| Bronx
Man Arrested
for Crack Was
Said ID-ed for
Shooting Now
Courtroom to
be Semi Sealed
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Jan 19, 28 – In a four
defendant crack conspiracy
case centered around the
Lambert Houses in The Bronx,
Malik Muhammad had a bail
hearing on September 14, 2023
before U.S. District Court for
the Southern District of New
York Magistrate Judge Sarah L.
Cave. Inner City Press was
there.
The
Assistant US Attorney, after a
trial day that ended at 3 pm,
cited beyond the alleged crack
to a shooting he said Muhammad
had been picked out of a line
up for.
Judge Cave
said she had before her only
the crack indictment.
The AUSA
passed up to the bench a six
pack photo array and at first
asked the defense counsel not
see it as it had the witnesses
name. The defense said
"attorney-eyes only" and saw
it.
Judge Cave
ordered the defendant released
on $25,000 bond, subsequently
raised to $75,000.
Jump cut one year
to September 25, 2024 when on
co-defendant McIntosh, the US
Attorney's Office wrote in
asking for a sentence of 87
month, citing "his bringing
his six-month-old child to a
drug deal." Sentencing is set
for October 8.
Meanwhile,
Conyers is headed to trial -
or was.
On January 28,
2025 Conyers' counsel wrote it
asking to delay the trial
scheduled for May 5 until late
June, or September, so that
Conyers can have shoulder
replacement surgery.
On March 25 the
US Attorney's Office wrote it
saying that Conyers has
refused treatment for a dental
condition which precludes or
further delays the shoulder
surgery. Amid sealed medical
records, and references to
Bronx street videos, the US
says it wants to proceed to
trial.
On March 31
defense counsel wrote in
citing an April 2 legal phone
call with Conyers so an update
to the Court after that.
On June 16 on
co-defendant Figueroa his
counsel wrote in asking for a
sentence of no more than 14
months.
On July 1
the US Attorney's Office wrote
in response and asked for 46
months.
On
July 11 the US Attorney's
Office wrote in again, saying
there should be no reduction
based on the clemency for
McIntosh, noting it was mass
granted to 2500 people to
account for a disparity
between crack and powder
cocaine - a disparity that was
effectively negated at the
time of these guilty pleas.
Sentencing is set for July 14.
Figueroa was
sentenced to 24 months,
docketed on July 15.
On July 10
co-defendant Muhammad pled
guilty to Count 1.
On November 18
his counsel wrote in asking
for the five year mandatory
minimum on November 20. And
that's what he got.
On January 19,
Judge Clarke agreed to seal
the courtroom for an
Undercover at trial, not
addressing a request for an
audio feed but saying one
reporter can be present as
long as they agree to protect
the UC's identity.
Update of Jan
28, 2026: It has been
clarified that there will be
an audio feed, so we report
that here. The Jan 19 order
said "the Court GRANTS the
Government’s motions to
partially close the
courtroom during the UC’s
testimony; allow the UC to
testify under a pseudonym;
and to seal Case
1:23-cr-00457-JGLC Document
178 Filed 01/19/26 Page 2 of
10 3 exhibits that depict
the UC’s face. Also, if
requested, the Court will
permit one person from the
District’s press pool to be
in the courtroom for the
UC’s testimony provided that
member agrees to protect the
UC’s identity." To Judge
Clarke's credit, there will
be an audio feed.
The wider case is
USA v. Conyers, et al.,
1:23-cr-457 (Clarke)
***
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
Mail: Box 130222 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 2006-2026 Inner City
Press, Inc. To request reprint or other
permission, e-contact Editorial [at]
innercitypress.com
|
,
