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ICP has published a (double) book about
a variety of Bronx-relevant topics -- a review in
Commonweal magazine of Dec. 5, 2003, opines that
"Predatory Bender... is as vivid an account of life in
the Bronx as you are likely to read" -- click here for
sample chapters, here for
an interactive map,
here
for fast ordering
and
delivery, and here for
other ordering
information. See
also, "City
Lit: Roman a Klepto [Review of ‘Predatory Bender’],"
by Matt Pacenza, City Limits, Sept.-Oct. 2004. CBS
MarketWatch of April 23, 2004, says the
the novel has "some very funny moments," and that the
non-fiction mixes "global statistics and first-person accounts."
The Washington
Post
of March 15, 2004, calls Predatory Bender: America in
the Aughts "the first novel about predatory lending;" the
London
Times of April 15, 2004, "A Novel Approach," said it "has
a cast of colorful characters." The Pittsburgh
City Paper of Dec. 11, 2003, wrote that it "may, in fact,
be the first great American lending malfeasance novel" including
"low-level loan sharks, class-action lawyers, corporate bigwigs,
hired muscle, corrupt politicians, Iraq War veterans, Wall
Street analysts, reporters and one watchdog with a Web
site." And all in The Bronx! Click
here
for that
review; for more information, contact us.
See, in Nov 2021, Inner City Press' book "Belt and Roadkill,"
here
By
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell
book
BBC -
Honduras
- CIA
Trial book - NY
Mag
SDNY
COURTHOUSE, Dec 3 – Wilson
Galarza, a man
diagnosed with
bi-polar and
post-traumatic
stress
disorders, had
the police
called on him
on March 12,
2017 in his
apartment at
1635 East
174th Street
in The Bronx.
In a short
period of
time, he was
hit with a
taser, and
shot in the
eye. He sued.
On November
28, 2022, U.S.
District Court
for the
Southern
District of
New York
Magistrate
Judge
Katharine H.
Parker held a
proceeding.
Inner City
Press covered
it.
There was talk
of Monnell and
of
bifurcation.
Plaintiff's
counsel said
he did not
favor a trial
against the
individual
officers
happening
before and
separate from
a trial
against the
City. A jury
might in the
first instance
think the City
was more to
blame, then
the opposite
in the second
trial.
Judge
Parker ordered
that
Plaintiff's
expert report
on the extend
of eye damage
is due by
January 18.
The next
conference is
set for
January 26 at
2:30 pm.
The case is Galarza v. City of New York et al., 19-cv-10898 (Kaplan / Parker)
***
By
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell
book
BBC -
Honduras
- CIA
Trial book - NY
Mag
SDNY
COURTHOUSE, Nov 24 – Justin Hampton
faces trial on November 28 -
or two trials, with the jury to be informed of the
final count only after
it deliberates on the
first four. Inner
City Press has been covering
the case and the counts and
will report on the
trial(s).
Counts 1
through 4 involve armed
robberies in The Bronx (a
pizzeria on Bruckner Boulevard
and a dollar store in
Soundview) as well as Brooklyn
and Queens. Count 5 is being a
felon in
possession.
On November 23,
2022, U.S. District Court for
the Southern District of New
York Judge John P. Cronan
ruled that "on November 28 the
Court will commence trial on
Counts One though Four without
notifying the jury that there
is a fifth count. Once the
first phase of the trial
concludes... the Court will
inform the jury of the
existence of Court Five and
proceed with a trial as to
that final count."
Inner City Press
will report on it.
The case is US v. Hampton, 21-cr-766 (Cronan)
***
By
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell
Book
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- ESPN
SDNY
MAG COURT EXCLUSIVE, Nov 14 - In the U.S.
District Court for the Southern District of New
York on November 10, a detention or bond
proceeding was held by Magistrate Judge Sarah L.
Cave on a 68 year old defendant charged with
twice recently shooting a gun on the streets of
The Bronx.
Inner City Press was there, the only media in
the Mag Court.
The
defendant Walter Moore, according to the
Assistant US Attorney, had fired a gun on June
14 by 4702 White Plains Road, under the elevated
train. A bullet shattered the door of a bodega.
It was three in the afternoon.
Then,
the AUSA said, Moore again fired a gun on
September 19 in front of the building where he
lives. He asked for detention.
The Federal Defenders emphasized his age, and
that he had just spent 10 years on New York
State probation, without reported incident.
