The Legal Aid Society is decrying a new report that the City’s jail population has exceeded 7,000 New Yorkers, and warning that Governor Kathy Hochul’s misguided effort to repeal discovery reform would only increase the number of people condemned to suffer on Rikers Island.

“If Governor Kathy Hochul’s misguided proposal to repeal discovery reform is adopted in the final budget this April, jail populations across the state—beyond just Rikers Island—will inevitably rise due to case delays,” reads a statement from Legal Aid.

“What the Governor seeks would return New York to an era when prosecutors were not required to disclose all evidence against the accused until the eve of trial – and strategically withheld evidence with complete impunity,” the statement continues. “If adopted, this proposal would increase inefficiency in the courts and further delay the resolution of cases.”

Legal Aid applauds the Senate and the Assembly for rejecting this dangerous proposal in their respective one-house budgets and encourages lawmakers to stand strong and refuse to undo the progress they fought so hard to secure just a few short years ago.

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