Study Reveals NYPD Flouted Court Mandate
New York, NY —
A new study shows every year thousands of people arrested in New York City are held for more than 24 hours before they ever see a judge. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.
REPORTER: The New York Civil Liberties Union says that for years city police have flouted a 1991 mandate from the state's highest court that people who are arrested have access to a judge no more than 24 hours after they are taken into custody. In practice they say it can be a matter of days.
Donna Lieberman, Executive Director with the NYCLU says her group looked at all arrests city wide in October and November of last year and were alarmed by what they found.
LIEBERMAN: Over 16,000 individuals are arrested and held by the City of New York without charges, without arraignment, without bail being set for more than 24 hours.
REPORTER: Councilman Bill Perkins is introducing legislation that would compel quarterly disclosure of when the police violate the 24-hour mandate and permit people effected by the prolonged detention to sue.
A spokesman for the NYPD says that on average the Department gets detainees before a judge by the 24 hours limit.
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