New York Times — Prosecutors — Galsworthy Criminal Justice Reform Program

Galsworthy Criminal Justice Reform Program

Prosecutors

Currently, prosecutors in both the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems have too much discretion in pressing charges, determining what sentences are sought, and negotiating plea deals. Trial by jury is a key tenant of the American criminal justice system, but heightened prosecutorial power significantly reduces the power and frequency of a trial by peers. Attempts at sentencing reform must address largely unchecked prosecutorial discretion.

Posts tagged New York Times

After False Drug Test, He Was in Solitary Confinement for 120 Days

“Mr. Kearney is one of hundreds of New York State prisoners who say they were punished after tests falsely determined they had used drugs, according to a federal class-action lawsuit filed on Wednesday. Many of the inmates spent months in solitary confinement or locked in cells. Others were denied release on parole, removed from programs, or held beyond their scheduled release dates after testing positive for narcotics, according to the complaint filed in Federal District Court in Brooklyn.“

New York Times

November 20, 2019

False ConvictionsPhillip ReevesNovember 20, 2019New York TimesComment

Opinion: Every D.A. in America Should Open a Sentence Review Unit

“The concept of sentence review units is not entirely unfamiliar; it builds on conviction review units that root out cases where an innocent person has been found guilty. Sentence review units are similar, but instead of wrongful convictions, they seek out cases where the sentence seems excessive. What counts as “excessive” is necessarily a judgment call, but examples include sentences that in retrospect seem disproportionate to the severity of the offense, or those that are far longer than what a person sentenced today would receive.“

New York Times

August 1, 2019

Overcriminalization, SentencingPhillip ReevesAugust 1, 2019James Forman Jr, New York Times, Sentence Review UnitComment

Why Los Angeles Could Be the Setting for the ‘Most Important D.A. Race’ in the U.S.

“San Francisco and Los Angeles may share a similar brand of liberal politics. They are both led by mayors who see it as their jobs, in part, to push back against President Trump’s agenda, and both cities are trying to bring liberal solutions to bear on some of the same problems, like homelessness and housing. But when it comes to criminal justice, the two cities could not be more different.“

New York Times

June 21, 2019

ProsecutorsPhillip ReevesJune 21, 2019New York Times, Los AngelesComment

Dad’s in Prison. Mom Was on Parole. He’s Running for D.A.

“‘I’m the only candidate who has visited a loved one behind bars, that still does that,’ he said in an interview. ‘I’m the only candidate who has ever defended somebody accused of a crime’.“

New York Times

May 24, 2019

ProsecutorsPhillip ReevesMay 24, 2019New York Times, San Francisco, Chesa BoudinComment

If Prisons Don't Work, What Will?

“Though some prosecutors and state legislatures are now embarking on serious reforms, there’s still so much further to go. Bipartisan support is increasing but still has to build. The candidate for president who makes that happen can reap political benefits — and more important, make America so much better.“

New York Times

April 5, 2019

State ReformsPhillip ReevesApril 5, 2019New York Times, Emily BazelonComment

A Chance for Fairness in New York’s Criminal Justice System

“New York laws on pretrial process are among the most retrograde in the nation. Prosecutors can withhold evidence until the morning of trial. To keep it that way, the district attorneys’ association has made the fear-mongering claim that early disclosure of evidence would enable defendants to intimidate witnesses and victims.“

New York Times

February 28, 2019

ProsecutorsPhillip ReevesFebruary 28, 2019New York Times, New York, CuomoComment

When the Police Become Prosecutors

“But in practice they do not decide alone. In the enormous world of misdemeanor processing, the police quietly wield a lot of prosecutorial authority. So for voters seeking change, switching prosecutors is only a partial solution.“

New York Times

December 26, 2018

ProsecutorsPhillip ReevesDecember 26, 2018New York TimesComment

When the Police Become Prosecutors

“Consider South Carolina, where most of the 400 magistrate and municipal courts had no prosecuting attorneys, according to a 2017 study by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. The police prosecuted their own misdemeanor arrests, while 90 percent of defendants had no lawyers and so faced the arresting officer-prosecutor on their own. South Carolina also does not require its lower-court judges to be lawyers, so thousands of convictions occur without input from a single attorney.“

New York Times

December 26, 2018

Prosecutors, Rural CrimePhillip ReevesDecember 26, 2018New York TimesComment

How ‘End Mass Incarceration’ Became a Slogan for D.A. Candidates

“In the past, candidates running to be district attorney — if they were challenged at all — touted their toughness on crime. But now district attorneys’ races have become more competitive, attracting large donations and challengers running on pledges to transform the criminal justice system.“

New York Times

October 25, 2018

Mass IncarcerationPhillip ReevesOctober 26, 2018New York TimesComment

Convicts Seeking to Clear Their Records Find More Prosecutors Willing to Help

“Although law enforcement officials have traditionally opposed such measures for an array of reasons — including accountability, a belief that records are vital to public safety, and unstinting support for crime victims — a growing number of them have begun to recognize that criminal records can be enduring obstacles to self-sufficiency and even help trap people in cycles of crime. Increasingly, they are overtly endorsing mercy through record suppression.“

New York Times

October 7, 2018

Sentencing, Mass IncarcerationPhillip ReevesOctober 7, 2018New York TimesComment

Prosecutors Need a Watchdog

"The purpose of the commission, which is modeled on New York’s successful judicial conduct commission, is not simply to punish cheating prosecutors, but to change the win-at-all-costs mentality that infects too many prosecutor’s offices. "

New York Times

August 14, 2018

ProsecutorsAnthony BradleyAugust 15, 2018New York Times, New York, Cuomo

Manhattan District Attorney Demands Access to Police Records

"Public defenders have long argued that the earlier prosecutors show evidence to the defense, including evidence about the credibility of police officers and witnesses, the easier it is to weed out bad cases and prevent wrongful prosecutions. Strong cases persuade defendants to plead guilty, while weak ones fall apart before the accused has spent a long time in jail, they contend."

New York Times

July 8, 2018

ProsecutorsAnthony BradleyJuly 29, 2018New York Times, Manhattan, New York City, Evidence

From Fighting Injustice to Facing Death Row: The Bizarre Case of Pastor Glasgow

"First, there were so many people in Dothan who would revel in his downfall. In a place known for the excesses of its criminal justice system, Mr. Glasgow has been the critic in chief of the police, prosecutors and jailers. And then there is the fact that he did not actually kill anyone."

New York Times

July 7, 2018

False Convictions, ProsecutorsAnthony BradleyJuly 29, 2018New York Times, Alabama

Inmates Question Prospective Prosecutors in Jailhouse Campaign Debate

"The debate, held at the Suffolk County House of Correction, was organized by the American Civil Liberties Union and the local sheriff’s department. It was billed as the first political debate in the country to take place inside a jail."

New York Times

June 26, 2018

ProsecutorsAnthony BradleyJuly 29, 2018New York Times, Suffolk County, Boston, Massachusetts, Debates

She Was Convicted of Killing Her Mother. Prosecutors Withheld the Evidence That Would Have Freed Her.

"By the time Noura Jackson’s conviction was overturned, she had spent nine years in prison. This type of prosecutorial error is almost never punished."

New York Times

August 1, 2017

Prosecutors, False ConvictionsAnthony BradleyJuly 27, 2018New York Times

Texas Cracks Down on the Market for Jailhouse Snitches

"The new law requires prosecutors to keep thorough records of all jailhouse informants they use — the nature of their testimony, the benefits they received and their criminal history. This information must be disclosed to defense lawyers, who may use it in court to challenge the informant’s reliability or honesty, particularly if the informant has testified in other cases."

New York Times

July 15, 2017

ProsecutorsAnthony BradleyJuly 27, 2018New York Times, Texas, Snitches, Informants