your support to make local news available to all, Overdose prevention centers save lives but remain in legal limbo, as NYC moves toward expansion, Overdoses of two men leaving Manhattan gay bars last spring found to be homicides, A man is dead after an encounter with police in New Jersey, Suspect arrested in connection with NJ State Trooper shot in leg. Defendants offered guilty pleas in 34 exonerations and gave false confessions in 24 cases. During trial, a state witness testified that police had coerced him into implicating Campos, that he had later recanted his statement to Hale, and that he had failed a lie detector test. This document answers many of the questions you may have about the new law. To Jabbar Collins, that conflict of interest makes it imperative that a CRU is led by someone outside the office. Keith Brown makes $142,000 representing his Long Island district and about half a million representing corporate real estate interests. 2023 The Legal Aid Society. Provided direct support to NYC Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner - former long-time attorney-in-chief of NYC Legal Aid Society - including assisting with City Hall and senior staff . | translate }}, {{ 'How do I search on One Degree?' LAS in the News 03.03.23. After three days of deliberations, the jury sent a note to the court saying that they were deadlocked. | translate }}, {{ 'Anyone can search for resources on One Degree by text message' | translate }}, 2023 One Degree, {{ 'a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.' Units 1 and 2- Heritage and Rights and Freedoms Types of public and private law categories Public: Criminal, Consitiutional, Adminastrative Private: Tort, Labour, Family, Property, Contract, Early history of law - who the people were (Hammurabi, Moses etc. In statements to the press, the Brooklyn DAs office has claimed that Hale did not review Sims case. The Legal Aid Society is built upon one simple but powerful belief that no New Yorker should be denied the right to equal justice. I expected the CRU to interview me, which would give me a chance to answer their questions and give a detailed account of seeing Julius shoot the victim., The CRU did not contact Sims to learn more about his claims. We cannot stand behind a criminal conviction where the essential law enforcement witness has been convicted of crimes which irreparably impair their credibility, said District Attorney Melinda Katz in a statement. After the shooting, Graves told police that he took the gun home with him and wiped it down to remove fingerprints. BY: Elizabeth Dickinson | DATE: Jan 04, 2021, BY: Naz Ahmad, Acting Director of CLEAR | DATE: Feb 01, 2023, Delivering Justice: CUNY Law and The Legal Aid Society Team Up to Reduce Incarceration through Post-conviction Testing of DNA Evidence. Sims trial lasted five days. Myself and a multidisciplinary team of students reviewed criminal cases in Western Australia for possible wrongful conviction. Course: Educational Leadership and Management (8605) Level: B.Ed (2.5 Years) Semester: Autumn, 2022 Imam Bediuzzaman Said Nursi evaluated the concept of justice in two ways: the positive justice, which is to give the rightholder his due; and the negative justice, which is to discipline the wrongful. We deliver justice in every borough, working tirelessly to make our city a better place. . Elizabeth Felber, supervising attorney for the Legal Aid Society's Wrongful Conviction Unit, said she hopes the next head of the unit, Hale's replacement, comes from the defense community, as has been the practice in other jurisdictions in New York, such as . Sims also says he told all his appellate attorneys that he saw Graves commit the crime; h. is one surviving appellate attorney confirmed this to his current counsel. In April 2021, Mr. Gonzalez asked the court to dismiss 90 convictions involving Mr. Franco. Sims request to the CRU did not present any of the new claims that his attorneys have included in the current petition to vacate Sims conviction, including evidence of Hales misconduct and eyewitness testimony that Graves was the shooter. Cooper said he felt he could not have the CRU review his case when Hale was running it. Citizens of society put their trust in the courts to keep communities safe. Find job postings near you and 1-click apply! Phone. It was based almost entirely on Julius Graves recantation of his testimony in 2002. Seven have been exonerated since his first term began in November 2017, but two others were exonerated while Gonzalez was acting DA. For more than two decades, Sims has tried to overturn his conviction in the appellate courts, without success. 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. PHOTO CREDIT: Eagle Photo by Noah Goldberg. Heres what you should know to prevent wrongful discrimination. | translate }}, {{ "Why should I sign up for an account?" 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. 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. Ideally, the new head should have criminal defense experience, to be able to bring a fresh perspective to the unit.. When he was convicted, she told New York Focus, she thought that was the end of my world.. Legal Aid Society (1) The Legal Aid Society (1) Get fresh Wrongful Conviction jobs daily straight to your inbox! 