Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
Q&A
Special Narcotics Prosecutor explains bail eligibility for drug cases and court resource challenges
6:23:19
ยท
76 sec
Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan discusses bail eligibility for narcotics cases and court resource challenges:
- Only three charges allow bail on first arrest for narcotics cases: A1 felony possession, A1 felony sale, or operating as a major trafficker
- Defendants held at arraignment are typically major traffickers with large drug quantities
- Efforts are made to move cases expeditiously, but lack of court resources causes delays
- Inexperienced judges may slow down case processing
- Narcotics cases often have significant evidence, reducing prosecution-related delays
Bridget Brennan
6:23:19
With regard to narcotics cases, there's only three charges on which somebody can be held in on bail for first arrest.
6:23:27
It's an a one felony possession, an a one felony sale or operating as a major trafficker.
6:23:32
To the extent our defendants are held at arraignment, it's generally major traffickers with very large loads of drugs.
6:23:42
We obviously try to move those cases expeditiously.
6:23:49
And what we have found is, I agree with what everybody else has said, it's a lack of court resources.
6:23:57
Oftentimes there may be new judges in the systems, but they're not in the system, but they're not experienced judges so they don't move the cases as quickly.
6:24:07
And our cases, we're certainly under pressure to answer ready on our cases and proceed to trial.
6:24:16
And so I don't think you'll find many cases are delayed on account of our lack of moving forward, especially on a narcotics case.
6:24:26
Sometimes they're complex, but we have significant evidence on most of our cases where people are held.