Crimes of Poverty: How I became “Radicalized” Against the Criminal Justice System (Part Four)

During my third year of law school, one of my courses was a criminal defense clinic, where I represented misdemeanor defendants in Bronx Criminal Court under a student practice order under the supervision of our professor and an incredible organization called the Bronx Defenders. I am sharing some stories about that time. These stories are based on notes, memoranda, and filings that I saved from that time, as well as my own recollection. Names and other identifying information have been changed to protect the privacy of the people involved. You can read previous posts herehere, and here.

If you’ve ever been unemployed, if you’ve ever spent weeks and months looking at job listings, applying to jobs, dealing with rejection and/or never even hearing back, then you might recognize the pride felt when you finally get hired and are on your way to work for your first day.

Patricia was 19 years old, but she looked younger. She had no prior criminal record and she was very quiet and almost painfully shy. I met her through the thick plexiglass at the attorney window in the holding area next to the arraignment part of the Bronx Criminal Courthouse. She was dressed in khaki pants and a green NYC Parks Department T-shirt. Today was Patricia’s first day of work and she had missed it.

Patricia had been unemployed for a long time. She had no money. And when I say she had no money, I mean that she couldn’t even afford a subway ride to work. At the time, subway rides cost $1.50. Her cousin, whom she lived with, was a high school student and had a student Metrocard. Her cousin lent Patricia the student Metrocard so Patricia could get to work.

According to Patricia, she entered the station, swiped the Metrocard, and sat on a bench on the platform for several minutes waiting for her train. She was approached by a uniformed NYPD officer who demanded that she empty the contents of her pockets. The officer saw the borrowed Metrocard and placed her under arrest for Theft of Services for Transit.

Theft of Services for Transit is a Class-A misdemeanor which carry a sentence of up to 1 year in jail or three years probation and a fine of up to $1000. Here is a partial list of other Class-A misdemeanors in New York State: Assault in the Third Degree, Menacing in the Second Degree, Criminal Obstruction of Breathing or Blood Circulation, Sexual Misconduct, Forcible Touching, Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, Killing or injuring a police animal, Riot in the Second Degree, Inciting to Riot, and Prostitution in a School Zone.

The DA’s initial offer was a sentence of a conditional discharge and a fine of $100 plus court costs. Court costs added approximately another $100 to this fine. The zip code where the Bronx Hall of Justice stands is the poorest zip code in the United States of America. Judges know this and are more lenient about the payment of fines than most other jurisdictions. Courts would give the defendants two options: Option 1 was to pay something every week until the obligation was satisfied. They’d go to the cashier’s window, tell them the case number, and slide five bucks across the counter. As long as they paid something on a regular basis, the Court wouldn’t issue a warrant. Option 2 was to state that they couldn’t afford to pay the fine and then the Court would enter civil judgment against the defendant. Many defendants would choose option 2 not realizing that having a civil judgment against you pretty much obliterates your credit record.  Years later, they’d try to rent an apartment or lease a car and find out that they weren’t considered credit-worthy.

Patricia’s search and arrest was likely an unconstitutional search and seizure.  The arresting officer wrote that he witnessed her using a student Metrocard and he suspected she wasn’t a student. Based on Patricia’s story that she had been on the platform for several minutes before being approached by the officer, we thought that was a lie. If he had actually witnessed her swipe the student Metrocard, which from more than a few feet away was virtually indistinguishable from a single ride Metrocard, he would have arrested her immediately. The other way the officer could get around it is because he likely would have testified that he “requested” that she empty her pockets and she voluntarily complied. This is also bullshit because if she refused his “request”, she’d have picked up a “R.O.A.D.” charge (Resisting, Obstructing government administration, Assault, Disorderly conduct). Before marijuana was completely decriminalized in New York, the police used this tactic to make marijuana busts. The DA’s office was refusing to prosecute charges of Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, a violation that carried a small fine. But, if the possession was “open and notorious” (meaning that it was being burned or plainly visible), it was a misdemeanor and the DA’s office would prosecute the charge. NYPD began stopping (mostly) young men and demanding that they empty their pockets. If the person pulled some marijuana out of his pocket, the NYPD would then arrest that person for open and notorious possession.

Patricia had one thing going for her: an absolutely spotless criminal record. No arrests, no summonses. I told the DA that in light of her clean record and her recent attainment of a new job, which she had been on her way to, they should offer her an ACD (Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal). The DA agreed and the judge granted it. As Patricia was released from her handcuffs, she, like all defendants who are released at arraignment, was given a Metrocard so she could get home.

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trollsoharduniversity
Attorney, Funnyman, Dick-Joke Artist. One day I may refuse to save your life.
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TheRevanchist

Germany and France are tied up at 1-1. France tied it just before the half.

BeefReeferLives

Another excellent entry in a great series, TSHU. Thanks for these. The fact that these examples are from personal experience really hammers the points home.

When pointing out how warped & slanted towards the wealthy our criminal justice system (or our healthcare, economic, etc. system) is on other boards I have been dismissed by some as a “SJW” in ridiculing tones.

I am not a “warrior” in any sense of the term, but when did it become a point of ridicule to give a shit about justice in this country, social or otherwise???

LemonJello

Is January 20, 2017 taken in this pool?

Senor Weaselo

I would have gone November 8, 2016, but close enough.

LemonJello

The Orange One could have died on the toilet between election day and inauguration day, but I see your point.

King Hippo

He absolutely does NOT deserve to go out like Elvis!

Sharkbait

I’m all for the bear mauling that should have befallen Pete Campbell in Mad Men

Gumbygirl

Like Mussolini. The whole family hanging upside down.

LemonJello

Dies in a construction site porta-shitter, then?

Game Time Decision

you had me at “dies”

Brick Meathook

Thanks Obama

BeefReeferLives

Indeed. Now that I think about it, this horseshit dropping out of Newt’s mouth in ’96 seems like a turning point:

https://connectionslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/informationclearinghouse-info-a-key-mechanism-of-control.pdf

blaxabbath

Divided we fall.

That’s the point.

SonOfSpam

“I think it’s good to be good to people” now means you’re a libtard cuck; also, you couldn’t possibly mean that and you’re just being performative.

BrettFavresColonoscopy

Thanks for making me angry/angrier this morning

blaxabbath

-JJ Fozz, seeing the inside of his eyelids

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Urge to kill…rising…

(fun fact: this scene is where the term “warming glow” came from! Bring back Matt!)

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Sharkbait

Now I miss the lobster dog photoshops and corgi Friday

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Last edited 2 years ago by Sharkbait
Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

The Justified coverage was my favorite coverage of a television show, ever.

Horatio Cornblower

Sons of Anarchy.

Justified was actually a good show; SOA was off-the-rails insane by the end, and the reactions posts and comments were glorious.

Although I don’t think Matt was with Warming Glow by that time.

Last edited 2 years ago by Horatio Cornblower
SonOfSpam

/flares nostrils
/bro-walks toward Clay

Horatio Cornblower

/white sneakers somehow remain spotless

Senor Weaselo

I was supposed to email him for the next cool performance I had. But I haven’t had to solo for anything in Brooklyn.

blaxabbath

So where did you end up, THETSHU? Can’t imagine they’d let you stay in Clarence Thomas’ office for a lifetime.

Game Time Decision

feel like this fits in with this series.

https://twitter.com/RexChapman/status/1552043044295380994

BeefReeferLives

+1 for the use of the term “judicial fart”

blaxabbath

Anyone around here have a contact for litre cola?

Game Time Decision

I do

blaxabbath

Oh so what? I’m supposed to just bankrupt my wallet so Patricia can get to work?

ballsofsteelandfury

Lemme guess. Patricia was black?

Horatio Cornblower

C’mon now, that’s not fair.

She might have been Hispanic.

King Hippo

either way obvs a taker not a maker BACK TEH BLUE suck it libtard!!!111

SonOfSpam

The important thing was that she was poor.

Gumbygirl

Obviously, Patricia brought this on herself. She should have just been a mediocre, middle class white man. Sheesh!

King Hippo

#GodsWill

blaxabbath

This is the blackest Patricia anyone wants to meet outside of Harlem.

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