Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on New COVID-19 Vaccine and Urges Precautions as COVID-19 Cases Rise

 

Updated Vaccine Targets COVID-19 Omicron Subvariants Effective Against Newer Strains

CDC Recommends Vaccine for All New Yorkers Ages 6-Months and Older Who Are Two-Months Past Last Vaccine

New Yorkers Also Encouraged to Get Their Annual Flu Shot, in Addition to the Updated COVID Vaccine, and to Ask Providers About the RSV Vaccine

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the CDC’s approval last night of an updated COVID-19 vaccine and urged New Yorkers to get the shot once it is available later this week. The 2023-24 vaccine, previously authorized by the federal Food and Drug Administration, is expected to be available at pharmacies and physicians’ offices, as well as other health care providers, throughout New York State in the coming days.

“The vaccine has always been the best way to protect yourself and your community against COVID-19, and this updated vaccine addresses newer strains of the virus that are currently circulating,” Governor Hochul said. “As we enter the Fall season, when respiratory viruses circulate, it is vital that New Yorkers consider getting this updated vaccine to protect themselves from this still dangerous virus.”

The updated vaccine, necessary due to waning immunity and mutated variants, was reformulated and developed in recent months following the FDA decision to target a subvariant of Omicron, called XBB.1.5. According to CDC, more than 90% of the COVID viruses circulating are closely related to that strain, with tests showing the updated vaccine effective at increasing immunity to a more recent variant, called BA.2.86.

New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “As we head into the fall and winter months, and once again see an uptick in COVID across the State, I urge all New Yorkers to remember that COVID is a treatable disease, and we now have an updated vaccine that will help reduce your chance of serious illness and hospitalization. Remember, it’s about personal protection, personal prevention, and personal wellness.”

The updated COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months or older who has not received a COVID-19 vaccine in the past two months to protect against potentially serious illness from COVID-19. Recommended dosages vary dependent on age and COVID-19 vaccine history:

• Children 6 months through 4 years, who are getting the vaccine for the first time, should get two doses of a Moderna vaccine or three doses of a Pfizer vaccine.
• Children 6 months through 4 years who have been previously vaccinated should get just one dose of either updated vaccine.
• Those 5 through 11 are eligible to receive a single dose of the updated vaccine at least 2 months after their last dose of any COVID-19 vaccine regardless of previous vaccination.
• Those 12 and older who have been previously vaccinated are recommended to get a single dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna updated vaccine.
• Those 12 and older who have not been previously vaccinated are recommended to get a two-shot series.
• Those who have been infected with COVID-19 within the last two months should speak with a health care provider.

Under the Affordable Care Act, most health insurance plans will cover the cost of COVID-19 vaccines, without the need for co-pays. Those who are uninsured, or whose insurance does not cover the updated vaccine, will have access to the shots free of charge through community health centers; local, tribal, or territorial health departments; and pharmacies participating in the HHS’ Bridge Access Program.

Those getting the updated COVID-19 vaccine are also encouraged to ask their health care provider about other vaccines, including flu and RSV.

Individuals who have symptoms should test for COVID-19, and those who test positive should contact their health care provider about possible treatments, which have been shown effective at reducing the chances of serious outcomes. New Yorkers who are immunocompromised, have lung or cardiovascular irregularities, or other risk-factors, and those who are seniors, are especially encouraged to discuss COVID-19 treatments with a health care professional. Those who test positive should also avoid contact with others, including staying home from work, school, and social activities.

At-home COVID-19 tests remain available at many local pharmacies statewide, and New York continues to make high-quality N-95 masks and test kits available to state and county officials by request. New Yorkers should contact their respective county health department or local emergency management office for more information. New Yorkers can also find the current COVID-19 vaccine sites here.

Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State continues to take strong actions to monitor and mitigate the spread of COVID-19. These steps came after COVID-19 hospitalizations in New York increased this summer and following the detection of BA.2.86 in New York City wastewater.

