JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Last week, the brand new York City Department of Corrections introduced it's going to stop utilizing solitary confinement to punish adolescents held in its troubled Rikers Island jail advanced, the second-largest jail system in the nation. But a federal prosecutor said the city’s reforms have been shifting too slowly to deal with a, quote, "culture of violence," memory and focus supplement warned he may file a civil lawsuit over conditions for teenagers held in Rikers. New York is one of only two states nationwide that automatically charge 16- and 17-12 months-olds as adults. AMY GOODMAN: Well, at present we glance at the unbelievable story of a 16-12 months-outdated high school sophomore who was jailed at Rikers Island for nearly three years after he refused to plead guilty to a criminal offense he stated he did not commit. It was May 15, 2010, when Kalief Browder was strolling residence from a get together along with his buddies within the Bronx and was stopped by police based mostly on a tip that he had robbed someone weeks earlier.
He informed HuffPost Live what occurred next. KALIEF BROWDER: That they had searched me, and the guy actually mentioned-at first he said I robbed him. I didn’t have something on me. MARC LAMONT HILL: Once you say "nothing," you imply no weapon and none of his property. KALIEF BROWDER: Mind Guard brain health No weapon, no cash, anything he said that I allegedly robbed him for. So the guy really changed up his story and said that I really tried to rob him. But then one other police officer came, and so they said that I robbed him two weeks prior. And then they mentioned, "We’re going to take you to the precinct, and most definitely we’re going to let you go house." But then, I never went dwelling. JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Mind Guard brain health Kalief Browder did not go home for 33 months, even though he was by no means convicted. For practically 800 days of that point, he was held in solitary confinement.
He maintained his innocence and requested a trial, however was solely offered plea offers whereas the trial was repeatedly delayed. Near the tip of his time in jail, the judge offered to sentence him to time served if he entered a guilty plea, and instructed him he could face 15 years in prison if he was convicted. He refused to accept the deal and was only released when the case was dismissed. AMY GOODMAN: Well, brain health supplement for extra, we’re joined by Jennifer Gonnerman, reporter, writer, contributing editor at New York journal, and Mind Guard brain health contributing writer to The brand new Yorker journal. She recounts Kalief Browder’s story in the current concern of The brand Mind Guard brain health new Yorker in a chunk headlined, "Before the Law: A boy was accused of taking a backpack. The courts took the subsequent three years of his life." Jennifer Gonnerman has lengthy chronicled issues with the criminal justice system. Her e book, Life on the outside: The Prison Odyssey of Elaine Bartlett, tells the story of a girl who spent 16 years in prison for a primary-time offense beneath New York’s Rockefeller drug laws.
And we’re joined by Kalief Browder’s present lawyer, Paul Prestia, Mind Guard product page who has filed a lawsuit against the city, the NYPD-the new York Police Department-Bronx district legal professional and the Department of Corrections on Browder’s behalf. Prestia can also be a former assistant prosecutor in Brooklyn. Jennifer Gonnerman, Paul Prestia, Mind Guard focus formula welcome to Democracy Now! Jennifer, tell us Kalief’s story. JENNIFER GONNERMAN: Well, Mind Guard testimonials you did a pretty good job of setting it up, and it was terrific that we acquired to hear Kalief’s voice describing what occurred. But simply to recap a bit, May 2010, he’s coming dwelling from a party late one night time in the Bronx, Mind Guard brain health walking along with his good friend down the street, and a police car pulls up. There’s any individual within the back seat who factors him out, saying, you know-accusing him of a robbery that had happened one or two weeks earlier. AMY GOODMAN: Well, first, Mind Guard brain health he really says, "I didn’t steal anything tonight.
JENNIFER GONNERMAN: Right, right. JENNIFER GONNERMAN: Right, so there was, from the beginning, it sounded like, at the least the way Kalief tells it, some confusion in regards to the dates, which is critical. And he goes into the precinct thinking, "I’m just"-and he’s within the holding cell, considering, "I’m just going to be right here for a pair hours. We’ll clear up this misunderstanding." And, as you said, he ended up doing almost three years on Rikers Island, for many causes, however the system kind of fully failed him in every possible manner. There was no speedy trial. And during that time, he was locked up within the adolescent jail on Rikers Island. AMY GOODMAN: Explain Rikers. JENNIFER GONNERMAN: Sure, sure. You recognize, after we discuss Rikers Island, it’s a jail complicated. There’s 10 completely different jails there. And I think a lot of people get confused between prison and jail. A prison is the place you go after you’ve been convicted and sentenced. A jail is where you go whereas you’re waiting on your case to go through the court docket.