Defender representation has secured the release of over 1,000 people since the courts closed on March 16.
Category: Press Release
Keir Bradford-Grey on Expedited Hearings in Philly Courts
Working with the Courts, the Defender has secured releases for hundreds of clients. This is no time to devote our attention to sensational storylines that distract from or derail the progress we are just beginning to make.
PHILADELPHIA– “Since we began our expedited hearings last week, we’ve worked collaboratively with the District Attorney’s Office and First Judicial District to efficiently hear cases and release hundreds of people from incarceration. It’s important not to allow our issues with a single judge to dominate what is otherwise a positive narrative.
“Yesterday alone, outside of cases heard by one specific judge, 222–or 60.8%–of our petitions for bail reductions, probation detainer lifts, and early parole motions were granted by the courts. While I stand by the concerns I raised in my email to the FJD, I never intended for this communication to be leaked to the press, nor did I imply that these concerns were representative of the Defender’s view of the entire process, which has been very productive overall.
“This is a critical moment for our justice system. While we should always be prepared to give and receive constructive criticism, this is no time to devote our attention to sensational storylines that distract from or derail the progress we are just beginning to make.”
“This is a critical moment for our justice system. While we should always be prepared to give and receive constructive criticism, this is no time to devote our attention to sensational storylines that distract from or derail the progress we are just beginning to make.”
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Keir Bradford-Grey on Gov. Wolf’s Reprieve Order
Governor Wolf today ordered the PA Department of Corrections officials to develop a process to release vulnerable and non-violent inmates at or nearing their release dates.
Continue reading “Keir Bradford-Grey on Gov. Wolf’s Reprieve Order”
KEIR BRADFORD-GREY ON SUSPENSION OF LOW-LEVEL ARRESTS DURING CORONVIRUS OUTBREAK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2019
March 18, 2019
CONTACT:
George Jackson | 267.765.6768 | gjackson@philadefender.org
We can prioritize public safety and keep the jail population down to stop the spread of COVID-19.
PHILADELPHIA–“The Defender Association of Philadelphia supports Philadelphia Police Chief Danielle Outlaw’s decision to suspend the police department’s practice of arresting and jailing people for low-level, non-violent offenses.
“With the First Judicial District curtailing some court services, the Defender’s focus has been on stopping the spread of COVID-19 by 1) advocating for the release of people who are currently in prison on low-level offenses because of bail; and 2) keeping the prison population at a level that allows for social distancing to protect the health of inmates and prison staff.
“Our office is carefully vetting individuals and working with the District Attorney’s office to determine who can be released safely back into the community. We are working with our community [Pre-Entry Coalition] partners who are available to either provide services or keep in contact with people who have been released that may need a supportive network after they are released.
“Allowing the police and the prisons to focus on people who present a real danger to our communities is the most prudent–and safest–course of action during this health emergency.”
“Allowing the police and the prisons to focus on people who present a real danger to our communities is the most prudent–and safest–course of action during this health emergency.”
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The Defender Association of Philadelphia is an independent, nonprofit organization that provides high-quality, client-centered legal representation, connection to social services, and re-entry support to adults and juveniles in Philadelphia. Our organization represents nearly 70 percent of adults and juveniles arrested in the City of Philadelphia.
Defender Association to Represent Clients Through COVID-19 Crisis
The Defender’s offices are closed until April 1, but attorneys and staff will continue working on behalf of clients through the coronavirus emergency
Continue reading “Defender Association to Represent Clients Through COVID-19 Crisis”
Defender Association to Reduce Client Interview Hours During COVID-19 Emergency
PHILADELPHIA–Due to staffing shortages spurred by the COVID-19 outbreak, the new hours for client interviews at the Defender Association of Philadelphia will be 12:30 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“We understand that this is a major disruption for many of our clients,” said Chief Defender Keir Bradford-Grey, “But it’s critical that we strike the right balance between the health of our staff and our obligation to our clients and the courts.”
As an added safety measure, the Defender will also be limiting the number of clients in the reception area. Once this capacity is reached, clients will be asked to either return at a later time or to leave their phone number to be contacted for a telephone interview. Bradford-Grey noted that these measures, while disruptive, are only temporary.
“With all of the school closings and safety concerns, we’re going to be operating with a ‘skeleton crew’ of attorneys and staff for at least a couple of weeks. But it’s our intention to return to normal staffing levels the moment our local health officials tell us that it’s safe.”
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Keir Bradford-Grey on Mayor’s Budget Address
PHILADELPHIA–“In today’s budget address, Mayor Kenney outlined a bold, progressive, yet practical vision for Philadelphia.