The New York State Department of Health (DOH) and Wadsworth Center continue the vital strategies of wastewater surveillance and laboratory clinical analysis, conducted with partners at Syracuse University and across the state, to understand variant spread and the potential impact on public health.

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES EXPEDITED SPRINT TO IDENTIFY ASYLUM SEEKERS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR WORK PERMITS

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced a three-week sprint to identify asylum seekers in the city’s care who are currently eligible to apply for work authorization. Using staff at emergency sites, last week, the city began conducting in-depth, in-person surveys with the nearly 40,000 asylum seekers over the age of 18 years old in the city’s care to identify individuals who are eligible to apply for work authorization. As of Tuesday, September 12, the city had assessed over 10,000 adult asylum seekers in its care to see if they are eligible to work legally in the United States and will continue this effort over the coming weeks.

 

“For months, New York City has spoken with one voice, urging the federal government to put asylum seekers on the path to independence and ‘Let Them Work,’” said Mayor Adams. “As Washington continues to leave New York City and other cities across the nation to manage this national humanitarian crisis largely on its own, we continue to fill the leadership void left by our federal partners by providing migrants with a place to stay and a range of services, utilizing a unique model to help thousands of arrivals apply for asylum. But our message remains loud and clear: New York City needs significant and timely support from our state and federal partners to tackle this national issue.”

 

In some instances, migrants who are admitted into the country by federal authorities are given parole, which is a form of temporary permission to enter and remain in the United States. Parole may be granted for relatively short periods, sometimes just a few months, or longer periods, up to two years or more. While an immigrant is on active parole, they can apply for work authorization immediately and, if granted, they can work legally during that period. For example, if someone is given eight weeks of parole upon entering the country, they can apply for work authorization on day one of entering. If work authorization is granted during their seventh week of parole, they would then be able to work just for their final (eighth) week. To continue to work legally, they would need to apply for asylum and then wait for the federally mandated 150-day waiting period to apply for new work authorization.

 

The city continues to urge the federal government to address the issuance and extension of parole periods so migrants can get to work right away. Federal immigration authorities have the authority to grant parole more consistently and for longer periods of time at the border, and to extend expired or soon-to-be-expiring parole grants, which would allow migrants to apply for work authorization and obtain work legally immediately rather than waiting for many months. The city also continues to call on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to designate or re-designate Temporary Protected Status for immigrants from 11 countries.

 

Without these sorely needed changes to facilitate immigrants to gain work authorization and become self-sufficient, the city expects the number of people currently eligible to apply for work authorization to be a relatively small percentage of those now in care. By conducting a comprehensive survey, the city will be able to support those currently eligible for work authorization and help as many migrants as possible who have yet to apply for asylum to submit their asylum applications at the city-run Asylum Application Help Center.

 

“A key component of our strategy to help people seeking asylum is to support them in completing the complex paperwork as part of the federal government’s process,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “In just a few short months, the Asylum Seeker Application Help Center has helped thousands of people complete their paperwork. It is an example of what we can do when we all come together and it is the type of collaboration we need more of from our state and federal partners.”

 

Since opening the Asylum Application Help Center in June 2023, the city has helped asylum seekers mail nearly 3,800 asylum applications with the help of New York City law firms that have volunteered to boost this effort. This week, students from a consortium of the city’s cornerstone higher education institutions also began working at the center as it continues to scale.

 

The Asylum Application Help Center helps asylum seekers complete and file asylum applications. Interested asylum seekers are scheduled for one-on-one appointments at the Help Center, where trained application assistants provide individualized support to the applicant. Experienced immigration lawyers are on site to supervise application assistants and provide guidance, and interpreters are on site to provide in-person language assistance. The city continues to seek experienced immigration attorneys to apply to serve as per diem supervising attorneys at the Asylum Application Help Center. Interested attorneys can review the qualifications and apply online.

 

Helping asylum seekers to file asylum applications helps deliver on another commitment in Mayor Adams’ “The Road Forward: A Blueprint to Address New York City’s Response to the Asylum Seeker Crisis,” released earlier this year. The Adams administration also continues to strongly urge the federal government to immediately use every tool at its disposal to support newly arrived migrants — and the municipalities supporting them — by issuing parole extensions, expanding Temporary Protected Status, and expediting processing of applications.

