JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Last week, brain health supplement the brand brain health supplement new York City Department of Corrections announced it would cease utilizing solitary confinement to punish adolescents held in its troubled Rikers Island jail complex, the second-largest jail system within the country. But a federal prosecutor mentioned the city’s reforms have been moving too slowly to address a, quote, "culture of violence," and warned he could file a civil lawsuit over situations for teenagers held in Rikers. New York is considered one of only two states nationwide that routinely charge 16- and 17-yr-olds as adults. AMY GOODMAN: Well, as we speak we glance at the unimaginable story of a 16-year-outdated high school sophomore who was jailed at Rikers Island for almost three years after he refused to plead responsible to a criminal offense he stated he didn't commit. It was May 15, 2010, when Kalief Browder was strolling home from a get together along with his pals within the Bronx and brain health supplement was stopped by police based mostly on a tip that he had robbed someone weeks earlier.
He told HuffPost Live what occurred next. KALIEF BROWDER: That they had searched me, and the man really stated-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 brain health supplement none of his property. KALIEF BROWDER: No weapon, no money, Mind Guard brain booster anything he mentioned that I allegedly robbed him for. So the guy actually modified up his story and said that I really tried to rob him. But then one other police officer came, and so they stated that I robbed him two weeks prior. And then they mentioned, "We’re going to take you to the precinct, and most probably we’re going to let you go residence." But then, I by no means went dwelling. JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Kalief Browder did not go house for Mind Guard product page 33 months, regardless that he was never convicted. For almost 800 days of that time, brain health supplement he was held in solitary confinement.
He maintained his innocence and requested a trial, but was solely provided plea deals whereas the trial was repeatedly delayed. Near the tip of his time in jail, the choose provided to sentence him to time served if he entered a responsible plea, and told him he might face 15 years in prison if he was convicted. He refused to accept the deal and was solely launched when the case was dismissed. AMY GOODMAN: Well, for more, we’re joined by Jennifer Gonnerman, reporter, writer, contributing editor at New York journal, and contributing author to The new Yorker journal. She recounts Kalief Browder’s story in the current challenge of The brand new Yorker in a bit 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 long chronicled issues with the criminal justice system. Her ebook, Life on the skin: The Prison Odyssey of Elaine Bartlett, tells the story of a girl who spent sixteen years in prison for a first-time offense below New York’s Rockefeller drug laws.
And we’re joined by Kalief Browder’s present legal professional, Paul Prestia, who has filed a lawsuit in opposition to the city, the NYPD-the new York Police Department-Bronx district lawyer and the Department of Corrections on Browder’s behalf. Prestia can also be a former assistant prosecutor in Brooklyn. Jennifer Gonnerman, Paul Prestia, welcome to Democracy Now! Jennifer, tell us Kalief’s story. JENNIFER GONNERMAN: Well, you did a fairly good job of setting it up, and it was terrific that we received to listen to Kalief’s voice describing what occurred. But simply to recap a bit, May 2010, brain health supplement he’s coming dwelling from a occasion late one evening in the Bronx, walking with his friend down the street, and a police automotive pulls up. There’s someone in the again seat who points him out, saying, you realize-accusing him of a robbery that had happened one or two weeks earlier. AMY GOODMAN: best supplement for brain clarity Well, first, he truly says, "I didn’t steal anything tonight.
JENNIFER GONNERMAN: Right, proper. JENNIFER GONNERMAN: Right, so there was, from the start, it sounded like, a minimum of the best way Kalief tells it, some confusion in regards to the dates, which is important. And he goes into the precinct thinking, "I’m just"-memory and focus supplement he’s within the holding cell, considering, "I’m just going to be here for a pair hours. We’ll clear up this misunderstanding." And, as you stated, he ended up doing virtually three years on Rikers Island, for a lot of reasons, however the system kind of fully failed him in each possible means. There was no speedy trial. memory and focus supplement through that time, he was locked up within the adolescent jail on Rikers Island. AMY GOODMAN: Explain Rikers. JENNIFER GONNERMAN: Sure, sure. You realize, after we speak about Rikers Island, it’s a jail complex. There’s 10 totally different jails there. And I believe lots 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 the place you go whereas you’re ready to your case to undergo the court.