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Contact
For media inquiries only, contact
our Communications Department:
Tony Newman
212-613-8026, cell: 646-335-5384
e-mail:
tnewman@drugpolicy.org
See advertisements
Press Releases
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| August 27,
2007 |
|
New
York State Commission on Sentencing Reform
Debates Rockefeller Drug Law Overhaul This
Week
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This week, the New York
State Commission on Sentencing Reform will
vote on its first round of recommendations,
before releasing a preliminary report of findings
to the public in October. The Commission,
enacted by Governor Elliot Spitzer through
Executive Order, is charged with reviewing
New York’s sentencing structure, sentencing
practices, community supervision, and the
use of alternatives to incarceration. The
Rockefeller Drug Laws, including the Second
Felony Offender Act, are high on the Commission’s
priority list. |
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| June 8, 2007 |
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Rockefeller
Drug Law Reform Advocates to Throw a Surprise
Birthday Party on Friday at Noon for Gov.
Eliot Spitzer
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Today, the Real Reform New
York Coalition joined with many others to
throw a surprise birthday party for Gov. Eliot
Spitzer outside of his New York City office.
Asking him to heed his campaign promise to
reform the draconian Rockefeller drug laws,
the coalition celebrated Spitzer’s promise
of justice. |
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| April 17, 2007 |
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New
York State Assembly Votes on Reforming Rockefeller
Drug Laws. Drug Policy Alliance Holds Press
Conference with Family Members, Legislators
and Others
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Today, the New York State
Assembly voted on legislation to further reform
New York’s Rockefeller Drug Laws, widely
considered to be the nation’s harshest.
Advocates and family members affected by these
draconian laws joined legislators at the 10
a.m. press conference to demand meaningful
reforms. Following the press conference, there
was a special screening of the new documentary
about the Rockefeller Drug Laws, called Lockdown,
USA. |
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| January 3,
2006 |
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Governor
Pataki’s Former Spokeswoman on Rockefeller
Drug Laws, Caroline Quartararo Busted for
Buying and Possessing 3 Rocks of Crack
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Caroline Quartararo,
a former spokeswoman on Rockefeller drug law
reform for Governor Pataki was arrested on
December 20th for possessing three rocks of
crack cocaine. Ms. Quartararo was charged
with fifth-degree drug possession, a felony,
and loitering to buy drugs, a violation. The
felony D drug charge carries a maximum penalty
of two-and-a-half years. |
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| December 13,
2005 |
|
New
Report Examines Rockefeller Drug Law Reforms
on One Year Anniversary of Drug Law Reform
Act of 2004
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A year after
partial reform of New York’s draconian
Rockefeller Drug Laws, a new report released
on December 14 by The Legal Aid Society finds
hundreds eligible for early release under
the new provisions remain behind bars. |
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| August 31,
2005 |
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Governor
Pataki Signs Limited Rockefeller Reform
Bill |
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Bill Allows 500 Plus Non-Violent
Drug Offenders to Apply for Shortened Sentences.
Families, Advocates: "A Small, Important
Step Forward, but More Reform Needed as Majority
of Rockefeller Drug Offenders Remain Behind
Bars" |
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| August 19,
2005 |
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Rockefeller
Reform Bill Passes State Legislature and
Heads to Governor Pataki’s Desk
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Building
on the minor reform of the Rockefeller drug
laws in December, 2004, the state legislature
passed a new bill (S5880/A8980) that would
allow 500 additional people to apply for
resentencing, and sent it to Governor Pataki’s
desk for signature. |
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|
| May 3, 2005 |
|
May
6, 2 PM, City Hall Steps: Mother’s
Day Weekend Press Conference For Real Rockefeller
Reform |
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|
Survivors,
Mothers of Incarcerated People, Elected
Officials and Community Advocates, Come
Together to say “Bring Our Children
Home, Real Rockefeller Reform Now!” |
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| December 14,
2004 |
|
Governor
Pataki to Sign Rockefeller Reform Bill Today
at 2 PM |
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Today in New York, Governor
Pataki will sign a bill to change New York
State’s notorious Rockefeller drug laws
after years of inaction. Michael Blain, Director
of Public Policy at the Drug Policy Alliance
Network, released this statement on the deal.