 

Since this humanitarian crisis began, New York City has taken fast and urgent action — opening 208 emergency sites, including 16 other large-scale humanitarian relief centers already, with two more humanitarian relief centers set to open in the coming weeks. The city has also stood up navigation centers to connect asylum seekers with critical resources, enrolled thousands of children in public schools through Project Open Arms, and more.

Subcontractor Sentenced to Pay Nearly $9 Million in a Criminal Fine and Restitution for Rigging Bids and Defrauding the U.S. Military

 

First guilty plea and sentence in an ongoing investigation into bid rigging and related fraud at U.S. military installations in South Korea

J&J Korea Inc. (J&J Korea), a company based in the Republic of Korea (South Korea), was sentenced by a federal judge in Austin, Texas, to pay nearly $9 million dollars in a criminal fine and restitution for rigging bids and committing fraud in connection with subcontract work at U.S. military installations in South Korea.

On May 10, J&J Korea Inc. pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas to one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to restrain trade.

“The significant corporate fine and restitution order in this case demonstrates the importance of protecting U.S. taxpayer dollars both at home and abroad,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Criminal Enforcement Manish Kumar of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division and our Procurement Collusion Strike Force partners will continue to aggressively pursue bid rigging and other collusion that targets the United States, even when criminals execute their schemes overseas.”

“This sentencing demonstrates that those who conspire to rig bids to eliminate competition and attempt to defraud the government will be caught and held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Curran of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. “CID will continue to see to it that anyone suspected of contract fraud and corruption is brought to justice.”

“The FBI and its partners vigorously investigate and work to prosecute individuals and entities who conspire to engage in bid rigging,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s dedication and commitment to ensuring that those who defraud the U.S. government and the American people face justice.”

Based on court filings, J&J Korea, along with other co-conspirators, rigged bids and defrauded the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to obtain millions of dollars in repair and maintenance subcontract work at U.S military hospitals in South Korea. The subcontract work related to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) contract that provides for operation and maintenance support services at U.S. military facilities around the world, including military hospitals in South Korea. The USACE contract required the prime contractor to use a competitive bidding process when awarding subcontract work under the contract, but J&J Korea and one of its co-conspirators, another company located in South Korea, agreed to submit rigged bids, thereby ensuring that J&J Korea would win most of the subcontract work in South Korea under the USACE contract.

The scheme, which ran from at least November 2018 to March 2021, caused the DOD to overpay for J&J Korea’s services in the amount of approximately $3.6 million. As part of the sentence, the company will pay a $5 million fine and $3.6 million in restitution. This guilty plea and sentence are the first in an ongoing investigation into bid rigging and related fraud at U.S. military installations in South Korea. In March 2022, two officers of J&J Korea were also indicted by a grand jury in connection with the same conduct.

The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal II Section, CID and the FBI investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Daniel E. Lipton and Daniel P. Chung of the Antitrust Division prosecuted the case with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Matthew B. Devlin for the Western District of Texas.

Anyone with information in connection with this investigation, or with information on other market allocation, price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive contact should contact the Procurement Collusion Strike Force at www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.

The Procurement Collusion Strike Force is Department of Justice’s coordinated, joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact procurement and grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. The strike force expanded its footprint with the launch of PCSF: Global, which is designed to deter, detect, investigate and prosecute collusive schemes that target government spending outside of the United States. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.  

Former Finance Director Of Non-Profit Trade Association Sentenced To 18 Months In Prison For Embezzlement Scheme

 

  Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DONNA MURRAY was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer to 18 months in prison for embezzling approximately $490,000 from her employer over the course of a year and a half.  

