Release The List
People accused of a crime deserve to know if the police officers testifying against them have credibility issues
Dear Readers,
In a fair justice system, anyone accused of a crime should have the right to know if police officers testifying against them have a history of credibility problems on the stand. But here in New York, we don’t have a fair justice system. Defense counsel isn’t privy to that information, and defendants are deprived of the ability to impeach an unreliable witness.
This creates a fundamental asymmetry of information that gives prosecutors an unfair advantage at the expense of justice. In all five boroughs of New York City, prosecutors have built databases of officers with credibility issues that they use to screen potential witnesses.
This information should be public. It is important to hold law enforcement accountable for things like failing to be truthful and we also need to know when officers with credibility issues change boroughs.
In Manhattan, I’ve called on DA Cy Vance to release his list of police officers who have been deemed unreliable witnesses. It’s unacceptable that this information is withheld from the public and any prosecutor who actually cares about justice shouldn’t have a problem with transparency. You can join our efforts by signing our petition asking DA Vance to release the list here. Real justice means a fair playing field for the accused and DA Vance cannot continue to use this information to his advantage. Please support us in our efforts to ensure that everyone receives justice.
Dan Quart
Publisher, New Yorkers for Justice
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