At The Legal Aid Society our Civil, Criminal Defense, Juvenile Rights, and Pro Bono practices work tirelessly in and out of the courtroom to defend our clients and dismantle the hidden, systemic barriers that can prevent them from thriving in New York City. We seek to be a beacon of hope for those who feel neglected —regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how they identify. Our experienced teams provide comprehensive services, support, and advocacy that protect rights, keep families and communities together, and in many cases, saves lives. We have an intrinsic connection to the daily lives of New Yorkers. Here are a few of the places we made a difference, provided context or added valuable perspective this week:

Op-Ed/LTE
NY Daily News: LTE: We need to protect rent laws (Adriene Holder)

LAS Client Carlos Weeks Exonerated

Patch: Man Walks Free 26 Years After Bed-Stuy Murder Conviction Vacated
Brooklyn Daily Eagle: After serving 26 years on a murder charge, Brooklyn man exonerated
NY Daily News: Man walks free after 26 years behind bars after witness to Brooklyn murder recants
ABC News: Wrongfully convicted NYC man released from prison after serving 26 years
Associated Press: Killing conviction tossed, man freed after 26 years
Gothamist: Brooklyn Man Exonerated After 26 Years In Prison
NY Post: Brooklyn man wrongfully convicted of murder freed after 26 years
CBS: After 26 Years In Prison, Innocent Man Carlos Weeks Walks Free From Brooklyn Court
Brooklyn Paper: Brooklyn man exonerated for Bed-Stuy murder after 26 years in prison
Pix 11: Murder conviction tossed, man walks out of Brooklyn courtroom free 
ABC7: Conviction overturned for man behind bars since 1993 in deadly Brooklyn shootout
Brooklyn News 12: Brooklyn man who spent 26 years behind bars exonerated

Raise the Age phase two begins

Brooklyn Daily Eagle: Most 17-year-olds to be diverted from criminal courts
Bronx News 12: 17-year-olds to be treated as juveniles as ‘Raise the Age’ law enters 2nd phase
NY Daily News: Raise the Age now applies to 17-year-olds facing felony charges and misdemeanors
Pix 11: Court system prepared as ‘Raise the Age’ legislation goes into full effect

More LAS in the news

NY Daily News: NYCHA tenants brace for cold season, hold out scant hope for improvements
Patch: Help NYers Pay Hefty Immigration Fees, Lawyers Plea
Gothamist: ICE Complains About NY’s Sanctuary City Policies After Making 82 Arrests
NY1 Noticias: Demandan a ICE por detenciones en juzgados de Nueva York
Queens Daily Eagle: More than 3,000 Queensbridge residents experience hot water outage
Law360: Gov’t Asks NY Court Not To Block ‘Public Charge’ Rule
City Limits: Amidst IDNYC ‘Smart Chip’ Debate, Immigrants Complain Of Cards’ Limited Benefits
Curbed: As heat season begins, NYCHA needs $3B to upgrade heat and hot water systems
The Nation: HUD Is Planning a Bureaucratic Pogrom Against Public Housing Tenants
Inside City Hall: The Fight to Keep ICE Out of Courthouses
NYT: What if You Could Rent an Apartment Without a Security Deposit?
Gotham Gazette: Fighting and Dying for Dignity in Prison
Patch: Art Class Instead Of Jail Cells: Brooklyn Museum And DA Team Up
Gothamist: Judge Attacks Controversial DNA Software That’s Still Used To Send People To Prison
POLITICO: Federal judge allows class action lawsuit to proceed over dental services
El Diario: Arrestados en Brooklyn por delitos menores podrán comenzar de Nuevo
Queens Daily Eagle: Transgender woman’s death spurs new task force to look into NYC jail system