Yes,
the AUSA said, after serving 25 years in prison
for hitting a woman with a pipe and throwing her
out the windows.
Judge
Cave said that once Moore got a co-signer, and
his house checked for installation of GPS
tracking, he could be released.
The
AUSA asked a stay, in order to appeal. At first
Judge Cave said a stay was unnecessary, since
Moore will lacked the co-signer and home visit.
But after some phone calls, the stayed was
extended.
On
November 14, District Judge Valerie E. Caproni
heard the appeal, and Inner City Press was
there. Two videos were shown of the June 2022
shooting - a young man went into the bodega,
words were exchange, Moore fired at him and
another young man who both ran down the sidewalk
toward City Lane Farmacia.
The Federal Defender, when asked why the two
were shot at, said the Moore "understands them
to have raped his girlfriend." Judge Caproni
said even if it were true, Moore can't hunt
people. She noted he spent $1600 on a gun, while
on a limited income. There was also the still
unexplained shooting at 740 Cranford Avenue
where he lives.
Judge Caproni ordered Moore detained, but issued
detailed medical instructions about his disks
and kidney.
By
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell
Book
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- ESPN
SDNY
MAG COURT EXCLUSIVE, Nov 10 - In the U.S.
District Court for the Southern District of New
York on November 10, a detention or bond
proceeding was held by Magistrate Judge Sarah L.
Cave on a 68 year old defendant charged with
twice recently shooting a gun on the streets of
The Bronx.
Inner City Press was there, the only media in
the Mag Court.
The
defendant Walter Moore, according to the
Assistant US Attorney, had fired a gun on June
14 by 4702 White Plains Road, under the elevated
train. A bullet shattered the door of a bodega.
It was three in the afternoon.
Then,
the AUSA said, Moore again fired a gun on
September 19 in front of the building where he
lives. He asked for detention.
The Federal Defenders emphasized his age, and
that he had just spent 10 years on New York
State probation, without reported incident.
Yes,
the AUSA said, after serving 25 years in prison
for hitting a woman with a pipe and throwing her
out the windows.
Judge
Cave said that once Moore got a co-signer, and
his house checked for installation of GPS
tracking, he could be released.
The
AUSA asked a stay, in order to appeal. At first
Judge Cave said a stay was unnecessary, since
Moore will lacked the co-signer and home visit.
But after some phone calls, the stayed was
extended.
By
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell
Book
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- ESPN
SDNY
COURTHOUSE, Nov 2 - In the U.S. District
Court for the Southern District of New York on
November 2, defendant Williams Soto-Montanez was
up for sentencing in connection with bringing a
gun and fentanyl from Wisconsin to The Bronx.
The US Attorney's Office argued for 87 months
imprisonment; the defense lawyer, for a year and
a day.
District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil inquired into
the safety value, and emphasized the seriousness
of fentanyl, when one has to worry about even
kids at Halloween being impacted.
Soto-Montanez spoke for himself, and movingly.
He said he had made an enormous mistake, that
was unlike him. He described conditions in the
MDC. His employer BSM Transportation of West
Allis, Wisconsin had written a letter for him,
that they would hire him back and have him train
other employees.
Judge
Vyskocil took a break to collect her thoughts,
then reported to impose a sentence of 48 months
or four years. The defense lawyer requested a
facility near Milwaukee, with a GED program,
calling his client a deep thinker.
The
case is US v. Soto-Montanez, 21-cr-95 (Vyskocil)
The
defendant Malik Townsend was put into state
custody three days after the robbery, wearing a
Rolex Day-Date watch missing a diamond in a
certain location, "below where the 6:00 hour
marker would be located."
Citing the Hobbs Act, and the interstate sales
of the West 207th Street jewelry story, the
defendant was taken into Federal custody on
November 1 at 8:30 am.
Judge Moses asked if his CJA lawyer would be
asking for release on bond. He is already in
state custody, was the answer. "So it would do
much good." He was detained on consent.
The
case is US v. Townsend, 22-mj-6683 (Moses)
By
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
Honduras
- The
Source - The
Root - etc
SDNY
COURTHOUSE, May 18 – In the U.S.
District Court for the
Southern District of New York
on October 25, a Violation of
Supervised Release proceeding
was held by Magistrate Judge
Robert W. Lehrburger on a
defendant expressing concern
for his safety in certain
jails. Inner City Press was
there, the only media in the
Mag Court.