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| December 7,
2004 |
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Rockefeller
Reform Bill Passes Assembly and Senate
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Today in Albany, the Assembly
and Senate passed a bill to change New York
state’s notorious Rockefeller drug laws
after years of inaction. The bill is now heading
to Gov. Pataki’s desk for approval. |
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|
| November 3,
2004 |
|
Democrat
David Soares Completes Stunning Upset in “New
York State’s Most Important Election” |
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Albany—Democratic candidate
for Albany County District Attorney David
Soares defeated Republican Roger Cusick in
what prominent WNYC radio host Brian Lehrer
called “The most important race in New
York State.” By winning on Tuesday, Soares,
who ran on a platform of reforming the Rockefeller
drug laws, completed one of the most stunning
upsets in New York political history. |
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| September 15,
2004 |
|
Warning:
Oppose Rockefeller Reform at Your Own Risk |
| |
|
Albany county voters made
their feelings on the Rockefeller drug laws
clear in yesterday’s Democratic primary:
the incumbent district attorney, Paul Clyne,
one of the most powerful and vociferous supporters
of these draconian laws, was trounced by David
Soares, who ran on a platform of repealing
them. Soares received 62% of the vote to Clyne’s
38%. |
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| July 21, 2004 |
|
Latino
Community Turns up the Heat as Republicans
Prepare for Convention in New York |
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|
Both Governor George Pataki
and President George Bush have systematically
wooed Latino voters, but according to community
leaders, their sweet words have not translated
into actions. This August when the Republican
National Convention arrives in New York, Pataki
will continue his PR campaign by hosting an
“Amigos” party for Spanish speakers.
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| July 14, 2004 |
|
Albany
Legislators Reconvene July 20th and 21st for
Rockefeller Talks |
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|
After a conference committee
that was designed to hammer out Rockefeller
reform and came up empty handed, Albany legislators
are taking time out from their summer vacations
to come back into session and address the
Rockefeller issue. |
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| June 1, 2004 |
|
ARISE
Clergy Demonstrate Support for Real Reform
of NYS Drug Laws |
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|
Albany, NY (June 1, 2004)—Members
of the ARISE Clergy Caucus, ARISE Justice/Economic
Opportunity Task Force and the Interfaith
Alliance of New York State demonstrated their
support today for real reform of New York’s
Drug Laws. |
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| May 18, 2004 |
|
Wednesday:
Historic Moment for New York as Joint Senate/Assembly
Committee on Rockefeller Reform Kicks Off
in Albany |
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|
As the state legislature’s
joint Senate/Assembly conference committee
on Rockefeller drug law reform kicks off on
Wednesday, the Mothers of the New York Disappeared
(survivors of the Rockefeller drug laws and
their families) and other advocates will be
arriving in Albany to monitor the hearings.
|
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| May 5, 2004 |
|
Historic
Moment for New York: State Legislature Convenes
Joint Senate/Assembly Committee on Rockefeller
Reform |
| |
|
The Rockefeller reform
community is pleased with the state legislature’s
decision to convene a joint Senate/Assembly
conference committee on Rockefeller drug law
reform, but the crucial question remains:
Will what is ultimately enacted as reform
in Albany be real reform? |
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|
Advertisements
|
This ad raises questions about
Pataki’s true motives: If he’s really
for the Latino community, then why hasn’t
he reformed the Rockefeller drug laws that are
destroying Latino communities? Just as President
Bush is sending people to die for an unjust war
for oil, Pataki is sending people to prison for
an unjust ‘war on drugs’. The ad ran
on July 13, 2004 in El Diaro.
|
| |
|
|
Julie Colon’s mother, Melita
Oliviera, is serving a harsh 13 years sentence
under the Rockefeller drug laws, leaving her five
children behind. Most prisons are located in upstate
New York, while most Rockefeller drug law prisoners
are Blacks and Lationos—like Melita—from
New York City. As a first time, nonviolent offender,
Melita’s story is just one example of the
atrocity that is the Rockefeller drug war. This
Ad ran on Friday June 18, 2004 in HOY New York.
|
| |
|
|
In the Spring of 2004, Governor
George Pataki met with the Mothers of the Disappeared
/ Plaza de Mayo from Argentina. The Mothers were
instrumental in bringing down the corrupt military
dictatorship in Argentina, and they traveled to
New York to urge Governor Pataki to enact real
reform of the Rockefeller Drug Laws. Governor
Pataki promised the Mothers—and New York’s
Latino community—that he would act. This
ad ran in El Diaro May 31 and July 19,
2004.
|
| |
|
|
New York City, already attacked
once by terrorists, is listed by the Bush Administration
as a ‘target city’. Yet Governor Pataki
continues to waste public money by refusing to
reform the failed, racist Rockefeller Drug laws.
