NYCDS Statement on Bail Reform Rollbacks
July 2, 2020
Contact: Lupe Todd-Medina, NYCDS (LToddmedina@nycds.org), 347-560-9141
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
New York County Defender Services Statement
on Bail Reform Rollbacks
(New York, NY) – Stan Germán, Executive Director of New York County Defender Services, released the following statement in response to the bail reform rollbacks that go into effect on July 2, 2020:
“Today, New York State takes a major step backward in the path toward racial justice. On April 1, during the middle of the pandemic, the legislature chose to rollback New York’s progressive bail reform statute. As the law goes into effect today, thousands more legally innocent Black and brown New Yorkers will once again be detained pre-trial on high amounts of bail that they cannot afford.
New York legislators succumbed to fear mongering by law enforcement and tabloid headlines. Black and brown New Yorkers will pay the price for this political calculation. No one should be jailed in the midst of a pandemic and NYCDS trial attorneys will continue to fight vigorously for the release of every single one of our clients.”
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New York County Defender Services is an elite public defense firm serving New York City’s most vulnerable communities since 1997. We represent thousands of people accused of crimes in Manhattan every year and provide them with high-quality legal representation in criminal, civil and immigration matters. Our clients represent the diversity of New York City and hail from all of the five boroughs.