TESTIMONY
Bruce Brian, Client Advocate from Queen's Defenders, Testifies on Police Tactics and Wrongful Convictions
1:53:28
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4 min
Bruce Brian, a client advocate at Queen's Defenders, shares his personal story of wrongful conviction and serves as a critical example in his testimony against harmful police tactics. Having served 29 years due to wrongful conviction, Brian commends the council's actions against over-policing and calls for legislative changes to prevent deceitful police practices. He highlights the disproportionate impact on Black communities and underscores the importance of enhancing police accountability and safeguarding the rights of individuals to protect against wrongful incarcerations.
Bruce Brian
1:53:28
Good morning, chairperson Salman, members of the committee on public safety.
1:53:33
My name is Bruce Brian.
1:53:34
I'm a client advocate at the queen's defenders.
1:53:38
Prior to this role, I was wrongly convicted and served 29 years at New York State Presence.
1:53:44
And I just thank you for the opportunity to speak today.
1:53:46
But before I begin, I wish to commend the New York City Council for overriding mayor Adams veto on the men how many stops act.
1:53:55
Your leadership on this issue is an important step toward protecting our city's marginalized communities from over policing and abuse by law enforcement authorities.
1:54:06
I made a day to offer my story as an example of how nefarious tactics and police investigations do not serve public safety.
1:54:14
They only create wrongful convictions and an adverse relationship between the police and the community.
1:54:19
The Innosys Project has notes that black people account for 40% of approximately 2,300,000 incarcerated people in the United States and nearly 50% of exoneraries.
1:54:30
Despite making up just 13% of the United States population.
1:54:35
This is in large part because they are police more heavily often presumed guilty and frequently denied it feels shot at justice from the time of arrest ongoing.
1:54:47
My story and wrongful incarceration for nearly 30 years echoes these statistics.
1:54:52
My life could have and should have had a different outcome.
1:54:55
And I am calling on the New York City Council to take action to prevent the practice of NYPD officers being given carte blanche to lie to manipulate and deceive people who they are interviewing.
1:55:07
When I was twenty three years old, I was arrested in charge with a murder that I did not commit.
1:55:12
There were multiple things that the NYPD did during that arrest and investigation that contributed to my wrongful in conviction.
1:55:19
When I was arrested, I was represented by counsel who specifically invoked my 6 amendment rights.
1:55:25
Despite this, I was still placed in an in person lineup without my attorney being notified or present to protect my rights.
1:55:33
As a result of that lineup, I was misidentified as the perpetrator in charge beginning a 29 year nightmare that finally ended when I received the executive clemency from Governor Kathy Hoko last year.
1:55:47
In my case, the death of a young person occurred because of a drug related shootout.
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This involved multiple parties firing numerous shots.
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I was not one of the shooters and never possessed the gun that day.
1:55:59
Despite this, the NYPD only collected 2 shell cases that were used to incriminate me.
1:56:05
There's no doubt in my mind that this in this was an intention and selective act by the investigators who were intent on pinning this crime on someone.
1:56:17
For Further, 2 of the people who identified me had had an extensive criminal background.
1:56:23
They were compensated by the NYPD, the make identification, and there was never credible or reliable reliable witness in my case.
1:56:31
In fact, they had strong motivation to please law enforcement by telling them what they wanted to hear.
1:56:38
Now that I've had this experience, I am horrified to see so many other young black and brown people having their rights violated.
1:56:44
During police investigations and tragically and irrevocably interrupted through wrongful incarceration.
1:56:51
On the state level, we are seeing momentum with the challenging role for conviction acts and the right to silence act, which guarantees legal counsel to juveniles.
1:57:01
Here in New York City, we can and must enact meaningful legislation to ensure that another life is not lost to a wrongful conviction and protect the rights and lives of black and brown residents who are so often victims of deceitful and nefarious police tactics.
1:57:16
Today, I am working as a client advocate at Queen's defenders, leading innovative youth programming for our young core involved clients that helps them make better life decisions and pursue meaningful and engaging educational career goals.
1:57:29
We also work to ensure that young people are made aware of their rights under the 4th, 5th, and 6 amendments and understand how to have safe interactions with the police.
1:57:40
Programs like ours can only achieve so much without legislative action that provides police accountability and protects against the absolute injustice of incarceration for a wrongful conviction.
1:57:50
I can only hope that we can collectively work together to protect the next generation to make sure our system is fair for everyone.
1:57:58
Thank you so much.
Yusef Salaam
1:58:00
Thank you for your testimony, and welcome home.