This ad, which never ran in a major publication,
raises questions about Governor Pataki’s
priorities.
|
| |
|
|
This ad references a meeting
in spring 2004, between New York State Senator
Joseph Bruno and the world-renowned Mothers of
the Disappeared / Plaza De Mayo in Argentina.
The Mothers, who helped bring down the military
dictatorship in Argentina, came to New York to
meet with Senator Bruno to urge him to enact real
reform of the Rockefeller drug laws. Senator Bruno
gave the Mothers’ his word. Will he deliver?
This ad ran in the Legislative Gazette
(Albany) on the week of July 19, 2004.
|
| |
|
|
This ad, appearing in El Diario
and Hoy during the week of July 13th, calls on
Governor Pataki to end the catastrophe that is
the Rockefeller Drug Laws. Even as terrorists
plot to attack New York, Pataki continues to waste
hundreds of millions on locking people up under
the racist Rockefeller drug laws. The resources
wasted on the failed drug war could be better
spent on supporting, not destroying, Black and
Latino communities.
|
| |
|
|
This is another variation on
the July 13th ad.
|
| |
|
|
|  This
ad, which ran in the Legislative Gazette
(Albany) during the week of June 11 and July 13,
2004, highlights the case of Lisa Oberg, who was
born in prison as the result of her mother's arrest
for a first time low level drug offense.
|
| |
|
|
This ad highlights the case of
Hilda Garcia, whose husband was sentenced to 15
years to life and died in prison. Her husband,
a first time nonviolent offender, was desperate
for clemency. But his unjust sentence under the
Rockefeller drug laws eventually became a death
sentence. Almost 94% of all those imprisoned under
the Rockefeller drug laws are Black and Latino—yet
Governor Pataki and the Republican Senate still
refuse to address these racist laws. This ad ran
on Friday June 18, 2004 in El Diario.
|
| |
|
|
|  The
Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo emphatically ask
Sen. Olga Mendez: If we confronted a brutal Dictatorship
why can't you confront Gov. Pataki and your republican
friends in the NY State Senate. This ad ran in
El Diario in May 2004.
|
| |
|
|
The institutional racism which
define the Rockefeller drug laws are a national
and international disgrace. The numbers speak
for themselves: almost 94% of all those incarcerated
under Rockefeller drug laws are Black and Latino,
despite the fact that whites and people of color
use and sell drugs at approximately the same rate.
The powerful District Attorney Association is
a staunch opponent to real reform, perhaps because
their careers are dependent on these racist laws.
|
| |
|
|
This ad, appearing in El Diario
and Hoy, calls on Governor Pataki to reunite
Latino families.
|
| |
|
|
Pataki failed to reform the Rockefeller
drug laws, even as he asked the Latino Community
for their support. This ad demands that there
will be no support for Pataki without justice
for Rockefeller families.
|
| |
|
|
Back in 1998 and 1999, Pataki
refused to alter the Rockefeller drug laws despite
the fact that over 93% of all those incarcerated
under these laws are Black and Latino, even though
whites use drugs at approximately the same rate
and are a larger proportion of the population
in the state. Pataki wasn’t troubled enough
by the institutional racism to do anything about
these failed laws. As a result, families and communities
continue to suffer.
|
| |
|
|
|
This ad raises questions about
Pataki’s true motives: If he’s really
for the Latino community, then why hasn’t
he reformed the Rockefeller drug laws that are
destroying Latino communities? Just as President
Bush is sending people to die for an unjust war
for oil, Pataki is sending people to prison for
an unjust ‘war on drugs’. The ad ran
on July 13, 2004 in El Diaro.
