Results tagged “wallofshame”

Nassau Police Commissioner Lawrence told reporters his officers "will be out in full force" this holiday weekend, monitoring for intoxicated drivers on the road. According to Newsday, "the summer stretch between the Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays" is referred to as the year's "hundred deadliest days" by police. Last Memorial Day weekend, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi posted the names, photos and addresses of anyone arrested for DWI on a "Wall of Shame" after a police officer was critically injured by a drunk driver. The wall has been somewhat modified, with only convicted drivers' information and photos posted. Suozzi said drunk driving-related deaths had decreased recently—17 in 2007, 13 in 2008—and called 2009's two fatalities a "completely unacceptable number."

With $2.5 billion in unpaid taxes owed to the state, State Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx) has introduced a bill that would post the names of tax scofflaws online. For instance, the Daily News reports that there's a "phone card company that owes more than $15 million" while "a Manhattan outfit that runs luxury yacht tours and owes $1.8 million." Klein says, "They're not paying their taxes, and hardworking people around the state of New York who are doing the right thing ...are getting hurt as a result." Assemblyman William Colton has also proposed a similar list—he'd like to list the "top 250 individual tax delinquents" and "top 250 business tax cheats." Maybe NYC should consider this idea.

The controversial gallery of people arrested for drunk driving in Nassau County is back online after some changes. Previously, the names, photos and addresses of arrestees were listed, but, after a judge ruled that the privacy of one alleged drunk driver was violated, now only the names and photos are posted. Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi told Newsday, "My objective has always been to get people to talk more about drunk driving, and to recognize that it's not a socially acceptable crime," but attorney Brian Griffin said, "Under current law in the state of New York, shaming is not a permissible punishment, either pre-conviction or post conviction." Suozzi, who created the "Wall of Shame" after a cop was seriously injured by a DWI driver after pulling over another DWI suspect in May, insists, "This is not about punishment. This is about educating people about drunk driving. This is all public information."

Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi announced he was taking down photographs and information of DWI arrestees from the county website--known as the Wall of Shame-- but that the photos and names of people convicted would be posted. A judge ruled that the privacy of one woman, who sued over her mugshot and name being included, was violated by the allegedly drunk rogues gallery. State Supreme Court Justice William LaMarca felt that posting the claimant's info online could expose her to "limitless and eternal notoriety." Suozzi, created the Wall of Shame after a cop was seriously injured by a DWI driver after pulling over another DWI suspect, promised to appeal and feels the Wall was effective in making people reconsider driving while drunk. But one man who appeared on the Wall told Newsday, "I felt so bad because the people that I know - my family and friends - they know that I don't drink much. It's just a mistake. And everybody found out."

Nassau County is being sued over its DWI "Wall of Shame," which was instituted Memorial Day weekend after a cop was seriously injured by a DWI driver after pulling over another DWI suspect. Lawyer Brian Griffin says his client's mugshot and name should be removed from the Nassau County website, saying, "I don't think you need a law degree to understand that this fundamentally goes against a system of justice in which punishment occurs after you've been found guilty." However, Nassau County's public attorney argues, "These are public documents being given public airing," adding that the website stresses that the defendants are presumed innocent.

When Andrea Sangermano crashed into two cars on Long Island one night last May, she assured the arresting officers she wasn't drunk or high. And even though she could barely stand up, her breath test registered a blood-alcohol level of .00 percent. Only later did it occur to her to inform the cops that her behavior might have something to do with her being a diabetic in need of insulin. But that didn't stop Nassau County from publishing Sangermano's name and mug shot on their "Wall of Shame" of DWI arrests, where she stayed until yesterday, when a judge dismissed her charges. (The mug shots were also published on Newsday's website.) A spokesman for the county executive apologized but insisted "this is the first time" a defendant has been wrongly placed on the wall of suspects, who are publicly humiliated until proven ugly guilty.

Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi has revamped its DWI "Wall of Shame". Suozzi sought to publicize DWI arrests after a police officer was critically injured when a drunk driver hit him--the officer was in his cruiser on the LIE having just pulled over another DWI driver--and released names, addresses, and photos of arrestees. Now Suozzi has removed offenders under 19, after parents complained and the fact that the youngsters could be given "youthful offender" status. Note: One of the complaining parents was a Suozzi contributor whose 17-year-old daughter was pulled over.

Gianna Vigliotti was swept up in Nassau County's DWI crackdown and campaign to publicly announce DWI arrests (with arrestees' names, hometowns and mugshots) in order to deter drunk driving, but it turns out the 17-year-old resident told the police her Memorial Day weekend DWI was all a mistake.