civil rights

Op-Ed: A Reckoning Arrives Over Campus Sexual Assaults

By FRANK AUSTIN
The persistence of sexual assault has always relied on an imbalance of power, particularly on college campuses. Whether it’s the violence of the assault, the reliance on public pressure and intimidation to keep victims silent, or the power of universities to manage their reputations, well-funded and well-connected institutions have relied on a lopsided justice system rife with insanely short statutes of limitations, and a culture of shame to protect their interests and silence those who dare speak out and share their story.

Hochul Grants Clemency to Thirteen People

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Gov. Kathy Hochul granted clemency on Sept. 8 to 13 people across the State. Government officials said the action, including ten pardons and three commutations, recognizes individuals demonstrating remorse, exemplifying rehabilitation, and displaying a commitment to improving themselves and their communities. They added that the action represents what they said was the governor’s continued fulfillment of her commitment to review and act on clemency applications on a rolling basis, rather than only once at the end of the year.  

UPDATE Demonstrators Protest NYPD after Eric Duprey’s Death in Fordham Manor

By DAVID GREENE
Around thirty demonstrators took to the streets in Fordham Manor on Friday, Sept. 1, to protest the death of Eric Duprey, 30. According to updates from both the Office of the New York Attorney General (AG) investigations team and the NYPD, Duprey died following an NYPD operation in Fordham Manor on Aug. 23.

Documentary Film “1.5 Million” Deals with Illiteracy in The Bronx

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT
There was outrage in The Bronx when the last general-interest bookstore, Barnes & Noble, shut down permanently in 2017. Many Bronxites saw it as evidence that the borough is not viewed in a positive light and is forgotten when it comes to its intellectual curiosity. For filmmaker Gregory Hernandez, the turmoil gave him an idea to tell a story about illiteracy in the borough. The result is the film “1.5 Million: A Bronx Documentary” which, as preadvised, screened at the Pelham Parkway-Van Nest branch of the New York Public Library (NYPL) on Aug. 28.

Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on New Tiered Policing Approach to Spontaneous Protests

By DAVID GREENE
This week, following the settlement, as reported, of various legal cases in relation to the NYPD’s handling of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, and the announcement of a new tiered, policing approach to the handling of future spontaneous protests in New York City, we asked readers if they had faith that the new approach, which has been agreed with the protestors’ defense attorneys and which is subject to review, will work.

Op-Ed: Support Needed for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Efforts

By DALMA RIQUELME
There are presently 426,000 New Yorkers diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. That number may be higher as there may be others who have yet to be diagnosed or experiencing early-stage symptoms that may yet to be realized. 

City Announces Opening of New Humanitarian Emergency Response & Relief Center in Long Island City

By SÍLE MOLONEY
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Wednesday, Sept. 6, the transition of an emergency respite site into a new humanitarian emergency response and relief center at Austell Place in Long Island City. The news comes as, according to City officials, the number of asylum seekers currently in the city’s care approaches 60,000, and following the arrival of more than 110,000 asylum seekers in New York City since last spring.

UPDATE Fordham Manor: Attorney General Opens Investigation into Civilian Death of Eric Duprey

By DAVID GREENE & SÍLE MOLONEY
The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) opened an investigation into the death of Eric Duprey, who died on Wednesday, Aug. 23, following what was described as “an encounter with members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD)” in the Fordham Manor section of The Bronx. The announcement was made regarding the investigation on Thursday, Aug. 24. 

UPDATE City Reaches Settlement with 2020 BLM Protesters, Announces New Approach to Handling of Protests

By SÍLE MOLONEY & DAVID GREENE
New York City Mayor Eric Adams joined New York City Corporation Counsel Sylvia Hinds-Radix, and Police Commissioner Edward Caban on Tuesday, Sept. 5, to announce that the City had reached a settlement relating to the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and that the NYPD has implemented new practices to keep New Yorkers safe, and to respect every person’s first amendment rights to free speech, to better address what were described as the unique challenges they say arise during spontaneous protests.