In Other Media-eg New Statesman, AJE, FP, Georgia, NYT,  Azerbaijan, CSM Click here to contact us     .

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive Patreon Scope

SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 1 – While many even most cases in the Magistrates Court of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York are sealed, on July 1 before Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses two defendants were presented without any case numbers. But some, this time, had numbers: "  DANTE PLUMMER    VOSR    15-cr-95."

 Inner City Press went to the Mag Court and found that this defendant, young looking, wanted to be bailed out to his mother, who works at a nursing home in Greenwich, Connecticut. While out on supervised release he was found in New Jersey, the prosecutors said, with marijuana and felons, and charged with a crime called "criminal simulation."  He was bailed out, witt Judge Moses telling him that a third chance will likely not be given.ge

For another example, "CATALIVO LOPEZ    NARCOTICS    18-cr-219."

  Inner City Press went to the Mag court and found that this defendant was arrested in Massachusetts, while living openly in Providence, Rhode Island, on an indictment that had been sealed. So how, exactly, was he a fugitive, if the indictment against him was sealed? The government said he once gave an address in a traffic stop at which, some unspecified time later, he was not found at. This Assistant US Attorney, filling in for others but not given the information, was not done any favors. He handled it with good humor.

Meanwhile three more grand jury indictments were signed off on by Judge Moses: US v Carroll, assigned to Judge Vernon Broderick, and US v. Minaya, Assigned to Chief Judge McMahon via Wheel A. The third grand jury indictment, which involved warrants, was declared fully sealed. Inner City Press will have more on this, the sealing of warrant information by SDNY even later in cases.

There was also "ALDE KAZEEM SODIQ    FRAUD    19-cr-462."

   Inner City Press went to the Mag court and heard that while notice had been given to a consular officer of the country of which Sodiq is a national, Nigeria, his Federal Defender lawyer on the record accused the government of questioning after she had met with him on Saturday, June 29, in violation of US v. Miranda. He is charged with, among other offenses, money laundering. His Federal Defender, at this stage, did not push further. But shouldn't there be an inquiry? Watch this site.
For further example, "STEVEN HALL    EXTRADITION    19-mj-5949."

  Inner City Press went to cover the Mag Court and found that this was no extradiction from New York to another state, but to France. Steven Hall appeared in a white t-shirt and told Judge Moses he needed only a stand-by French translator. There were no fewer than three lawyers-only sessions behind closed door, subsequently explained as involving only "procedural" issues like if this could even be done without the involvement of a District Judge. (Just after, three grand jury indictments were signed, one of them fully sealed along with warrants).

   Hall was charged by a French investigative judge with aggravated assault and home invasion. He consented to detention, with an extradition hearing set for July 16 - two days after Bastille Day...

  The last presentment of July 1, a Modesto Arias Soto, had been arrested on West 105th Street. There was some questioning of whether he was entitled to a free Federal Defender - Judge Moses approved it but said it might be revoked. He was released on a $25,000 bond with a preliminary hearing set for July 31.

O

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

Box 20047, Dag Hammarskjold Station NY NY 10017

Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540

Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

 Copyright 2006-2019 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com for