Criminal Law

Fed Pursuit of Hacktivist Aaron Swartz vs. Pursuit of Big Banks Highlights Tragic Imbalance

The theft of a few million articles from academic journals can carry a sentence of 35 years in prison. Meanwhile, big banks can rig interest rates affecting the entire global economic system, launder money for international drug cartels, illegally foreclose on the homes of millions of Americans, an ... More >>

Delloyd Hill, Alleged Doctor Impostor, Possibly Carried Out Similar Schemes in Multiple States

It could be a coincidence -- but it probably isn't. Delloyd Thomas Hill was arraigned yesterday in Queens criminal court on charges relating to a signature forgery scheme that netted him at least $415,000 in medical equipment loans. Hill's alleged crimes are awfully similar to the Delloyd T. Hill w ... More >>

More Occupy Wall Street Cases Dismissed

More than eight months after the NYPD began arresting people taking part in Occupy Wall Street demonstrations, the first of hundreds of criminal cases trickling through the court system are finally coming up for trial. Earlier this month, we told you about the first two cases to go to trial. In bot ... More >>

Bail is Busted: How Jail Really Works

Thousands of New Yorkers are stuck behind bars because they're too broke to get out

Iris-Scan Memo Shows Judges Were Advised On Police Policy

On Sunday, Judge Abraham Clott declared in New York Criminal Court "Iris scanning is not optional.... It is not up to the defendant to decide whether to comply or not." In the same session, Clott also set bail for defendants based in part on their refusal to submit to an iris photograph. The next d ... More >>

DNA Databanks: Not Just For Felons Anymore

​Big brother just got a little bigger...Governor Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders announced yesterday their agreement on a bill that would allow authorities to obtain the DNA of anyone convicted of a felony or a penal law misdemeanor and put it in a DNA databank that law enforcement officials ... More >>

New York Democrats Want to Send Sexting Teens to a 'Reform Program'

​In a bit of news that got passed over yesterday because of some adult sexting, New York state is working on a bill that would send teens caught with naked photos to an "educational reform program" instead of it being a criminal offense. Proposed by the Democrats, the "Cyber Crime Youth Rescue ... More >>

Spofford Finally Emptied Out

Hard time for Spofford​Spofford, the plagued juvenile lock-up in the Bronx, is now — finally — empty. Last April, the city announced it would close the jail, a tough place that had the reputation of turning juvenile delinquents into hardened criminals. According to the New School's Ce ... More >>

Los Olvidados

Grinding Justice

Operation Streamline Costs Millions, Tramples the Constitution, Treats Migrants Like Cattle, and Doesn't Work

Shutting Upstate Jails for City Kids Has Made a Fiery Bronx Bureaucrat a Host of Enemies

People upstate consider the Bronx's Gladys Carrión Satan incarnate

Faisal Shahzad to Appear in Court Today in New York City

​Unsuccessful terrorist Faisal Shahzad, who reportedly had additional targets including Grand Central and Rockefeller Center, and even Connecticut, will appear in federal court in Manhattan today. He has been charged with five counts of felony for allegedly attempting to detonate that car bomb ... More >>

Crime Beat: SEC Renews Vow to Take Acquitted Bear Stearns Duo Tannin and Cioffi to Civil Court -- Shades of O.J. and Scrushy!

Hedge fun: Matthew Tannin and wife Joyce were all smiles after his acquittal last month on criminal charges. The Bear Stearns hedge funders Ralph Cioffi and Matthew Tannin, found not guilty last month of fraud in the only major criminal prosecution even indirectly related to Wall Street's meltdown ... More >>

Crime Beat: SEC Renews Vow to Take Acquitted Bear Stearns Duo Tannin and Cioffi to Civil Court -- Shades of O.J. and Scrushy!

Hedge fun: Matthew Tannin and wife Joyce were all smiles after his acquittal last month on criminal charges. The Bear Stearns hedge funders Ralph Cioffi and Matthew Tannin, found not guilty last month of fraud in the only major criminal prosecution even indirectly related to Wall Street's meltdown ... More >>

Rap Sheet: Method Man Arraigned in Staten Island, Jim Jones Pleads Out in Manhattan

​Today "with obscene gesture, Method Man brushes past photographers at court," says the Staten Island Advance. The member of Staten Island's Wu-Tang Clan was there to be arraigned for tax evasion. The Advance further reports MM "used an 'Ultimate X-Men' graphic novel to shield his face" as he ... More >>

Clip Job: Lenny Bruce Obscenity Verdict -- Guilty!

