ADVISORY: 2/27 Advocates To Launch Court Watch NYC
***MEDIA ADVISORY***
CONTACT:
Alyssa Aguilera, (917) 200-1446, alyssa@vocal-ny.org
Rachel Foran, (708) 704-9101, rforan@brooklynbailfund.org
Advocates To Launch ‘Court Watch NYC’ - A Community Effort to Hold Prosecutors Accountable
Over 150 trained court watch volunteers will monitor prosecutor conduct in
Manhattan, Brooklyn and spotlight areas for reforms
(NEW YORK, NY) - VOCAL-NY, Brooklyn Community Bail Fund, 5 Boro Defenders and criminal justice reform advocates will launch ‘Court Watch NYC’ - a community effort to monitor and document prosecutor behavior in arraignment courts – on Tuesday, February 27, 2018 at 11:00 AM outside Manhattan Criminal Court.
Court Watch NYC will first monitor arraignment courts in Manhattan and Brooklyn to evaluate whether the policies and promises of District Attorneys are being implemented and how this affects court proceedings. Arraignments are significant because this is the moment where prosecutors can request and judges can set bail. More than 75 percent of individuals in Correction’s custody at Rikers Island are in pre-trial detention simply because they cannot afford bail.
As Albany debates key criminal justice reforms, great attention is now focused towards District Attorney’s and the significant role they play in keeping individuals incarcerated before their day in court.
WHO: VOCAL-NY, Brooklyn Community Bail Fund, 5BoroDefenders, Court Watch NYC volunteers
WHAT: Court Watch NYC Launch Rally / Press Event, to be followed by court watching shifts in Manhattan arraignment courts.
WHEN: Tuesday February 27, 11:00 am
WHERE: Outside Manhattan Criminal Court, 100 Centre Street, New York, NY
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