Manhattan Man Charged With Murder Of 17-Year-Old

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging GARY TURNER with the April 24, 2018, murder of Samuel Ozuna, 17, outside the George Washington Carver Houses in New York, New York.  TURNER was arrested this morning and was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman.  TURNER will be arraigned on May 8, 2018, at 2:30 p.m., before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman, to whom the case has been assigned.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “Just a few days ago, as alleged in the indictment, Gary Turner murdered 17-year-old Samuel Ozuna.  Thanks to the outstanding efforts of the NYPD, Turner is now in custody and charged with this terrible crime.  We will continue our daily work with the NYPD to keep the streets safe and to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who wreak violence upon our community.”

NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said:  “Violence will never be tolerated in New York City.  I commend all the professionals whose dogged investigative work enabled the NYPD and our law enforcement partners to swiftly identify, apprehend and bring this alleged killer to justice.”

As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:

On April 24, 2018, GARY TURNER shot and killed Samuel Ozuna in the vicinity of 60 East 104th Street in Manhattan.  TURNER killed Ozuna in part to maintain and increase his position in a racketeering enterprise operating in and around the George Washington Carver Houses.

TURNER is charged with using a firearm to commit murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of death, or life in prison, and a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison.  The statutory maximum penalty is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.           

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD.     

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

 [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

BP DIAZ, REP. SERRANO & DIEGO BEEKMAN TENANTS RALLY AGAINST PROPOSED JAIL SITE AT CURRENT NYPD TOW POUND

  

Arline Jacobs-Parks, CEO and Vice Chair of the Diego Beekman Mutual Housing Association said “Here at this historic site, steps away from three schools, homeowners, and our 38 building Diego Beekman Housing complex, we are gathered here to tell Mayor de Blasio and the members of the New York City Council that we need real transformational investment.”  She added "We need the Diego Beekman Neighborhood Development Plan. That’s why we are standing together to tell Mayor de Blasio – yes to housing, jobs, fresh food and economic opportunity. No to the jail at this site!” 

  Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. said “Make no mistake: Rikers Island is a stain on the soul of this city. We all agree that it must close. But if a new jail is to be built in The Bronx, our borough’s interests should not be steamrolled in the land use process,” He added “Any new site for a jail in this borough must be thoroughly vetted, and the people of The Bronx and their elected leadership must have a meaningful say in its selection.”

Congressman Jose. E. Serrano said, “I haven’t given up our side of the fight,” adding “Mr. Mayor, I join our borough president in saying to you: rethink this. We don’t want it here. We want Diego Beekman to keep growing, and we want our community to keep growing.”

The site at the corner of East 141st Street and Concord Avenue was the original site of Lincoln Hospital, and then when the new Lincoln Hospital was built the city turned the empty lot into the Bronx Tow Pound. Now the city wants to move the tow pound to an undisclosed location and turn this into a new Bronx Jail when the Rikers Island Prison is closed by the city. 

  The above renderings are what Diego Beekman would like to develop on the site. Affordable housing and shopping such as a supermarket for the community. Diego Beekman manages 100,000 Apartments nationwide. 6,000 are in NYC with 2,300 in the Bronx. 

ENGEL DEMANDS ANSWERS ON JEWISH SERVICEMEMBERS’ ACCESS TO WORSHIP

  Congressman Eliot L. Engel, Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, called for a swift investigation into reports that Jewish service members at Fort Campbell have been deprived of access to religious services. In a letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Rep. Engel expressed concern about Fort Campbell putting Jewish religious holidays on hold and dismissing the base’s Jewish lay leaders without explanation. Engel wants to ensure that an investigation, known in the military as a 15-6 investigation, is conducted timely and efficiently to determine why these service members appear to have been denied their religious freedom. Fort Campbell is located on the Kentucky-Tennessee border.

“Members of the U.S. Armed Forces are entitled to freely exercise their religion. The dismissal of the Jewish lay leaders, the reports that division chaplains refused to support attempts to celebrate Passover, and the discontinuation of Shabbat services would appear to infringe on the Constitutionally guaranteed religious freedom of the Jewish service members at Fort Campbell,” Rep. Engel wrote in the letter.

Full text of the letter can be found below:

Dear Secretary Mattis,

I write concerning the dismissal of Jeanette and Curt Mize, the Jewish lay leaders at Fort Campbell and urge you to ensure that this matter is fully investigated in a thorough manner.

Jeanette Mize claims that she and her family were dismissed without cause by the division chaplain, Col. John Murphy, and his deputy chaplain, Lt. Col. Sean Wead on February 28th. To this date, there has been no public explanation as to why they were dismissed.

