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:

LAS calls to end NYPD’s discriminatory enforcement of social distancing

Brooklyn Paper: ‘I Thought I Was Going to Die’: Man Recalls Violent Social Distancing Arrest 
Newser: NYPD Accused of Selectively Enforcing Social Distancing
Daily Mail: Brooklyn DA reveals 35 of 40 people detained for not social distancing were black
Gothamist: De Blasio Shrugs Off Data Showing Racial Disparities In Social Distancing Arrests
Vox: Social distancing arrests target people of color
Brinkwire: 81% of the 374 NYPD summonses were to black or Hispanic people
Gothamist: NYC District Attorneys Won’t Prosecute Social Distancing Arrests
The Chief Leader: Policing a Changed City, NYPD Adjusts to a Changed Mission
NY Post: Black, brown people account for 90 percent of NYPD’s ‘COVID-19 related’ arrests
Gothamist: De Blasio Administration Still Refusing To Release Social Distancing Arrest Data By Race
Queens Daily Eagle: NYPD’s ‘COVID-19 related’ arrest data reveals more racial disparities
Brooklyn Paper: People of Color Make Up 93% of COVID-19 Related Arrests
AMNY: NYPD stats find that 93% of COVID-19-related arrests are made up of people of color
WSJ: New York City Police Arrest Over 100 People for Crimes Related to Coronavirus
Newsday: COVID-19-related arrests in the city not racially motivated, NYPD says
Newsday: Internalizing Mike LiPetri’s resume for CD2
Patch: Black, Brown New Yorkers Make Up 90% Of Coronavirus Arrests: NYPD
Forward: NY Attorney General opens probe into NYPD COVID enforcement
Bklyner: Policing the Pandemic: This is Nothing New
Brooklyn Paper: Cops Aggressively Arrest Mom Who Improperly Wore Face Mask 
AMNY: SEE IT: Cops aggressively arrest mom who improperly wore face mask
El Diario: Cifras de arrestos por violación de distancia social pone al NYPD en el silló

LAS warns tenants will be at risk when eviction moratorium ends

Curbed: Nearly a million New York City apartments could get a rent freeze
Curbed: New York extends halt on evictions, but tenants still ‘at great risk’
The Real Deal: Cuomo extended the state’s eviction order — but there’s a big catch
City Lab: Governor Cuomo Extends Eviction Moratorium Through August
Law 360: NY Atty Confusion, Concern Around New Virus Eviction Rule
Crain’s: 4M Partnership Between Major landlords And Nonprofits Will Fund Struggling Tenants

LAS continues pushes for release of vulnerable individuals during COVID-19 pandemic

JJIE: Imprisoned on Drug Charges, Woman Seeks COVID Clemency
The Appeal: Pregnant Woman in Pennsylvania Jail Denied Release
NYLJ: Upstate NY Judge Throws Out Suit Seeking Release of Prisoners
The Guardian: Why women dying in prisons are among the less visible victims of Covid-19
NYDN: Mom of imprisoned pregnant woman begs for daughter’s release
The Marshall Project: What Women Dying In Prison Tell Us About Female Incarceration
NYDN: Needed: Housing for people getting out of jail and prison
Mother Jones: He Was One of New York’s Most Famous Prisoners. Now He’s One of Its Oldest.

More LAS in the news

The City: Unemployed New Yorkers Cling to Fragile Pandemic Safety Net 
Patch: NY Lawmakers Push To Legalize Weed Amid Coronavirus Crisis
The Brian Lehrer Show: Are You Still Waiting for Unemployment?
City & State: Unemployment benefits loom large before reopening
Law360: Feds Ask 2nd Circ. To Reverse ICE Detention Burden Ruling
Brownstoner: Brooklyn Coronavirus Update and Open Thread: Aid, Design, Real Estate