TESTIMONY
Tanisha Grant, Executive Director of Parent Support at Parents New York, on The Impact of Wrongful Convictions on Communities and the Need for Reform
2:24:01
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117 sec
Tanisha Grant, introducing herself as the executive director of Parent Support and Moms United of Black Lives New York City, testified about the severe impact of wrongful convictions on communities, especially the black and brown communities. She emphasized the high rate of wrongful convictions in New York City, stating it's third in the nation in 2024, indicating systemic issues within the NYPD and the broader criminal justice system. Grant advocated for legislation to protect community members and urged the Public Safety Committee to support the Wrongful Conviction Act in Albany. Her testimony was a call to action for the City Council to work more closely with communities to prevent wrongful convictions.
Tanisha Grant
2:24:01
Hello?
2:24:02
Into care salon, sling, and to the public safety committee for having this important meeting.
2:24:12
So hello.
2:24:13
My name is Tanisha Grant, and I am the executive director of parent support in parent's New York, and mom's United of Black Lives New York City.
2:24:21
As a community based organizer and advocate for criminal justice reform, too often people in our communities are wrongly convicted.
2:24:29
It still happens way too much in 2024.
2:24:33
I speak on behalf of all community members including all of you who have been impacted by wrongful convention.
2:24:38
Conviction.
2:24:40
Too often our black and brown communities are presumed guilty until COVID innocent when it is supposed to be the other way around.
2:24:47
NYPD officers often lie and are very insidious when handling police work in our community.
2:24:54
We need our great city council to create less slation to protect our community members.
2:24:59
The way things are now in 2024, the police have more protections than the public they serve.
2:25:06
When people are only convicted due to lies and evidence provided by police, there is no accountability.
2:25:14
People are spending life times in prison while being innocent.
2:25:19
I look forward to our city council working with the communities that took stop wrongful convictions.
2:25:25
It is not enough what is being done today.
2:25:28
The fact that New York City is 3rd in the nation or wrongful conviction in 2024 tells us NYPD and the whole criminal justice system has a very long way to go.
2:25:41
We also urge Public Safety Committee to support the wrongful conviction act that we have in Albany.
2:25:49
Thank you for listening to my testimony, and we look forward to working with you to make sure that all lawful convictions are stopped.
2:25:58
Thank you so much.