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     Click here for Inner City Press' weekday news reports, from the United Nations and elsewhere.  Click here for a recent BBC piece on Inner City Press' reporting from the United Nations  Search This Site    Click for March 1, 2011 BloggingHeads.tv re Libya, Sri Lanka, UN Corruption by Inner City Press.     Click here for Inner City Press front page

  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.
2014: MRL on Beacon Reader

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - ESPN - The Source

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 25 – A 20-year old Bronx rapper on the run from Federal law enforcement since April has been captured after posting to Facebook from a newly bought cell phone.

 On September 25 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn held a detention proceeding. Inner City Press exclusively covered it. 

Assistant US Attorney Adam Hobson recounted how Count Cooks was named in a multi-defendant drug conspiracy indictment in April, and on the run since then. He made a point of quoting Cooks' lyrics from a recent song: "I'm a fugitive, but I'm still doin' sh*t."  More on Patreon here.

 Cooks' assigned Criminal Justice Act lawyer from Kramer Levin, who had just consented to the detention of other assigned clients named Hill and Martinez, made an application for bail.

He said later in the case there could be consideration of the evidentiary weight of rap lyrics, a topic Inner City Press has written and been quoted on (here on the SDNY trial with Tekashi69 in The New Yorker).

  But in this case, Judge Netburn concluded that there were not set of condition that could assure the safety of the community.

 Cooks was detained, and there is no listed court appearance until November. In the indictment he is a/k/a CJay. Inner City Press will stay on this and other cases in the SDNY.

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - ESPN - Doe Podcast

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 17 – Annie Doe - not her real name - while a student at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale in the North Bronx posted on Instagram criticism of protests to the alleged murder of George Floyd. 

She wrote, "Just because one black guy dies doesn't mean the entire world should act like untamed apes."   More on Patreon, here.

 She was charged with harassment, and issued a two year suspension and a referral to a homeless shelter.

She sued - and "has not left the premises." 

 On September 17 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Valerie E. Caproni held a lengthy proceeding. Inner City Press covered it - and ended up live tweeting, here.

 Annie Doe's lawyer conceded it is not a First Amendment case, since College of Mount Saint Vincent is a private school. But he attacked the disciplinary process Annie Doe was put through.  

 His complaint noted Annie Doe's support of Trump and MAGA, and the negative reactions these drew from other CMSV students. He sued for sex discrimination, retaliation and most intriguingly, breach of contract.  The College of Mount Saint Vincent lawyer said "the optics are bad," parents who pay tuition are asking why Annie Doe is still on campus. Her "electronic card access to the front door has been canceled" - but she has not left.

 Judge Caproni, past 5 pm, asked about dog whistles. Inner City Press, three hours into the hearing, began live tweeting.  

At 6 pm, Judge Caproni denied Annie Doe's requested injunction. She told the CMSV lawyer he has until October 2 to oppose - presumably, to make a motion to dismiss.

She offered the services of SDNY Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron, if both parties want it. There is a related case - Inner City Press will continue to follow and report on this, watch this site. More on Patreon, here.

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Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com
SDNY Press Room 480, front cubicle
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By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Song Radio
BBC - Decrypt - LightRead - Honduras - Source

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 10 – When after three days of jury selection the trial of Michael Avenatti for allegedly extorting Nike began on January 29, Assistant US Attorney Robert Sobelman told the selected jurors that Avenatti was supposed to look out for the interests of his client, but he did not - he had a weapon, social media.  More on 1st day on Patreon here.

 On August 7 in the Stormy Daniels case, Avenatti had motions heard by U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Jesse M. Furman. Inner City Press live tweeted it, here.

 On August 27, Inner City Press filed a formal request that documents in the case not be sealed, full filing on Patreon here.

  On August 28 Judge Furman entered an order: "The Court received the attached communication from Matthew Lee of Inner City Press “seeking leave to be heard and for the unsealing of the CJA Form 23, affidavit, and all associated documents” relating to this litigation. To the extent that Mr. Lee (who is admitted to the bar of the Southern District of New York) seeks leave to be heard, his application is GRANTED. The Court reserves judgment on the question of whether Defendant’s CJA Form 23 and related documents should be unsealed. SO ORDERED. Dated: August 28, 2020 New York, New York JESSE M. FURMAN." Docket No. 85, on Inner City Press' DocumentCloud, here.

