New York Civil Rights And Criminal Defense Lawyers

Month: May 2019

Shooting involving officers often hidden away in documentation

When the police do something wrong, the public deserves to know and to hold the agencies responsible for those actions. Unfortunately, the reality is that police misconduct is often hidden, and records of incidents are hidden away. Take, for example, this case that reached the national news. A woman saw that someone had been shot by the police, and she thought it may be her son. Though she went to the police to ask who had been taken to the hospital and asked the hospital itself, she couldn't get any information because of it being an officer-involved shooting. The woman did not find out it...

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How New York City is addressing implicit bias in police conduct

Multiple news stories concerning unjust police interactions with racial minorities have revealed the problems with prejudice and police training. Of students arrested in New York City schools in the 2016-17 academic year, 92% were Hispanic or Black, even though they only make up about two-thirds of the total student population, reports Chalkbeat. While many people talk about reform, not much happens beyond the conversations. The New York Police Department, however, is trying to address this problem through mandatory implicit bias training for all members. What is implicit bias? Implicit...

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Does looking good really matter in court?

If you are facing a trial, one of the things you may have been told is that you need to dress a certain way when you present yourself to the judge. While some people may scoff and believe that there should be no bias against anyone for how they look, the reality is that you want to look as professional as possible, so the judge and jury know you're taking this case seriously. Looking good isn't just about the clothes you wear, either. It also means appearing polite and showing the appropriate emotions at the right times. For instance, if recounting a horrible memory, you wouldn't want to...

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