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. (Yes!)" At trial, the States star witness was Graves, who testified that Sims had shot the victim. Graves testimony was essential for the prosecutions case. 2023 All Rights Reserved. The Wrongful Conviction Unit continues to grow in size and outreach since its inception in 2019. Visit website. In the fall of 2017, The Legal Aid Society launched The Womens Pretrial Release Initiative (The Initiative). Founded in 1876, the Society provides a full range of civil legal services as well as criminal defense work, and juvenile rights representation in . If you are looking to donate, get involved, or get assistance, find and connect to your local Network organization here. No physical evidence linked Sims to the crime. Find and save resources 24/7 from anywhere!' Crime and delinquency 32: 518-544; Huff C, Rattner A & Sagarin E 1996. The Legal Aid Society had filed an amended lawsuit to stop illegal apartment layout alterations initiated by the landlords, which threaten to displace long-term rent-stabilized tenants, as reported by Gothamist.. Nearly 75% of Defender Clinic students intern at The Legal Aid Society. Content may not be reproduced without permission. At the time, all we knew was that he had been forced to give up his green card. Then, two days later, he told the court that he had, in fact, ordered the polygraph and helped formulate the questions, according to a transcript of the proceedings. 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. The Case Closed Project helps people clear their criminal records. Sims experience wasnt an aberration. Then, he was unmasked as a quack. The total is expected to rise to 496. DECISION AND ORDER BRENDA K. SANNES Chief District Judge. It reflects a broader push to scrutinize police testimony and a recognition of the catastrophic effects that even misdemeanor convictions can have on people. The truth is gonna come out eventually.. Collins was wrongfully convicted in 1995 in Brooklyn; his. At the Legal Aid Society of Westchester County, Sherry concentrates her practice on Criminal Defense. The hundreds of convictions thrown out in the Bronx involved Mr. Franco. Beginning in 2021, the NYC District Attorneys offices have begun dismissing our clients cases where the officers involved in the prosecution were convicted of crimes relating to corruption. Montclair State University. I never got a chance to tell my story, Sims told New York Focus. The move is part of an expansive effort by prosecutors across the city to review cases, even decades old, that involved discredited police officers. The WCU is also currently collaborating with private firms and criminal justice advocates, such as Jeffrey Deskovic and Derrick Hamilton. Requests for review must be done by letter or email. 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. After taking office in 2014, Thompson expanded the Conviction Review Unit, fulfilling a. people from across the country. Sims and Kisha divorced in 2018, but say they have remained close friends. Riley also believes that there are many others who deserve the second chance that he received. George covers Brooklyn for THE CITY with a focus on criminal justice and housing. Name: The Legal Aid Society; Industry: Legal Practice; Location: New York, NY, United States; Employees: 1000-5000 Description: The Legal Aid Society is the nation's oldest and largest provider of legal services to the indigent. Sims trial counsel has since died. These convictions continue to hang around people and impact them in all kinds of ways, Mr. Gonzalez said. 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 . 5 The National Registry of Exonerations, "Exonerations in 2018" (Apr. About 100 convictions were allowed to stand, prosecutors said, after the office determined that other corroborating evidence existed aside from the officers testimony. At a virtual hearing on Monday, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz successfully petitioned a judge to expunge 60 convictions linked to three NYPD officers who were found to have committed crimes and fabricated evidence in other cases in years past. CRUs are tasked with investigating convictions secured by their own officeoften the colleagues, friends and supervisors of CRU staff. After taking office in 2014, Thompson expanded the Conviction Review Unit, . In another case, Hale prosecuted Vladymir Campos, 22, for the 1997 murder of 16-year-old Felix Gonzalez. Public defenders and advocates for criminal justice reform say Sims case highlights an inherent problem with the Brooklyn CRU and similar conviction review units in DAs offices across the country, in which prosecutors serve as the gatekeepers for potentially innocent people seeking to overturn convictions that resulted from their own misconduct. 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. . New York, NY 10038. I know in my heart and God knows that I am not capable of what I was convicted of, Sims said, according to a court transcript. 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, Discrimination Based on Arrest & Conviction Records, What You Need to Know About Marijuana Legalization in New York, What You Need to Know About Marijuana Expungement, What You Need to Know About Loitering & Prostitution Records, What You Need to Know About Sealing Your Criminal Convictions, What You Need to Know After Your Convictions Have Been Sealed, What You Need to Know About Discrimination Based on Arrest and Conviction Records. Our success so far with these advocacy letters indicates that there has been a shift in attitude at the parole boards. Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2023. Maintaining his innocence, he was retried and convicted again to life in prison. 