  On September 2 Federal Defenders, rather than attempt to explain why they routinely divulge and put in the public record the financial information of less high profile and lower income clients, stating in Magistrates Court exactly how much their clients make and where they and even their spouses work, has written in this: "The defense acknowledges that the Court granted Matthew Lee, a representative of “Inner City Press,” leave to be heard on this matter. The defense requests leave to respond to Mr. Lee one week from the timely filing of any substantive brief or letter. For now, it bears emphasizing that the Court’s measures requiring the Federal Defenders to keep an accurate record of the hours spent on Mr. Avenatti’s defense, and also requiring Mr. Avenatti to regularly update the Court on his finances, are sufficient to protect the public fisc and to ensure that funds for court-appointed counsel are being properly spent. Further, “neither the First Amendment nor the common law provides a right of access to financial documents submitted with an initial application to demonstrate a defendant’s eligibility for CJA assistance.” In re Boston Herald, Inc., 321 F.3d 174, 191 (1st Cir. 2003). And “even if there were a common law presumption of access, then it would be outweighed here … by [Avenatti’s] countervailing privacy interests” and rights under the Fifth and Sixth Amendments. Id."  Full letter on Patreon here. It is UNacceptable -- the public's and press' right of access is not limited to the public fisc, it is based on the FIRST Amendment. 

  Hearing nothing more, but continuing to closely cover all things SDNY, on September 8 Inner City Press filed again: "Re: US v. Avenatti, 19-cr-374 (JMF) - Further on the need to unseal CJA Form 23 and associated documents including affidavit 

Dear Judge Furman:     Pursuant to this Court's August 28, 2020 Order granting leave to be heard, and in response to Federal Defenders' September 2 (footnote) response), this is a further argument for the unsealing of the CJA Form 23, affidavit and all associated documents in US v. Avenatti, 19-cr-374 (JMF).   

  Before citing case law, Inner City Press which closely covers SDNY criminal proceedings notes that just today, before SDNY Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses, the financial situation of defendant Jonathan Smith was fully disclosed on the record.

To obtain CJA counsel it was disclosed that Mr. Smith of The Bronx received $471 a week in unemployment, and pays $150 to $200 a month in child support of each of his three children, and $65 a month for cell phone service. See, US v. Smith, 20-cr-317 (Swain / Moses).    

We again ask, why should lower income and less high profile defendants in the SDNY have their financial information so disclosed while Avenatti's information is sealed in its entirety? 

  Avenatti in his other SDNY case, in which he was convicted by a jury, has requested another adjournment of sentencing, to December.   

 On September 10, Federal Defenders responded, saying that the disclosure of the Bronxite and Massachusetts drug defendants' information is somehow different than for Avenatti, who is apparently in their view due great privacy and protection. Then they threaten to appeal if Judge Furman rules for transparency: "RE: United States v. Michael Avenatti 19 Cr. 374 (JMF) Dear Judge Furman: We write to briefly respond to the letter submitted on behalf of Inner City Press by Matthew R. Lee requesting the unsealing of Michael Avenatti’s CJA 23 Form and accompanying affidavit. See Dkt. No. 90. Neither the public nor the media have a presumptive right to access the financial documents of a defendant who seeks court-appointed counsel under the Sixth Amendment. In re Boston Herald, Inc., 321 F.3d 174, 191 (1st Cir. 2003) (“[N]either the First Amendment nor the common law provides a right of access to financial documents submitted with an initial application to demonstrate a defendant’s eligibility for CJA assistance.”). And as discussed more thoroughly in Mr. Avenatti’s previous letters, any such common law or First Amendment interest is trumped by the real and appreciable risk of self-incrimination Mr. Avenatti faces should his sworn statements about his financial condition be made available to the government or publicly.1  1 As set forth in Mr. Avenatti’s reply to the government’s response in opposition to keeping his sworn financial statements sealed, the court in the Central District of California presiding over a different case against him has sealed Mr. Avenatti’s application for court-appointed counsel under Ninth Circuit precedent and local rules. Accordingly, Mr. Avenatti respectfully requests that the Court stay any order to unseal those same documents in this case so that he may pursue appropriate appellate relief."

We'll have more on this, once the situation becomes clearer - it is not clear if Inner City Press is permitted to surreply to this. It should not be necessary. The courts should be transparent, and defendants should be treated equally.

And later the US Attorney's Office said, " in light of the presumption of openness in criminal proceedings and the approach favored by the Second Circuit, the defendant has failed to provide a legally sufficient basis for wholesale and indefinite sealing of the CJA 23 Form and supporting affidavit." Full letter on Patreon here. Now we await Avenatti's / his Federal Defenders' reply. Watch this site.

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 9 –   Solomon Appiah was in his car in front of 1180 Webster Avenue in The Bronx on March 22, 2018 when his car was hit by a truck with New Jersey plates, owned by World Import of Livingston Avenue, LLC. Appiah sued. 

 He filed suit in state court, in The Bronx. But the NJ-based defendant removed it to Federal court. On September 9 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrate Judge James L. Cott held a proceeding. Inner City Press covered it.  

 One of the lawyer said that he would not long remain as counsel of record. Judge Cott pointed out that this could result in a new lawyer disagreeing with the schedule to be set that day.

He also said that 90 days to amend the complaint in this case was too long. "This is not rocket science," he said.  

 Only last week, Judge Cott was handling criminal case after criminal case in the Magistrates Court. But the (federal / diversity) law covers car crashes, too.

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN