Latest news with #ManhattanSupremeCourt
New York Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Mayor Adams ‘violated' the law, paving way for City Council solitary confinement ban: court
Mayor Eric Adams 'violated' the law when he blocked the City Council's ban on solitary confinement in Big Apple prisons, a Manhattan judge ruled Monday. 'Mayor Adams acted beyond the scope of his emergency powers,' wrote Manhattan Supreme Court judge Jeffery H. Pearlman in his decision on Monday. 5 A Manhattan judge ruled that Mayor Adams violated the law in blocking a solitary confinement ban passed with a veto-proof majority in 2023. Matthew McDermott Advertisement 'He cannot suspend the law because he disapproves of its impact.' The ruling paves the way for a council law — passed in late 2023 — banning solitary confinement to finally take effect. Days before it was set to begin, Adams signed an emergency order blocking it. Advertisement Hizzoner was sued in December by the City Council and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who argued his order was 'arbitrary and capricious.' 5 Mayor Adams 'cannot suspend the law because he disapproves of its impact,' wrote Judge Jeffery Pearlman. Gregory P. Mango Pearlman eviscerated Adams for abusing his emergency powers, stating that they should only be reserved for emergency scenarios. In a democracy, Pearlman wrote, a mayor's veto powers are the 'single tool' to block laws they don't like. Advertisement But when the law passed with a veto-proof majority, Adams lacked the ability to stop it. 5 Judge Pearlman eviscerated Adams for abusing his mayoral emergency powers, stating that they should only be reserved for emergency scenarios. Getty Images 'By declaring a state of emergency and issuing emergency orders, he violated that process,' Pearlman said. Local Law 42 bans punitive segregation in jails — including at the notorious Rikers Island — beyond a four-hour 'de-escalation' period. Advertisement It also changes the way jailers transport inmates by axing the practice of keeping them in handcuffs and leg irons while on buses or in other vehicles. Pearlman did give Adams credit for noting concerns with the law, which were raised by a federally appointed monitor selected to oversee Rikers. 5 The federal monitor overseeing Rikers noted concerns over the City Council law banning solitary confinement, but the judge said that doesn't give the mayor the right to abuse his power to block its implementation. Leonardo Munoz But he also noted that the mayor should have appealed to the federal judge presiding over the monitor who has 'control over whether the law could actually be implemented' — instead of abusing his emergency powers. Council Speaker Adrianne Adams hailed the ruling and demanded the mayor's administration bring the city into compliance. 5 'The mayor must follow the law, just like every New Yorker, and cannot abuse the powers of the office,' said City Council Speaker Adrianne Adams. Getty Images 'The mayor must follow the law, just like every New Yorker, and cannot abuse the powers of the office.' she said. 'Solitary confinement has been proven to cause physical, psychological, and emotional harm, making jails and our city less safe.' Advertisement City Hall spokesperson Liz Garcia said the law 'creates a new definition of solitary confinement' and will lead to a 'public safety emergency in our jails.' Garcia added that solitary confinement hasn't been used in city jails since 2019.
New York Post
6 days ago
- New York Post
Disgraced Wall Street banker Mark Harris indicted in NYC rape case, forced to turn over dual passports
Accused Wall Street creep Mark Harris was indicted Thursday on charges he brutally raped and berated a woman in her Midtown apartment — and was forced to surrender his dual US and British passports. Harris, 38, who was booted from a lucrative new gig after being busted, is now facing a first-degree rape indictment in the alleged March 6 attack on the 25-year-old victim inside her Midtown apartment. He will remain free on $150,000 bail pending trial, but Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Michele Rodney ordered the disgraced banker to surrender his passports. Advertisement Wall Street banker Mark Harris, 38, was indicted on charges he raped a 25-year-old woman in her Midtown apartment. Steven Hirsch Manhattan prosecutor Ryan Murphy requested 'forfeiture of his passports based on our understanding that the defendant has professional and personal contacts in Latin and South America.' It is not clear why Harris, who lives in a swanky Brooklyn Point apartment, has a British passport. Advertisement The fallen financier spent 11 years at Japanese bank SMBC, serving as director of structured and project finance before joining Investec, a job he left in November, his FINRA profile shows. On March 4 — just two days before the alleged attack — he landed a six-figure job with private equity giant KKR, but his lawyer said the firm backed off after the rape charges were filed against Harris. Manhattan prosecutors said Mark Harris raped a 25-year-old woman and told her she 'had this coming.' Obtained by the NY Post Prosecutors said Harris allegedly ripped off the woman's pants and assaulted her, and called her a 'f–ing bitch' who 'had this coming' after she finally broke away. Advertisement In court Thursday, Harris went tie-less, with a black suit, blue shirt and brown shoes. He pleaded not guilty and has continued to deny the allegations. His lawyer, Zach Intrater, said Harris has had ample opportunity to flee since his arrest but has remained in town and and intends 'to stay to fight these charges.'
New York Post
24-06-2025
- New York Post
International con man who used ‘sleight-of-hand' to swipe $260K in diamond rings from Tiffany, Cartier pleads guilty
A 50-year-old international jewel thief from Queens has pleaded guilty to using sleight-of-hand, misdirection and counterfeit jewelry to steal more than $260,000 worth of diamond rings from Tiffany & Co. and Cartier — ending a years-long global crime spree. Yaorong Wan, who appeared in Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday, admitted to lifting high-value items from the luxury retailers' swanky Fifth Avenue boutiques in March of last year. At Tiffany's flagship store, Wan used distraction techniques and a fake ring to swap out a $225,000 diamond ring. 5 Yaorong Wan, a 50-year-old reputed international jewelry thief, pleaded guilt in Manhattan Supreme Court this week to grand larceny. Steven Hirsch Prosecutors said Wan visited the Tiffany store last year and inquired about multiple pieces of jewelry. He allegedly swapped the genuine platinum-mounted ring with a cubic zirconia fake and walked out without making a purchase, according to the DA. Just over a week later, he struck again at Cartier, pocketing a $24,000 ring while diverting employees' attention. At the Cartier store in Hudson Yards, Wan examined two engagement rings and two watches, but managed to pocket one of the rings while the salesperson was distracted. Authorities said Wan's tactics — quick, skillful hand movements, misdirection and the strategic use of replica jewelry — are hallmarks of the high-end thefts that earned him international notoriety. 5 At Tiffany's flagship store, Wan used distraction techniques and a fake ring to swap out a $225,000 diamond piece. Steven Hirsch Wan's criminal history stretches across continents. He was previously wanted by Interpol in connection with a $330,000 diamond theft in South Korea and has been linked to similar cases in New Jersey, California, Florida and South Korea. 5 Wan had outstanding warrants for his arrest in several jurisdictions. Law enforcement officials said he targeted both global luxury brands and smaller independent jewelers, executing thefts with magician-like precision. In April of last year, Wan allegedly entered London Jewelers in the Manhasset section of Nassau County and used a sleight-of-hand trick to take a Chopard Watch valued at over $17,000. 5 Wan also stole an expensive watch from the London Jewelers store in Manhasset, Long Island last year. Matthew McDermott Wan is also alleged to have stolen $332,000 worth of jewelry in the South Korean capital of Seoul in 2018. Wan was arrested in May of last year at his home in Flushing, Queens, following a coordinated investigation by the NYPD, Nassau County Police, and US Marshals. During the arrest, officers recovered multiple stolen items, including the $17,000 Chopard watch reported missing from the Long Island jewelry store. 5 Last year, Wan stole a $24,000 ring while diverting employees' attention at a Cartier store in Manhattan. REUTERS Held without bail due to outstanding warrants in multiple jurisdictions, Wan pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the second degree. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 2025, and faces between three and nine years in New York state prison. 'This defendant used deceptive sleight-of-hand techniques to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of high-end jewelry,' Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement announcing the plea. 'Thanks to the collaboration between law enforcement agencies, we've put an end to his global theft operation.'
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Longshot NYC mayoral candidate Michael Blake gets $2m in matching funds on eve of primary
Mayoral candidate Michael Blake has secured $2 million in public matching funds approved by the city's Campaign Finance Board — a significant but belated cash infusion for the longshot campaign. With just five days left in the primary race, the new cash influx infusion likely comes too late for Blake, a former Bronx assemblyman, to mount a competitive campaign or significantly raise his profile. The decision comes after the Democrat sued the CFB for its refusal to allow him to participate in the second and final mayoral debate last week. The board in late May ruled that Blake would not be participating in the debate because he hadn't met the fundraising threshold to qualify for it, and a Manhattan Supreme Court justice backed up their decision. Blake's campaign argued in their suit that he had, in fact, met that threshold, and that the CFB's system errors mistakenly made it seem that he hadn't. The candidate garnered some attention with a lively performance at the first debate at the start of June, and climbed onto some endorsement slates after State Sen. Jessica Ramos, another mayoral candidate all but removed herself from consideration when she endorsed Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo. He also cross-endorsed Zohran Mamdani earlier this week as part of a braoder attempt to block Cuomo from the mayoralty. Blake received 2% of the vote in a recent Marist poll. He did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
New York Post
17-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Former NY gov David Paterson sues brother for stealing $7 m
Cain and Abel, meet David and Daniel. Ex-New York Gov. David Paterson is accusing his brother of cheating him out of his inheritance — by allegedly tricking their elderly mother into giving him over $7 million before her death. A bombshell lawsuit filed by the former governor claims his younger brother Daniel Paterson, 67, duped mom Portia into transferring the massive sum from her estate to his account through 'undue influence, coercion and excessive persuasion.' The sneaky move allowed Daniel and his attorney wife Eloise to bypass a long-standing will ordering the brothers to split their mom's estate 50-50 — cheating David, 71, out of some $3.5 million, the Manhattan Supreme Court suit alleges. 'She divested herself of assets in excess of $7 million by transferring [the] same to defendants prior to her death in contradiction and contravention of her long-standing last will and testament,' the court documents, filed Monday, state. 4 Former New York Gov David Paterson (left) says his brother Daniel (right) tricked their 94-year-old mother into transferring over $7 million from her estate to him, according to a new lawsuit. Robert Miller Then, after 94-year-old Portia Paterson's death in July, Daniel allegedly tried to claim that their mom died with less than $30,000 to her name in a checking account and an 'inoperable' BMW, the suit alleges. The 55th Governor — a Democrat who was in office between 2008-2010 — is suing his brother, sister-in-law and two nephews for his alleged at least $3.5 million share of Portia's estate. 'There was a conspiracy to conceal that Portia's assets were transferred before her death,' said the former gov's attorney, Paul W. Siegert. 'She had a huge estate. 4 Lt Gov Basil Paterson and wife Portia at fund raising party for peace candidates, at 'Pembles' in 1970. She passed away last July at 94. Jerry Engel/NY Post 'Everybody kept it a secret,' Siegert said, 'then we found out about it.' Daniel, who has worked for the state court system's office of diversity and inclusion, told a reporter that 'this must be a scam call' when reached by phone Tuesday, and quickly hung up. He did not return repeated messages asking for comment. Portia Paterson was married for 61 years to Basil Paterson, who was the first black vice chair of the National Democratic Party, and the first black secretary of state of New York. 4 The former governor's lawsuit alleges that leading up to her death, Daniel and his attorney wife Eloise (center) tricked the 94-year-old to transfer millions through 'undue influence, coercion and excessive persuasion.' AP She was a longtime school teacher at P.S. 116 in Jamaica, a guidance counselor at Queens College, and was a known advocate for disabled students like her son David, who is legally blind. The ex-gov claims he only learned about the alleged 'unjust enrichment' last month after Daniel filed an affidavit to settle his mother's estate in surrogate's court. David's attorney then said he got a notice from the court, leading to the shocking discovery that his brother was claiming their late mother only had a $27,000 bank account and an 'inoperable' 2011 BMW 5-series valued at $2,000. On top of that, the affidavit claimed $8,500 in funeral expenses to be subtracted from the estate. That means the former governor's share of what was once his mother's sizable estate would be a mere $10,250. 4 Basil Paterson, his wife Portia, and their sons Daniel and David at JFK airport in 1970. Vic DeLucia/NY Post 'Even Portia's lawyer of 30 years – who wrote her will – did not know that Portia had transferred $7,000,000 in assets,' Siegert said. Daniel, the executor of Portia's estate, allegedly never even notified her estate lawyers of her death, Siegert claimed. 'How could she die in July of 2024, and we only find out almost a year later that her will was not being probated and then out of the blue, we get a notice from the surrogate's court that her net estate is $21,500,' the attorney said. 'Draw your own conclusions.'