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. Mr. Gonzalezs office will seek to dismiss the remaining cases over the next few weeks. Three weeks later, all his charges were dropped. The new head of Brooklyns Conviction Review Unit should be someone with no prior connection to the office, in order to avoid any conflicts of loyalty or unconscious bias, Felber told New York Focus in a statement. And that cannot be done by the District Attorneys Office., A May 2021 rally called on the Conviction Review Unit to overturn Sims conviction and expedite other pending cases | Josmar Trujillo. | Brooklyn DA. Pro Bono Scholar, Wrongful Conviction Unit at The Legal Aid Society Sims with his sons, Antoine and Anthony Jr., in 2015 | Keisha Sims. Two Legal Aid attorneys are also vital members of the Defenders Clinic team: Erin R. Tomlinson 10 as a Fellow and Visiting Attorney, and Bahar Ansari 06 as an adjunct professor. The audience is typically ~100-200 defense attorneys from around the United States. A new review by the CRUunder a different directormay be Sims best chance at exoneration. Brooklyn Prosecutors Seek to Throw Out Scores of Convictions, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/07/nyregion/brooklyn-prosecutors-convictions.html. So, I appeared the next day and did whatever it was they wanted.. Clemency. Additionally, each year, the Defenders Clinic hosts an experienced attorney on leave from The Legal Aid Society as a Fellow and Supervising Attorney. Hochul says it "goes without saying" that a taxpayer-funded track renovation will bring jobs and boost attendance. Founded in 1876, the Society provides a full range of civil legal services as w. The Legal Aid Society is taking precautions and implementing safety measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to comply with New York City's requirements concerning Covid-19. As a result, the Unit has been able to take on more clients, reinvestigate their cases and advocate for their exoneration and release. According to Coopers civil complaint, two eyewitnesses said they recognized the assailant and it was not Cooper. Get familiar with some legal terms and acronyms you might hear like appeal, adjournment, petition, jurisdiction, deposition, and affidavit. View Case Acceptance Criteria. | translate }}, {{ "I still have a question. Address. In 2016, Sims wrote a letter to the Brooklyn DAs conviction review unit, or CRU, asking them to investigate his case. Click here for a schedule of events and list of speakers. The WCU played an integral role in bringing these convicted officers to their attention and demanding justice for our clients whose lives were impacted by these corrupt officers. Legal Aid Society Wrongful Conviction Unit New York, NY. Donate today, Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations. Tenant/landlord issues. 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. Inside the restaurant, Sims says he saw Graves take out a small shotgun, point it at the cashier, Li Run Chen, and shoot. If you are seeking legal assistance for yourself or a loved one, we encourage you to read through our FAQs and reach out to your local Network organization. Section III presents several recom-mendations that research shows will minimize the likelihood of wrongful convictions and that are important for police departments to adopt. Access to legal aid translates into access to justice for the poor, the marginalized, and the disadvantaged. It is my belief Mr. Graves will indicate he in fact saw the defendant shoot and kill the deceased in this case. His son began to sob. 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. Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering (Warren L. McCabe; Julian C. Smith; Peter Harriott) . On Wednesday, Eric Gonzalez, the district attorney in Brooklyn, asked a state judge to vacate the first 15 convictions under his purview, all of which involved felonies and several of which resulted in prison time, according to the prosecutors office and the Legal Aid Society. Legal Services NYC. Subscribe to The Legal Aid Society's newsletters for campaign updates, case victories, client stories, and more. damages against the individual defendants in an amount to be determined at trial; b. award plaintiffs, and the members of the class they seek to represent, reasonable. The bottom line is that the D.A.s Office is fighting to uphold Anthonys conviction despite overwhelming evidence that Anthony is innocent and never received a fair trial, said his attorney, Jonathan Hiles. The Legal Aid Society Wrongful Conviction Unit Jan 2021 - Present 2 years 2 months. | translate }}, {{ "Is One Degree free? Practicing as a forensic psychiatrist, Dr. James Grigson was called upon to evaluate people charged with capital murder crimes. Job Description The Legal Aid Society's Parole Revocation Defense Unit has an immediate opening for a Staff Attorney. Our services focus on providing support to survivors as they re-build after abuse. Instead, he received a one page rejection letter stating that it would not investigate the case because the evidence that you are asking the CRU to rely on has already been rejected by multiple courts.. 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. At The Legal Aid Society our Civil, Criminal Defense, Juvenile Rights, and Pro Bono practices work tirelessly in and out of thecourtroom to defend our clients and dismantle the hidden, systemic barriers that can prevent them from thriving in New York City. Thirty-four of those cases were linked to Detective Kevin Desormeau, who was convicted in 2018 for lying about an alleged cocaine sale in Jamaica, Queens. 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. 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.. The NYC health commissioner explains how City Hall plans to support supervised injection sites and other portions of a new initiative to reduce overdose deaths 15% by 2025. Enough is Enough: Combating Sexual Misconduct | Notice of Non-Discrimination | Legal Notices | CUNY Copyright | Text Only View | Not only was Anthonys life taken and he was ripped from his family, but the victim never got justice, Keisha told New York Focus. 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. Sims and his attorneys allege that police and prosecutors, including Hale, illegally suppressed evidence of Sims innocence and pressured witnessesincluding Gravesinto making false statements. Suite 111 530 West New York Street . 