Jeanette Mize and her family have provided weekly Shabbat and yearly worship services for the roughly eighty members of the Jewish Community at Fort Campbell since 1999. Since their dismissal, no Shabbat services have been held at Fort Campbell and the nearest synagogue in Nashville is more than an hour away.

I am also deeply concerned by reports that the chaplains attempted to prevent a Passover event on March 30th and then refused to support it because it conflicted with Good Friday celebrations. Denial of religious services on the grounds that they conflict with the Christian schedule would be an egregious infringement on the rights of the Jewish service members and their families.

Members of the U.S. Armed Forces are entitled to freely exercise their religion. The dismissal of the Jewish lay leaders, the reports that division chaplains refused to support attempts to celebrate Passover, and the discontinuation of Shabbat services would appear to infringe on the Constitutionally guaranteed religious freedom of the Jewish service members at Fort Campbell.  

I am pleased that a 15-6 investigation has been opened to look into this matter and I urge its swift and thorough completion.

Sincerely,

Eliot L. Engel

Member of Congress

STATEMENT FROM STATE SENATOR GUSTAVO RIVERA ON STATEMENT FROM STATE SENATOR GUSTAVO RIVERA ON SAFE CONSUMPTION SPACES FEASIBILITY STUDY

  "About three months ago, during Mayor de Blasio's testimony at the Local Government budget hearing, I asked when the feasibility study on Safer Consumption Spaces (SCS) would be released and I was told that we should expect it in the near future. Overdose and substance abuse are part of a health crisis that is dramatically impacting the people I serve in the Bronx. In New York City, we lose a person to a fatal overdose every seven hours, and I believe that SCS is a tool we must use to increase access to harm reduction services and combat these preventable deaths. As New Yorkers, we face challenges and complex issues head on and the study and implementation safe consumption sites should not be any different. If we are to overcome the opioid crisis, we need to explore and implement innovative and bold solutions. As we start a new month, I urge the Mayor to release the feasibility study immediately and recognize the research and evidence that proves this innovation will prevent deaths in the community I represent and help address the health crisis that is hurting New Yorkers throughout our city."

Senator Rivera questions Mayor De Blasio at the General Government Budget Hearing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vluUvuX64JM&feature=youtu.be

THE MAYOR’S PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT UNIT – MAY EVENTS SCHEDULE

Throughout May, Mayor de Blasio’s Public Engagement Unit has events planned citywide to help New Yorkers access resources and information from the Tenant Support Unit, Home Support Unit, and GetCoveredNYC. Follow @MayorsPEUon Twitter for more updates and details on events.

The Tenant Support Unit engages and provides assistance to New Yorkers who may be at risk of displacement or experiencing harassment in zip codes covered under the Human Resources Administration (HRA)’s Anti-Harassment Tenant Protection legal service funding. In addition, TSU proactively engages New Yorkers who may be eligible for the Department of Finance’s Rent Freeze benefits to assist them through the application process. Outreach specialists go door to door to inform tenants of their rights, identify any housing-related issues and connect them with a range of resources, such as anti-eviction legal assistance, to keep them in their homes. In addition, outreach specialists’ partner with elected officials and community groups to hold weekly office hours and attend local events.

The Home Support Unit partners with landlords and brokers to identify apartments for clients transitioning out of shelter with rental subsidies. HSU partners closely with the Human Resources Administration, the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), and community-based providers to match prospective tenants to apartments, coordinate viewings, and navigate landlords and brokers through the City’s leasing process. Specialists remain engaged with the landlord even after lease signing to ensure new tenants are supported and have access to resources that help them remain stably housed.

GetCoveredNYC is a city-wide initiative to enroll New Yorkers in health insurance and provide them with access to primary and preventive care at NYC Health and Hospitals. The initiative is a partnership between NYC Health and Hospitals, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Human Resources Administration and MetroPlus. The initiative includes a robust team of outreach specialists, who proactively go door to door and call uninsured New Yorkers to discuss their health insurance options, schedule them for free in-person enrollment assistance and case manage them through the enrollment process. In addition, the initiative runs a city-wide public information campaign to promote the importance of coverage and how New Yorkers can receive free in-person enrollment assistance, either in-person or over the phone by calling 311 or texting ‘CoveredNYC’ (‘SeguroNYC’ in Spanish) to 877877.

For more information on these programs and services, New Yorkers can call 311 or visit www.nyc.gov.

The Bronx

May 1

Office of State Senator Rivera

2432 Grand Concourse

Bronx, NY 10458

11:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.