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Donna Murray’s employer trusted her to safeguard its money as Director of Finance.  Instead of protecting her employer, Murray betrayed that trust by siphoning nearly half a million dollars from the organization’s bank account into her own pockets, even as the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the nation’s economy.  Not only did Murray spend her employer’s money on luxury purchases and other items, but she went so far as to doctor the organization’s general ledger to conceal her crimes from her employer and its outside auditor.  Today’s sentence sends a message to those entrusted with authority that if you abuse that trust for personal gain, you will be caught, and you will pay a steep price.” 

According to the Information and other filings and statements made in court:

From in or about December 2017 until her sudden resignation in or about August 2022, MURRAY was employed as the Director of Finance for a non-profit financial services trade association located in Manhattan.  The organization, which has more than 600 institutional members, works to promote industry thought leadership, participate in industry advocacy work, educate members and stakeholders, and establish industry standards and best practices.

As the director of finance, MURRAY was the sole finance department employee and was responsible for maintaining the organization’s books, updating its general ledger, handling accounts receivable and payable, and providing the organization’s financial statements to outside auditors.  Out of the organization’s 14-16 employees during the relevant period, MURRAY was also the only employee with access to the organization’s online banking accounts and the only employee with the ability to make wire transfers for the organization. 

From at least October 2019 through at least in or about March 2021, MURRAY embezzled $488,177.24 from one of the organization’s bank accounts through 105 unauthorized wire transactions from the organization’s bank account to her personal bank account in amounts that increased over time.  To conceal her fraud from her employer and its outside auditor, MURRAY leveraged her knowledge of the outside auditor’s practices and the organization’s vendors and vendor invoicing schemes to generate false, but plausible-sounding, entries in the general ledger.  MURRAY also transferred money from her employer’s bank account to her bank account in amounts less than $10,000, which would have triggered bank reporting requirements.  Finally, MURRAY altered a bank statement submitted to the organization’s deputy general counsel to falsely reflect that a wire transfer had gone to an employer-funded health plan instead of MURRAY.

After misappropriating hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer’s bank account to her own, MURRAY withdrew from her bank account over $400,000 in cash on more than 347 occasions — sometimes multiple times a day — and used the remainder of the stolen funds for peer-to-peer online money transfers, personal loan payments, and consumer and luxury items, including Yves Saint Laurent and Michael Kors designer apparel; beauty, wellness, and skincare products and services; home furnishings and décor; online streaming and satellite radio purchases; over 180 Amazon orders; smoke shop purchases; and a $200 treadmill for cats.

In addition to her prison term, MURRAY, 38, of Staten Island, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Register Now for BRAC Fall 2023 Art Classes!

Fall Days Are Fun Days at BRAC!

~

Register Now To Experience

10 Weeks of Art Classes!

Sign Up Now for Fall Session | Classes Start October 2

Classes run for 10 weeks

October 2 - December 16

Visit Education Page

WEEKLY ART CLASSES

(Full descriptions available at www.bronxriverart.org/education)



Children and Teen Classes (ages 7 - 19): $95 for 10 sessions

Child & Parent (child must be ages 6 - 12): $144 for 10 sessions

Young Adult and Adult Classes (20+): $120 for five sessions

10% EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT IF YOUR REGISTER BEFORE SEPTEMBER 23RD

SNAP RECIPIENTS CAN USE "SNAP10" TO GET AN EXTRA $10 OFF

Mondays	INTRODUCTION TO DRAWING Ages 7+ – 4:30pm to 6:30pm
Tuesdays	MURAL PAINTING Teens & Adults – 4:30pm to 6:30pm CERAMICS Ages 7+ – 4:30pm to 6:30pm POTTERY Teens & Adults – 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Wednesdays	MANGA & CARTOONING Ages 7+ – 4:30pm to 6:30pm DIGITAL ART & ILLUSTRATION Teens & Adults – 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Thursdays	WATERCOLOR PAINTING Ages 7+ – 4:30pm to 6:30pm MIXED MEDIA PAINTING Teens & Adults – 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Saturdays	DRAWING & PRINTMAKING Ages 7+ – 11am to 1pm CERAMICS Ages 7+ – 11am to 1pm DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY Teens & Adults – 11am to 1pm POTTERY Teens & Adults – 2pm to 4pm LANDSCAPE PAINTING Ages 11+ – 2pm to 4pm DIGITAL ANIMATION Ages 11+ – 2pm to 4pm

FRIDAY THREE-HOUR WORKSHOPS

(Full descriptions available at www.bronxriverart.org/education)

Every Friday from 4:30pm to 7:30pm, BRAC is offering three-hour workshops in everything from perspective drawing to video production. Workshops are $12 per session and are open to everyone ages 7 and above; with the exception of the Figure Drawing workshops, which are $20 and adults only.

