A Brooklyn man whose assault charges were dismissed remains in prison after already serving five years. ABC7 reports that Oswind David was sentenced to 23 years in Sing Sing because a jury was not aware that a judge has tossed out David's indictments due to a prosecutorial error. "They have a Judge, a DA, a defense counsel, and everybody miss this?" David asks. more ›

In 2003, 20-year-old Rodney Williams was doing time at Sing Sing for car theft. But just three weeks before getting out, he died after someone poisoned his coffee with Magic Shave hair powder. He had reportedly told guards that a fellow inmate put something in his drink, but Judge Terry Jane Ruderman said they were slow to get him help: "Had Williams received medical care in the morning hours of October 9, 2003, he would have had a significant chance of survival." more ›

A new law takes mercy on hobbled prison inmates who, for physical reasons, are no longer a danger to society; it also saves the state the high cost of caring for them. An extended version of the law (which now includes sex offenders and violent felons) went into effect last year, but on February 9th, Don Juan Britt became the first jailbird paroled under its jurisdictions. Britt—who violently stabbed a man in Crown Heights—has served 15 years of a 20 year sentence despite being paralyzed by a brain aneurysm. Patrick Lynch, president of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, was outraged that the convict will walk free. "This is a softening of penalties in the law that completely ignores the pain and suffering of the crime victims," he said. more ›

Shelley Winters, the actress who typically played blowsy and loud women, died today in California. She suffered heart failure while at a nursing center. Her career started in New York theater, had a long run as the sexpot in film, then later drunken shrew, and the later part of her career, comedians would make fun of her weight. The NY Times obituary included this quote of hers that "[described her life as a] rocky road out of the Brooklyn ghetto to one New York apartment, two Oscars, three California houses, four hit plays, five Impressionist paintings, six mink coats and 99 films." Winters was actually born in East St. Louis, but grew up in Brooklyn - and her father even served time at Sing Sing. more ›

Ida Dupont, Professor of Criminal Justice, Women's Advocate more ›