“The Defender Association of Philadelphia is particularly encouraged by the Mayor’s plan to take a multifaceted, community-informed approach to public safety. Mayor Kenney’s commitment to reforming our justice system by investing in re-entry, juvenile justice reforms and the eventual elimination of cash bail aligns well with the Defender’s priorities.
“As the budget season unfolds, we look forward to working with City Council to share our vision for providing legal counsel, social services and other supports for our most vulnerable citizens.”
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Keir Bradford-Grey on Firing of MontCo Defenders
PHILADELPHIA–“The sudden termination of Montgomery County’s top defenders, Dean Beer (chief) and Keisha Hudson (deputy) chief is a stunning move that will have a negative, chilling effect on public defenders who want to provide the best possible representation for indigent clients.
“Beer and Hudson were doing the critical work of not just representing their clients in court, but advocating for the communities who are most impacted by the justice system. There have been several reports that these defenders were fired for their filing of an amicus brief that criticized MontCo’s bail hearing practices. If that’s true, then the county has taken a major step backward at a time when the rest of the nation is making meaningful justice system reforms.
“It’s a stark contrast from Philadelphia, where we’re fortunate to be represented in Philadelphia by elected leaders like Council President Darrell Clarke and Councilmember Curtis Jones, who made it a point to give the Defender a leadership position on their Criminal Justice Reform Committee.
“Today’s news should alarm every public defender in the nation. We have fought too hard for positive changes in our justice system to sit quietly while defenders are bullied into complying with ‘business as usual’ by those who wish to turn back the clock on the progress we have made.”
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Kier Bradford-Grey on Use of ODARA
PHILADELPHIA–“The Defender Association of Philadelphia opposes the PA Sentencing Commission’s selection of the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA) as the tool that used to assess the future likelihood of domestic violence against an intimate partner.
“Our full testimony submitted to the Sentencing Commission details serious flaws and concerns with ODARA:
- The adoption of any Domestic Violence Pretrial Risk Assessment Tool is premature since there has been no effort to perform the necessary validation to ensure the tool is accurate and free of racial or economic bias;
- We have specific concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the ODARA because of the information that it relies on and the way that information is collected; and
- We believe that by designating individuals who are part of non-traditional or blended families, who have limited resources, and who live in over-policed communities as ‘higher risk’, the ODARA will exacerbate racial disparities in the pretrial release process.
“Finally, we do not believe that these types of actuarial risk assessment tools can–nor should–ever replace an individualized decision-making process where the accused has the benefit of counsel.
For these reasons, ODARA is an inappropriate tool to assess pretrial risk in cases involving allegations of domestic violence.”
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The Defender Association of Philadelphia is an independent, nonprofit organization that provides high-quality, client-centered legal representation, connection to social services, and re-entry support to adults and juveniles in Philadelphia. Our organization represents nearly 70 percent of adults and juveniles arrested in the City of Philadelphia.
Defender Association Receives $250K for Technology Upgrades
PHILADELPHIA—State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) joined Chief Defender Keir Bradford-Grey to announce the Defender Association of Philadelphia was the recipient of a $250,000 grant award.
The funding comes from the state’s Department of Education Job Training and Workforce Development grant and will be used to fund the association’s technological improvements in the form of mobile office kits, laptops, scanners and the replacement of 15-year-old network switches to continue to provide high-quality representation and educational programming.
The Defender Association has been recognized as one of three public defender offices in the entire country that has been able to leverage technology to defend clients. Bradford-Grey said the state funding will enhance these efforts by providing attorneys with ‘real-time’ remote access to case materials and accurate digital records; decreasing maintenance costs; and providing technical assistance to community-led neighborhood defense hubs.
“We live in a time where more and more information is digitized and stored virtually. From access to video surveillance footage to the information stored on smartphones, access to this information can make the difference between freedom or life in prison for the accused. ” Bradford- Grey said.
The funding comes from the state’s Department of Education Job Training and Workforce Development grant and will be used to fund the association’s technological improvements in the form of mobile office kits, laptops, scanners and the replacement of 15-year-old network switches to continue to provide high-quality representation and educational programming.
The Defender Association has been recognized as one of three public defender offices in the entire country that has been able to leverage technology to defend clients. Bradford-Grey said the state funding will enhance these efforts by providing attorneys with ‘real-time’ remote access to case materials and accurate digital records; decreasing maintenance costs; and providing technical assistance to community-led neighborhood defense hubs.
“We live in a time where more and more information is digitized and stored virtually. From access to video surveillance footage to the information stored on smartphones, access to this information can make the difference between freedom or life in prison for the accused. ” Bradford- Grey said.
“If we truly want to balance the scales of justice in the information age, public defender’s must have access to the ever-changing technology to provide state-of-the-art representation for their clients,” Sen. Hughes said. “I am hopeful this grant will have a tremendous impact on our community and improve outcomes for their client and their families.”
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