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. All rights reserved. Despite his obligation to correct false testimony by witnesses, Hale did not challenge Graves claims. Under New Yorks 2021 legalization law, several old and new penal law marijuana convictions will be automatically expunged. Although he did not pull the trigger and was actually nowhere near the shooting, he was charged under New York's controversial felony murder law and sentenced to 71 years to life. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anthony Sims case shows the conflict of interest inherent in Conviction Review Units led by former prosecutors, critics say. The 60 cases dismissed last fall by Melinda Katz, the Queens district attorney, were based on the work of three former detectives. Indianapolis, IN 46202. 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 Paralegal II - Wrongful Conviction Unit at Legal Aid Society New York City Metropolitan Area. Chao Tzee Cheng was the son of a professor in cultural studies and a school principal.Of Cantonese origin, he later migrated to Singapore with his parents and received his education at Catholic High School and Victoria Continuation School. Our work Our Family Law and Domestic Violence Practice provides legal services to survivors of domestic violence throughout New York City. The collaboration between the Defenders Clinic and The Legal Aid Societys Wrongful Conviction Unit will help the next generation of social justice attorneys develop vital lawyering skills while increasing access to post-conviction legal representation. but did not discuss the year that she supervised the Conviction Review Unit before the Bureau was created. 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 this week noted several collateral consequences of the convictions: loss of public housing, barriers to employment, and deportation. 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. Read More. {{ 'All my collections' | translate }} {{ 'Resources for Pro members' | translate }}, {{ 'Free marketing materials' | translate }}, {{ 'Frequently Asked Questions' | translate }}, {{ 'And x more' | translate: { count: (tagsWithinArea.length - 4)} }}, {{ "Add or edit resources" | translate }}, {{ 'Community Learning Hub' | translate }}, 2023 One Degree, {{ 'a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.' In that case, officers were found to have planted evidence, falsified records and rewarded informants with drugs. Wrongful Convictions, Appeals, Clemency & Sealing, Empowering People with Disability & Health Issues, Lifting the Voices of Children & Adolescents, Supporting Survivors of Violence & Navigating Divorce. They almost do more damage in terms of eroding peoples trust and confidence in the system.. Freeing the innocent and preventing wrongful convictions worldwide. Graves only agreed to testify after his fiance was arrested, according to a statement he gave in 2002, which he has since recanted. Click here to learn more and register. Apparently the quickest way to corral the populace into *smart cities* with relentless surveillance is to pay $21,500 to each of hundreds of demonstrators, shows that the Police Department paid $121 million. He said he forgave him years ago, during a family visit. As the Court has obviously seen, I have nobody else that has said that, Hale told the court. So its easy to sweep things under the rug, its easy to rubber stamp things., Sims was 24 when he was convicted. Notre Dame Law Schools Exoneration Justice Clinic is committed to correcting the miscarriage of justice and investigating, litigating, and overturning wrongful convictions. They should be an entirely independent agency, totally separate from any DAs office., A lot of the prosecutors know each other, he said. Vacating and dismissing these cases is both constitutionally required and necessary to ensure public confidence in our justice system.. Last year, a New York Supreme Court judge vacated his conviction and, several months later, the DAs office dismissed the charge. The strength of our criminal justice system depends on its accuracy its ability to convict the guilty and to clear the innocent. 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. It was founded in 2012 in conjunction with the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University School of Law. | translate }}, {{ "How do I get started with the One Degree app?" Earlier this year, Graves told the Daily News that Sims killed the victim. In 2013, controversy over Hynes tactics helped Kenneth Thompson defeat Hynes. 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. We seek to be a beacon of hope for those who feel neglected . Admission & Aid. 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. When a crime occurs, the person is considered a danger to society. Subscribe to The Legal Aid Society's newsletters for campaign updates, case victories, client stories, and more. Anyone can read what you share. These positions require . They rejected him. The U.S. Department of Justice has granted CUNY School of Law, in partnership with The Legal Aid Society, nearly $500,000 to establish a project that will review and litigate select wrongful conviction claims of New Yorkers incarcerated in state prisons. New York, NY 10038. Alfonzo Riley, a paralegal in TheLegal Aid Societys Wrongful Conviction Unit, was recently profiled by The Appeal. Browse Resources . If you have a maximum of two convictions (one of which is a felony) that are more than 10 years old, you may be eligible to apply for sealing and representation in your application. c/o The Legal Aid Society Join us April 14-15, 2023 in Phoenix, AZ for two days of powerful plenary and breakout sessions. The woman had told the authorities that Mr. Sandino warned that she would go to jail and lose custody of her children if she refused. Emily Niedzwiecki. 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.