(Tennant Support Unit)

May 1

Office of Assembly Member Blake

78 Concourse Village West

Bronx, NY 10451

11:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.

(Tennant Support Unit)

May 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 & 31

NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx

3424 Kossuth Avenue

Bronx, NY 10467

9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.

(GetCoveredNYC)

May 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31

NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi

1400 Pelham Parkway South

Bronx, NY 10461

9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.

(GetCoveredNYC)

May 4, 11, 18 & 25

NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln

234 East 149^th Street

Bronx, NY 10451

9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.

(GetCoveredNYC)

May 15

Office of Councilmember Gibson

1377 Jerome Avenue

Bronx, NY 10452

11:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.

(Tennant Support Unit)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: COUNCIL MEMBER ANDY KING TO HOST CONSTITUENT NIGHT ON THURSDAY, MAY 3RD

  In order to better serve his constituents beyond the hours of 9-5, New York City Council Member Andy King and his staff will be hosting “Constituent Services Night” in a different NYCHA housing development in the 12th Council District.

A Constituent Service Night Event will be held on Thursday, May 3rd, 5-7  p.m. at Baychester Houses, 1881 Schieffelin Place,( in front of the park) Bronx. Services will include resources and solutions for housing, food stamps, immigration status and basic services. Representatives from Home Base/Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New York and Urban Justice Center will be in attendance to address constituents’ needs as well as provide information and resources.

There are five NYCHA housing developments in the 12th District: Gun Hill Houses, Baychester Houses, Boston Secor, Eastchester Gardens and Edenwald.

NYCHA residents can preschedule an appointment by calling the Office of Council Member Andy King at (718) 684-5509.

MAYOR DE BLASIO APPOINTS INTERIM CIVIL COURT JUDGE; REAPPOINTS THREE FAMILY COURT JUDGES

  Mayor de Blasio announced the appointment of interim Civil Court Judge Deepa Ambekarand the reappointment of three Family Court judges. These judges have primarily dedicated their careers to work in the public sector and have demonstrated a commitment to serving with impartiality, compassion, and respect.   

“Every New Yorker deserves access to a fair and equitable justice system,” said Mayor de Blasio. “I know these judges will ensure due process is afforded to all who come before their court.”

CIVIL COURT

Judge Deepa Ambekar

Judge Ambekar served with the New York City Council for three years as Senior Legislative Attorney and Counsel to the Committee on Public Safety. Prior to that, she was a Staff Attorney at the Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense Division, and a litigation associate at a private firm. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her law degree from Rutgers Law School. Judge Ambekar is appointed to Civil Court and will be serving in Criminal Court.

FAMILY COURT

Judge Jeanette Ruiz

Judge Ruiz was appointed as a Family Court Judge in April 2008 and has been serving as the Administrative Judge of New York City Family Court since 2015. She was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in July 2007 and presided in Family Court. More than half her career before the bench was in public service, having served for 11 years collectively with four city agencies including the Law Department, as well as the New York City Administration for Children’s Services where she served as Deputy Commissioner of the Family Permanency Services Division. Judge Ruiz received her undergraduate degree from Hunter College, her master's degree from Columbia University's School of Social Work, and her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

Judge Javier Vargas

Judge Vargas has been a Family Court Judge since December 2015. Prior to his appointment, he served with the New York State Unified Court System for 22 years in various capacities including Senior Court Attorney in the New York State Court of Appeals and Nassau County Family Court; Principal Law Clerk in Supreme Court and Appellate Division; and as a Housing Court Judge in Bronx County. He received his undergraduate degree from SUNY at Buffalo, law degree from SUNY Buffalo, School of Law and master of law degree from New York University School of Law.

Judge Judith Waksberg

Judge Waksberg was appointed as a Family Court Judge in January 2017. She was first appointed to the bench as an Interim Civil Court Judge in July 2015 and served in Family Court. She had been with the Legal Aid Society her entire career for 32 years, primarily in the Juvenile Rights Appeals Unit where she last served as the Director for 17 years. Judge Waksberg graduated from Brandeis University and received her law degree from New York University School of Law.

NYC Elected Officials and Advocates Call for Instant Runoff Voting

Public Advocate Tish James, NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, and Council Member Brad Lander Join Call on Mayoral Commission to support IRV

Grace Ramsey, Deputy Outreach Director for FairVote, calls on the Mayoral Commission to consider Instant Runoff Voting.