October 6 - Notan Art & Mixed Media with Marta Blair

October 13 - Linear Perspective: Part 1 with Jaron Newton

October 20 - Linear Perspective: Part 2 with Jaron Newton

October 27 - Figure Drawing with Douglass Guy (Ages 18 and Older)

November 3 - Video Production: Part 1 with Zoe Daniela Croci

November 10 - Video Production: Part 2 with Zoe Daniela Croci

November 17 - Figure Drawing with Douglass Guy (Ages 18 and Older)

December 1 - Mark-Making & Abstraction with Marta Blair

December 8 - Figure Drawing with Douglass Guy (Ages 18 and Older)

December 15 - Notan Art & Mixed Media with Marta Blair

Register for Three-Hour Friday Workshops

TEEN PROJECT STUDIO +2.0

(Details and Application Link at www.bronxriverart.org/education-teen-project-studio)

Teen Project Studio +2.0 is an intensive, eight-week interdisciplinary arts program for teens and young adults ages 14 to 25. This is a FREE program limited to 15 students and is by application ONLY.

The Fall 2023 session will begin October 16, meeting Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. The program is a unique opportunity to experience and learn about visual arts and the creative industries in an interactive and challenging way, taught by professional artists and designers. It is also an opportunity to meet other participants with similar interests and eagerness to learn and create together. In this 8-week intensive you will also take field trips to museums, galleries and artist studios. Students will craft increasingly complex projects that aim to familiarize them with art and art production for the marketplace.

Register for Teen Project Studio +2.0

NOTE: Classes may not run if there are less than eight registered students. If the class is canceled, you will be notified before classes start.

Covid-19 Protocols:

Vaccination is strongly recommended. If student is sick, must take a Covid test before attending class. If positive, cannot return for five days and must wear mask for ten.

Please ask us if you need tests, we have them available.

We appreciate your continued vigilance and cooperation.

 

DEC to Host Free Fishing Clinic on Sept. 16 at North-South Lake Campground, Greene County

 

DEC to Provide Education and Equipment to Anglers

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is hosting a free fishing clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, at the North-South Lake Campground in Haines Falls, Greene County, DEC Regional Director Anthony Luisi announced today.

“Free fishing clinics are fun for the entire family and provide special attention to inexperienced anglers of all ages as they’re introduced to New York’s vast fishing opportunities,” Director Luisi said. “North-South Lake is one of DEC’s most popular campgrounds and is also a preeminent fishing destination in the Catskills for anglers of all abilities to enjoy.”

The event, free to the public, will be held at North Lake Beach (map attached). Fishing licenses are not required to fish during the program, but all other statewide and special regulations remain in effect. During the free fishing clinic, participants can learn about fish identification, fishing equipment and techniques, before getting the opportunity to cast their fishing lines into the water. DEC will supply fishing rods, bait, and tackle, but experienced anglers are encouraged to bring their own fishing gear. Children under 16 must be supervised. Participants will be required to pay applicable day-use service charges to enter the facility.

For more information on statewide free fishing clinics, visit: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/27123.html.

Free Fishing Clinic Map North South Lake.pdf

The Bronx Tourism Council - 2023 Tour De Bronx!

 

Official Newsletter of The Bronx Tourism Council

In Partnership with Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson

Be a part of the largest FREE

cycling event in NYS!

Sunday, October 22nd 2023

Over 4,000 riders will bike through The Bronx- A Global Destination.

10 mile * 25 mile * 40 mile

Registration is now open for the 2023 Tour De Bronx!

