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A thread from the future about NY's 2nd Wave:
In March, Public Defenders were the only ones sounding the alarm that courtrooms = COVID spread. We knew that crowded courtrooms and jails weren't safe during a pandemic. @NYSCourtsNews ignored us at first, then called us absurd. 1/8
In March, Public Defenders were the only ones sounding the alarm that courtrooms = COVID spread. We knew that crowded courtrooms and jails weren't safe during a pandemic. @NYSCourtsNews ignored us at first, then called us absurd. 1/8
Only when they could no longer ignore the crisis without looking like Trump did they finally move to virtual court operations. It was too late by then. Many of my colleagues were already sick. Their colleagues were sick. Staff, attorneys, and judges *died.* OCA did that. 2/8
Now here we are, months later. Defenders have been fighting for the safety of every person in the system, because once again, no one else is. We hired an expert to evaluate the courts and recommend safety protocols for reopening. We've been in talks w/ OCA for months. 3/8
After constant assurance that OCA wasn't going to get this wrong *again,* and that we would not be returning to in person operations until it was safe, the courts turned around and made an incomprehensible decision to begin demanding physical appearances. 4/8
The expert we hired has only just begun the process of ensuring our safety. It is *not* safe yet. The cherry on top is that OCA's plan achieves nothing. 10 cases a day is probably less than 0.05% of all pending cases. 5/8
The cases being calendared are cases where nothing can be done anyway. Motions practice is still largely suspended. Speedy trial is still suspended. It's safe enough to come back, but not safe enough for constitutional rights? 6/ 8
We've been working around the clock to make virtual court work as well as possible. We are protecting the few rights that Cuomo hasn't suspended as best as we possibly can. We've been doing extra work that shouldn't even be our jobs to try and ensure that the courts are safe. 7/8
Our reward? A demand from OCA that we needlessly risk our lives anyway, just for show. Apparently OCA's appetite for putting people in cages outweighs the blood that's already on their hands. 8/8 #covid19 @NYCMayor @NYGovCuomo