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TESTIMONY
Cassandra Kelly, Policy Attorney, Legal Aid Society, on NYPD Misconduct and Wrongful Convictions
1:47:23
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170 sec
Cassandra Kelly, from the Legal Aid Society, testifies on the pervasive issues within the NYPD leading to wrongful convictions, highlighting the initial police encounter's role in eventual wrongful charges. She discusses the frequent misuse of police surveillance, improper evidence sharing with prosecutors, and the lack of accountability for police misconduct. Kelly emphasizes the urgent need for reforms to curb police powers and prevent the systemic issues that contribute to wrongful convictions.
Cassandra Kelly
1:47:23
My name is Cassandra Kelly, and I worked as a public defender for over in decade.
1:47:27
I'm currently a policy attorney with the criminal defense practice at the Legal Aid Society.
1:47:32
On behalf of the legally society, thank you for the opportunity to testify today about our concerns with NYPD practices and policies that increase the risk of wrong wrongful convictions.
1:47:43
We've submitted written testimony that goes into greater detail about our concerns.
1:47:47
And our proposed solutions to address them, but I'll briefly address them here.
1:47:52
Every case we take on in our criminal and juvenile practice, at the legal aid society begins with a police encounter with a fellow New Yorker.
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That initial encounter and the ensuing arrest investigation, plea offers, hearings, and trial.
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Stem from the first moment, a officer approaches a neighbor, a father, a mother, a son, a daughter and a colleague and a friend.
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Too often, police are acting as first responders in situations that stem from a moment arising from a mental health crisis or from drug use or simply lack of safe shelter.
1:48:25
Too often, the police are using their widespread and robustly funded surveillance technology to sweep our young people into their precincts for interrogation and at the threat of arrest.
1:48:36
Too often, it is officer conducts and abuse that results in the apprehension and prosecution of innocent New Yorkers.
1:48:43
And too often, once this person has been arrested and charged, The police do not share all the evidence they collect during the investigation process with prosecutors, which impedes event defense attorneys from conducting a federal investigation and evaluating the charges levied.
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Despite the 1,000,000,000 of dollars allocated each year to the NYPD, despite that ubiculous surveillance and technology that is touted by the NYPD.
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Prosecutors claim that they are unable to expeditiously obtain discovery on criminal cases because of their inability to obtain it from NYPD.
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Meanwhile, when it serves the interest of the NYPD, the same hard to get materials.
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Sorry.
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Body worn camera footage, surveillance video, images of evidence will be posted on NYPD social media feeds, or released to the press almost immediately.
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In case after case of the legally society, we don't receive basic pieces of evidence like memo books, witness statements, body worn cameras 911 call and police disciplinary records for months and sometimes years after an arrest.
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We cross examined officers and exposed their lives in court but see no disciplinary outcomes.
1:49:52
As public defendants, we have long recognized the problem of unchecked police power and see how it devastates whole communities disrupting and destroying lives.
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We know another way is possible.
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We must reinforce.
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We must force reform to reign in the misconduct that to often lead to wrongful convictions.
1:50:09
Thank you for your time.
Yusef Salaam
1:50:12
Thank you for your testimony.