The
defendant, Alexander Melendez, was charged with
having a gun on October 18, and associating with
a known felon.
Now with a Criminal Justice Act lawyer from
Mayer Brown LLP, Melendez consented to detention
at least until an appearance before Judge Kaplan
on November 8 at 2:30 pm.
But
after consenting, his counsel asked Magistrate
Judge Lehrburger that Melendez be placed in the
Putnam or Essex County jails, "due to safety
concerns." Whether transport to Putnam would be
possible was unclear.
Melendez was and is part of a case the trial of which, before District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, Inner City Press previously reported on (Melendez' cross examination appears at the end of this report)
On
the second day of 2014 in The Bronx, New York
Shaquille Malcolm was repeatedly shot and killed
in a building in the Allerton section.
By
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell
Book
BBC-Guardian
UK - Honduras
- ESPN NY
Mag
SDNY
COURTHOUSE, Oct 21 – Eduar Vidal is
facing trial on bank fraud charges, for a scheme
in which the auto dealership he ran processed
faked auto loans.
On
May 27, U.S. District Court for the Southern
District of New York Judge Denise L. Cote held
an in-person final pre-trial conference. Inner
City Press went and covered it.
Judge
Cote put on the record that the US Attorney's
Office offered Vidal a plea deal for 18 to 24
months, which he rejected.
The Assistant US Attorney took to the podium,
took off his mask and said if Vidal pleads
guilty before trial without a deal the
guidelines would be 41 to 51 months. If he goes
to trial and is found guilty, the AUSA said, it
would be 51 to 63 months - to some, a form of
penalty.
Judge Cote turned to motions in limine, whether
statements by those whose names were on the auto
loan applications will be admissible as
statements of conspirators.
Vidal
sought to keep them out, as well as his
immigration status and Dominican citizenship.
The statements are in, but immigration out.
Jump
cut to June 21: Judge Cote summoned the parties,
including the defendant, to appear at 9 am with
the charging conference. Then the closing
arguments - Vidal's able lawyer said only an
honest man would have consulted his lawyer,
Nelson Rosado - and then, at 4 pm, the verdict.
Inner
City Press was there, as were some 15 other
people, seemingly supporters of the defendant.
The verdict? Count 1: Guilty. Count 2: guilty.
Judge Cote thanked the jurors for their service.
And it was over, at least the trial phase.
On
October 21, the judgment was filed: 48 months in
prison, with Pennsylvania recommended: "FILED
JUDGMENT IN A CRIMINAL CASE as to Eduar Vidal
(1), Count(s) 1, 2 are dismissed on the motion
of the US. Found guilty to Count(s) 1s, 2s.
Imprisonment for a total term of 48 Months.
Supervised release for a term of 3 Years. The
court makes the following recommendations to the
Bureau of Prisons that the defendant be
designated to a facility close to Pennsylvania.
The defendant shall surrender for service of
sentence at the institution designated by the
Bureau of Prisons before 2pm on 12/21/2022."
By
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell
book
BBC -
Honduras
- CIA
Trial book - NY
Mag
SDNY
COURTHOUSE, Oct 11 – Claudia Lucero and others
sued the Papa Hotel Corp. for FLSA violations,
alleging national origin
discrimination.
On
October 11, 2022, U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of New York Judge Edgardo
Ramos held a proceeding. Inner City Press
covered it.
The
defendant runs the Jetset Hotel and the Metro
Suites Hotel, located at 2327 Bathgate Avenue in
The Bronx. Plaintiffs allege they did not
receive minimum wage, nor overtime.
Judge
Ramos referred them to court-ordered mediation.
By
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell
Book
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- ESPN
SDNY
MAG COURT EXCLUSIVE, Oct 14 - In the U.S.
District Court for the Southern District of New
York on October 13, three detention or bond
proceedings were held by Magistrate Judge
Katharine H. Parker. Inner City Press was there,
the only media in the Mag Court.
Defendant Andy Mercado, arrested with two others
after a month's wire-tapping and observation of
a drug stash house on Loring Place South in The
Bronx, asked to be released on bond. His lawyer
said the "Andy" on the wire taps might not be
him. But his passport was found in the drug
filled room.
He was detained, as were Nelson Olivo and lead /
named defendant Joel Cosme Figueroa, who the
AUSA linked to fake oxy pills being left for a
customer called "stupid chick."
By
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell
Book
BBC-Guardian
UK -