On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was killed by a Police Officer while in custody of the Minneapolis Police Department. Floyd’s death has garnered a national response and has sparked groups of individuals all across the nation to gather in streets, parks and open spaces to protest systemic racism, police brutality and the injustices felt by the black community. Floyd’s death and several other similar events have reinvigorated the discussion on law enforcement policy, criminal justice reform and the right to public assembly.
The Center for New York City Law and CityLand prides itself on transparent reporting and objectivity in coverage. We are committed to providing our readers the facts and the legal information necessary to engage in civic discussion and meaningful discourse. The Center through its publications, breakfast series, and continuing legal education seminars has been and will continue to be a safe and welcoming place to discuss the City’s and society’s pressing legal and policy issues.
Please stay tuned as we shed light on some of these important legal questions and as we continue our COVID-19 information updates. In the meantime, linked below are previous CityLand articles covering topics that are relevant to the present discussion. Also please click on the link to read New York Law School’s Dean Anthony Crowell’s community messages on George Floyd which includes additional resources prepared be the New York Law School’s Impact Center for Public Interest Law.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE
CityLand’s Past Coverage on Police Misconduct and Criminal Justice Reform
Eric Garner’s death: No Justice, No Peace
In 2017, CityLaw covered the police misconduct investigations, civil settlements, and trials that were conducted after Eric Garner’s death in 2014. Written by Jonathon Sizemore.
CityLaw Profile: Elizabeth Glazer, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office on Criminal Justice
CityLaw profiled Elizabeth Glazer, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office on Criminal Justice. The profile covers Executive Director Glazer’s future plans for criminal justice reform in the City which include improving neighborhood safety through community initiatives and improving fairness in the criminal justice system by focusing on racial bias. Written by May Vutrapongvatana.
CityLand’s Past Coverage on Protests and Rallies
Needed: Large Venues for Large Protest/Rallies in New York City
Peaceful protest marches and rallies have been instrumental in bringing about significant change in racial, gender, LGBTQ and economic equality; reproductive rights; climate policy; capital punishment; housing; criminal justice, and voting rights. Yet in recent years, appropriate venues have been unavailable for large peaceful protests, raising the question of whether City practices inappropriately limit the exercise of First Amendment rights. Written by Norman Siegel and Saralee Evans.
In 2019, the Great Lawn was closed to the public for a large-scale festival, OZYFEST. The use of the Great Lawn to facilitate a commercial venture raises the following questions: What and who is the Great Lawn intended to serve? The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides for first amendment protest rallies on the Great Lawn. Have such rallies been permitted in recent years: If not, why not? Commentary written by Norman Siegel.
CityLaw Breakfasts that Address Police Reform
Michael F. Armstrong – Former Chief Counsel on 1972 Knapp Commission (02/10/2012) – Discussed the Knapp Commission and what it discovered about police corruption within the NYPD.
William Bratton – Former NYPD Commissioner (10/9/2015) – Discussed use of force guidelines and updates to police training.
Jeremy Travis – VP of Arnold Ventures and former President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice (03/08/2019) – “Crime and Justice Trends: The New York City Story 1981-2018”).
For CityLand‘s further coverage of the protests, police reform and justice reform, click here. For New York City-specific COVID-19 updates, the City has established an information site with updates from all major administrative agencies. Agencies include the Department of Buildings, City Planning, Citywide Administrative Services, the Department of Finance and the Department of Transportation among others. You can find that page here.
Signed,
CityLand Staff