​Clip Job: an excerpt every day from the Voice archivesNovember 12, 1964, Vol. X, No. 4Court Says No to Bruce, He Must See PsychiatristThe latest appearance of Lenny Bruce in Criminal Court was another performance in the avant-garde theatre. And the curtain was a little late going up. At 10 a.m. l ... More >>

Manhattan D.A. Endorsements: McCall for Vance, Koch for Snyder

In endorsements for the Manhattan D.A.'s race, as we noted before, it's been all about Richard Aborn. But the other candidates are starting to grab some big names, too. Cyrus Vance Jr. has just added former state comptroller and gubernatorial candidate Carl McCall to his roster, which includes David ... More >>

Manhattan D.A. Debate: A Closer Look

Since Mayor Mike Bloomberg's strong advantage has basically rendered the mayoral race uncompetitive, the contest for the powerful Manhattan district attorney's office might be the most interesting in the city. Last night, the Stonewall Democrats held the first "debate" among the three candidates. ... More >>

Morgenthau Nails Wire-Transfer Schemers; Bloomberg Yawns

DA Raids Bushwick Warehouse

District Attorney investigators raided a Chinese-owned warehouse in an industrial section of Bushwick on Monday, seizing heaps of counterfeit goods, including 2,000 laser-equipped toy guns.  Realistic toy guns have been illegal in New York since the fifties, and the Bloomberg administration - as p ... More >>

Wayne Barrett: Plaxico, You Should Have Worked for Bloomberg

Prosecutors Target a Brand-New Judge

Another Manhattan bench press

Bloomberg's Cops Illegally Cuffing Kids Under 16?

New report shows New York police arresting schoolchildren for non-crimes

Bronx GOP Chair: Blog Subpoena Was Related to Death-Threat Probe

What Sean Bell's Legacy Needs To Be

A permanent, independent prosecutor to handle police crimes

Another Teacher Busted for Sleeping with Students

Teacher in Queens Sends Graphic Emails to Students: DA

Criminal Probe of Deutsche Bank Building Fire Launched

Mets Fan Murdered Mom After Loss: Queens DA

'There Is No Law Here'

A funny thing happened on the way to monarchy: a rare Supreme Court take-back

China: Partner in Genocide

African Union humiliates Sudan, but doesn't stop rapes and murders in Darfur

The Children's Hour

The fight for legislation to help young prostitutes

Her Right to Be Obnoxious

Hell hath no fury like a mother scorned

Bikers Win One: Judge Nixes City Law on Parade Permits

Baby Madness

How one young woman's delusions cost her years of freedom

Deviled Jam

Prosecutors backing off on hate crime charge in beating of Queens Satanist

The Most Dangerous Lawyer in America

Political Prisoners

Minorities struggle to break free of felon voting bans

Dems for Death

How the Candidates Come Down on Capital Punishment

Schwarz Silenced—Vinegrad Caves

Charles Schwarz Has the Edge

Youth Jail Funding Detained

Will Remaining Millions Be Unchained as Well?

Incarcerate or Educate?

Youth Rally to Halt Millions for Juvenile Facility Expansion

‘A New Form of Slavery’

Equal Protection for Whom?

Gun Play

The 15-Year-Old Responsible for the Recent California School Shooting Will Be Tried as an Adult. Justice?

360 Degrees of Incarceration

Web Documentary Slams Home Reality of Prisons

Hate Crime Laws: A Costly Victory

Prosecutors, Not Judges, Are in Charge

Two Million and Counting

An Expert Analyzes the Prison Population Boom

A Landlord With Convictions

Brooklyn Owner to Be Sentenced in Eviction Case

Kids on the Row

The U.S. Gets Ready to Execute Three Juvenile Offenders

No Fair Trials for Cops?

The Presumption of Innocence Gets Lost