On the steps of City Hall, New York City elected officials and advocates today call on the Mayoral Charter Revision Commission to implement instant runoff voting. The group, convened by FairVote, a national nonpartisan electoral reform organization, assert this reform is an important step in giving voters a greater voice in elections and bringing more fair representation to city government. Used in 15 American cities, instant runoff voting (IRV) improves voter turnout over traditional “delayed runoff” systems, saves taxpayer money, and rewards candidates who reach out to more voters. Because voters are allowed to rank candidates, the system is called “ranked choice voting” in some cities using it like Minneapolis, San Francisco and Oakland.

Photo: An example of what an IRV ballot would look like in a City Council election.

With IRV as proposed in New York City, voters will rank candidates in order of preference. If a candidate earns more than half of the votes - that is, more than half of first choices - then that candidate wins. If not, all but the top two vote-getters are eliminated, and ballots from the eliminated candidates go to the runoff finalist who is ranked next on each ballot. The winner will earn a majority of the instant runoff vote in this head-to-head contest without voters having to vote a second time.

After the runoff for Public Advocate in 2013, which cost the city $13 million and saw a turnout of only 6.9 percent, elected officials and advocates agree on the need for reform. At today’s public event, speakers touted the benefits of IRV. If a system like IRV were implemented, voters electing government leaders would be more reflective of the city’s racial and ethnic makeup as older, whiter and wealthier voters are more dominant in runoffs. IRV in other cities has shown to give more power to racial minorities and low-income communities.

For additional data on New York City Democratic Primary runoff turnouts, click here

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced during his annual State of the City that the Mayoral Charter Revision Commission would be focusing on campaign finance reform, as well as voting reform, and held its first meeting last week. The commission has the power to increase voter participation by including IRV as a charter amendment on the November ballot.

“It is clear that instant runoff voting increases democracy for all voters and for the voices of communities of color. The voters electing their leaders will be more reflective of the city’s racial and ethnic makeup because older, whiter and wealthier voters are more dominant in the old-fashioned, delayed runoffs. IRV is a proven, common-sense, fiscally responsible means to increase voter participation and ensure all views are respected,” said Rob Richie, executive director at FairVote.

“We must make it easier for New Yorkers to elect those who represent them,” said Public Advocate Letitia James. “Instant runoff voting not only makes elections more accessible, but also saves taxpayers millions of dollars. This is a simple solution to make voting more democratic, and ensure that the voices of all New Yorkers are heard equally.”

“Run-off elections take up time and resources – even though most voters don’t participate in them. We need the broadest possible coalition of New Yorkers voting in our elections, rather than a few party faithful. And we cannot afford to be wasting tens of millions of dollars on rounds of elections that people don’t participate in,” said New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. “There’s a better, tried-and-true way – instant runoff voting. It’s a system that saves taxpayers and increases voter turnout. It’s a common sense reform that leaders at all levels of government should embrace for New York City.”

“I support instant runoff voting because it enhances the voice of the people while saving taxpayers money. As the charter review process gets underway in the weeks ahead, I look forward to advancing a meaningful dialogue about this progressive policy. We have a golden opportunity to implement electoral reforms that expand engagement in our democracy, particularly in communities who have historically faced underrepresentation,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

“Instant runoff voting (IRV) is a win-win-win,” said Council Member Brad Lander. “It increases voter participation. It makes our elections more inclusive, by encouraging all candidates to reach out to all communities. And it will save the city millions of dollars,” said Councilmember Brad Lander. “It is time for New York City to make this switch to a more democratic and fiscally responsible system. I’m proud to join Fair Vote, Public Advocate Tish James, Comptroller Scott Stringer, good government organizations, and many of my Council colleagues in calling on the Charter Revision Commission to include IRV as part of its deliberations, and to develop a ballot proposal to bring to the voters in November.”

“New York City’s current scanning voting machines, the ES&S DS-200 can easily be programmed to handle instant runoff voting. Minneapolis uses the same voting scanners as New York City and has very successfully managed the switch to instant runoff voting,” said Douglas Kellner, Co-Chair of New York State Board of Elections.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

  The above ballot was used in New York City for School Board elections which were eliminated after years of use. One problem is that when people rank their choices their vote will sometimes go to a candidate which was not a top preference. This creates a false percentage of vote received since a second, third. fourth or even lower choice is counted as a first choice vote. That happens when candidates other than the top two vote getters are eliminated, and the vote is dropped down to the higher of the two remaining candidates in the run off. 

  This system encourages candidates to work together so that if one is eliminated those votes would then drop down to the other candidate in the race. That creates a false winner since all one would have to do is make it into the run off, and have enough votes dropped down to them to win. Thus the candidate who receives the most votes under the minimum needed to win could and would lose the race with the drop down system rather than winning in a one-on-one run off election.