|
| |
|
|
|
Julie Colon’s mother, Melita
Oliviera, is serving a harsh 13 years sentence
under the Rockefeller drug laws, leaving her five
children behind. Most prisons are located in upstate
New York, while most Rockefeller drug law prisoners
are Blacks and Lationos—like Melita—from
New York City. As a first time, nonviolent offender,
Melita’s story is just one example of the
atrocity that is the Rockefeller drug war. This
Ad ran on Friday June 18, 2004 in HOY New York.
|
| |
|
|
|
In the Spring of 2004, Governor
George Pataki met with the Mothers of the Disappeared
/ Plaza de Mayo from Argentina. The Mothers were
instrumental in bringing down the corrupt military
dictatorship in Argentina, and they traveled to
New York to urge Governor Pataki to enact real
reform of the Rockefeller Drug Laws. Governor
Pataki promised the Mothers—and New York’s
Latino community—that he would act. This
ad ran in El Diaro May 31 and July 19,
2004.
|
| |
|
|
|
New York City, already attacked
once by terrorists, is listed by the Bush Administration
as a ‘target city’. Yet Governor Pataki
continues to waste public money by refusing to
reform the failed, racist Rockefeller Drug laws.
This ad, which never ran in a major publication,
raises questions about Governor Pataki’s
priorities.
|
| |
|
|
|
This ad references a meeting
in spring 2004, between New York State Senator
Joseph Bruno and the world-renowned Mothers of
the Disappeared / Plaza De Mayo in Argentina.
The Mothers, who helped bring down the military
dictatorship in Argentina, came to New York to
meet with Senator Bruno to urge him to enact real
reform of the Rockefeller drug laws. Senator Bruno
gave the Mothers’ his word. Will he deliver?
This ad ran in the Legislative Gazette
(Albany) on the week of July 19, 2004.
|
| |
|
|
|
This ad, appearing in El Diario
and Hoy during the week of July 13th, calls on
Governor Pataki to end the catastrophe that is
the Rockefeller Drug Laws. Even as terrorists
plot to attack New York, Pataki continues to waste
hundreds of millions on locking people up under
the racist Rockefeller drug laws. The resources
wasted on the failed drug war could be better
spent on supporting, not destroying, Black and
Latino communities.
|
| |
|
|
|
This is another variation on
the July 13th ad.
|
| |
|
|
| This
ad, which ran in the Legislative Gazette
(Albany) during the week of June 11 and July 13,
2004, highlights the case of Lisa Oberg, who was
born in prison as the result of her mother's arrest
for a first time low level drug offense.
|
| |
|
|
|
This ad highlights the case of
Hilda Garcia, whose husband was sentenced to 15
years to life and died in prison. Her husband,
a first time nonviolent offender, was desperate
for clemency. But his unjust sentence under the
Rockefeller drug laws eventually became a death
sentence. Almost 94% of all those imprisoned under
the Rockefeller drug laws are Black and Latino—yet
Governor Pataki and the Republican Senate still
refuse to address these racist laws. This ad ran
on Friday June 18, 2004 in El Diario.
|
| |
|
|
| The
Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo emphatically ask
Sen. Olga Mendez: If we confronted a brutal Dictatorship
why can't you confront Gov. Pataki and your republican
friends in the NY State Senate. This ad ran in
El Diario in May 2004.
|
| |
|
|
|
The institutional racism which
define the Rockefeller drug laws are a national
and international disgrace. The numbers speak
for themselves: almost 94% of all those incarcerated
under Rockefeller drug laws are Black and Latino,
despite the fact that whites and people of color
use and sell drugs at approximately the same rate.
The powerful District Attorney Association is
a staunch opponent to real reform, perhaps because
their careers are dependent on these racist laws.
|
| |
|
|
|
This ad, appearing in El Diario
and Hoy, calls on Governor Pataki to reunite
Latino families.
|
| |
|
|
|
Pataki failed to reform the Rockefeller
drug laws, even as he asked the Latino Community
for their support. This ad demands that there
will be no support for Pataki without justice
for Rockefeller families.
|
| |
|
|
|
Back in 1998 and 1999, Pataki
refused to alter the Rockefeller drug laws despite
the fact that over 93% of all those incarcerated
under these laws are Black and Latino, even though
whites use drugs at approximately the same rate
and are a larger proportion of the population
in the state. Pataki wasn’t troubled enough
by the institutional racism to do anything about
these failed laws. As a result, families and communities
continue to suffer.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
