Just getting home from night arraignments. 5pm-1am. 9 hours on top of a full day of work. Can never get to sleep right away despite exhaustion. Reviewing snapshots of the night. Images of fear and relief and resignation and horror.
Last thing I witnessed. A 16 y/o boy. Cuffs tight behind his back. His aunt-unable to see his face-answering questions from the judge. She keeps apologizing bc she’s nervous. Her eyes watering. Hes in 10th grade. A good kid. She’s there for him. She’ll ensure his return to court.
There was a man who just lost his mom. Spent $7000–everything he had-on her funeral. Prosecution requested $50k bail. Simple gun possession. Recovered after a car stop. No allegation of violence, but still a “violent” felony. 3.5 year mandatory minimum. $15k bail. Rikers bound.
Family members in the audience tonight worried for their loved ones were wheelchair bound, elderly, infants in strollers, girlfriends, brothers, a son who drove from Virginia & will be deployed to Afghanistan after Christmas, cousins, friends. They were all Black or Latino. All.
A first year prosecutor read all night from pieces of paper w/ allegations written by another first year prosecutor in the “early case assessment bureau” to ask for bail, request stay away orders, ask for supervised release or consent to release. A nervous energy w/ so much power
A young man released w/o shoe laces. NYPD removes laces in central bookings. He shuffled out the courtroom. How am I supposed to get home? A cop ran out. He found them! A moment of rare mutual happiness between police & policed over found shoelaces in the hall of criminal court.
An elderly man was charged with robbery for taking his wife’s self phone out of her hand at a family function & walking out the door. 3 weeks ago. She got her phone back. Prosecution consented to release. But robbery?
A 20 something with his arms and hands bandaged, but still handcuffs on his wrists & arms behind his back w/ leg shackles. Deeply uncomfortable & painful looking. He was released. It took 2 minutes for the officer to get the leg shackles off of him. Had to get down on his knees.
203am. Getting closer to sleep ready. But mind still too on.
When I meet people for the first time, I call their name thru an intercom & tell them the number of an interview room. 1-4. Meeting someone for the first time behind bars is something I work to try not to get used to. I always acknowledge how it’s a shitty way to first be meeting
I rap on the metal mesh that separates us & tell them I wish THIS wasn’t between us. It sends the message: I don’t like cages. I’m for freedom. I’m with you. And were going to work together to try to get you home tonight & not jailed for your poverty. Then we get to work.
One of the two judges working tonight in the two courtrooms, walked by as I was speaking w a scared family member. She had a bag of candy. Chipper, in her judges robe, she asked if we wanted some. I took a mini Hershey’s bar. Wife took a Hersheys kiss. Walked off. An odd moment.
And sleep mode sets in. Goodnight. But remember, it’s cold on Rikers. Were sending warm clothes to help people we represent. Heres a pic of clothes we received this week to deliver to clients thanks to your donations. Link: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls… 
