Death Penalty Is Challenged Before a Trial in 3 Killings
By WILLIAM GLABERSON
New York Times
July 27, 2010

EXCERPT:

“They are planting a seed for the future,” said Eric M. Freedman, a law professor at Hofstra University who was a defense lawyer in another Connecticut death penalty case.

Professor Freedman said the new challenge to the Connecticut capital punishment law was textbook defense strategy in death penalty cases.

Lawyers familiar with capital punishment say that there are often few real mysteries about the crime in death penalty trials. Instead, defense lawyers work to humanize people charged with heinous acts. And if that fails, they plan appeals stretching out over years trying to undermine capital punishment itself.

Read the full article at nytimes.com.

NMI labor law complicates federalization
By Junhan B. Todeno
Marianas Variety
July 23, 2010

EXCERPT:

THE requirements imposed by CNMI labor law are complicating the implementation of the federalization law, according to law professor Rose C. Villazor of Hofstra University School of Law in New York.

“It’s not labor law but it’s really an immigration regulation,” she said, referring to the local statute.

Speaking before 50 guest workers, businessmen and advocates outside the multi-purpose center on Wednesday night, Villazor mentioned the preemption doctrine that applies to state or local laws regarding noncitizen workers.

Read the full article at mvariety.com.

How Two Questions Caused Death Penalty Misstep
A. G. SULZBERGER
New York Times
July 1, 2010

EXCERPT:

“The prosecutor is not allowed to advance his or her case by exploiting the fact that the defendant did something that he has every constitutional right to do,” said Eric M. Freedman, a professor of constitutional law at Hofstra University. “If it were permitted, the constitutional right would be undermined.”

Read the full article at nytimes.com.

In 2008, New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board allowed landlords of rent-subsidized apartments to raise rents by 4.5 percent for one-year leases and 8.5 percent for two-year leases.

Last week, the Appellate Division First Department affirmed an earlier decision, which ruled in favor of City Council and advocates for New York’s lower-paying tenants, stating that the rent increase was a “poor tax.”

Professor Stefan Krieger reports that the ruling in the original case was based directly on a Second Department decision in a Law Reform Advocacy Clinic case: NY Tenants & Neighbors Coalition v. Nassau County Rent Guidelines Board, 53 A.D.3d 550; 861 N.Y.S.2d 766 (2d Dept. 2008).

“The theory in this case – which was newly developed by our students – is having a big effect” said Krieger.

New York City’s Law Department now plans to ask the state’s highest court to review it. Should the ruling stand, approximately 300,000 rent-stabilized tenants could receive rebates and small reductions in their rent.

For more details, read previous stories in the New York Daily News, New York Times, and Blogstra.

Professor Roy Simon has been appointed by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein to play a key role in a proposed settlement of lawsuits filed by people who believe they were sickened during rescue and cleanup work at the World Trade Center site.

"I am going to look at [the letters] and make sure that the lawyers fairly and accurately describe what the lawyers' interests are [and] what the lawyers' conflicts are," Simon said. "I'm not there to convince any plaintiff to accept it or convince any plaintiff not to accept it."

To take effect, the proposed settlement requires approval by 95 percent of plaintiffs, who have until Sept. 30 to decide whether to accept it.

To read the Newsday feature outlining Professor Simon's new role, click here.