Volunteer & Patron Opportunities Available

Sign me up!

Five Former Memphis Police Officers Charged with Federal Civil Rights, Conspiracy and Obstruction Violations in Connection with the Death of Tyre Nichols

 

A federal grand jury in Memphis, Tennessee, returned an indictment charging five former Memphis Police Department (MPD) detectives with federal civil rights, conspiracy, and obstruction offenses resulting in the death of Tyre Nichols on Jan. 7.

“The country watched in horror as Tyre Nichols was kicked, punched, tased, and pepper sprayed, and we all heard Mr. Nichols cry out for his mother and say ‘I’m just trying to go home,’” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Officers who violate the civil rights of those they are sworn to protect undermine public safety, which depends on the community’s trust in law enforcement. They dishonor their fellow officers who do their work with integrity every day. The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable officers who betray their oath.”

“Tyre Nichols should be alive today,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “It is tragic to see a life cut short at 29, with so many milestones unmet, so many words unsaid, so much potential unfulfilled. These federal charges reflect the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting the constitutional and civil rights of every American and preserving the integrity of the criminal justice system. We stand ready to hold law enforcement officers accountable for their misconduct because no one is above the law in our country.”

“When I announced this investigation back in January, I said I wanted this city to be a place where justice is done,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “This indictment alleging civil rights violations is an important step in ensuring that justice is done for Tyre Nichols. I want to thank the dedicated team of prosecutors and law enforcement agents who are working on this case. I’m proud of our team and proud of their commitment to protecting the civil rights of all Americans.”

According to the four-count indictment, all five defendants, Emmitt Martin III, 31; Tadarrius Bean, 24; Demetrius Haley, 30; Desmond Mills Jr., 33; and Justin Smith, 28, while serving as members of an MPD SCORPION team, willfully deprived Nichols of his constitutional rights. The first count of the indictment alleges that the defendants, aided and abetted by one another, violated Nichols’ right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a police officer by assaulting him and by failing to intervene in the unlawful assault. Count one also alleges that this offense resulted in bodily injury and the death of Nichols. 

Count two of the indictment alleges that all five defendants violated Nichols’ right to be free from a law enforcement officer’s deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs. Specifically, the indictment alleges that even though the defendants knew that Nichols had a serious medical need, the defendants willfully disregarded that medical need by failing to render medical aid and by failing to advise the MPD dispatcher and emergency medical personnel of the circumstances surrounding Nichols’ serious medical need. Count two also alleges that this offense resulted in bodily injury and death of Nichols.

Count three of the indictment alleges that all five defendants conspired to cover up their use of unlawful force by omitting material information and by providing false and misleading information to their supervisor and to others. Specifically, the indictment outlines overt acts the defendants committed in furtherance of the conspiracy, including, among others, failing to tell MPD and Memphis Fire Department personnel that the defendants had struck Nichols and that the defendants had discussed hitting Nichols with straight haymakers and taking turns hitting him. Further, the indictment alleges that the defendants provided false and misleading information to two MPD officers tasked with writing reports about Nichols’ arrest. Finally, it alleges that the defendants submitted Response to Resistance Reports that contained false and misleading information and omitted that the defendants had assaulted Nichols.

Count four of the indictment alleges that the defendants committed an obstruction offense by intentionally omitting material information, and providing false and misleading information, to two MPD officers tasked with writing MPD reports about the arrest of Nichols.

Counts one and two of the indictment carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. Counts three and four each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

The charges announced are separate from the Justice Department’s civil pattern or practice investigation into the MPD. The charges announced today are criminal, while the pattern or practice investigation is a civil investigation that will be conducted separately and independently from the criminal case and will be handled by a different team of career staff from the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The charges announced are also separate from, and in addition to, the charges the State of Tennessee has brought against these former officers related to the death of Nichols. The federal charges allege different criminal offenses. Specifically, and among other federal charges, today’s indictment alleges violations of the U.S. Constitution, rather than of state law.

The FBI Memphis Field Office investigated this case. 

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.