David Brand, Author at QUEENS DAILY EAGLE

Baruch College’s Newman Library. // Photo by Beyond My Ken

Flushing Freshman’s Death Inspires Statewide Anti-Hazing Bill

August 14, 2018 David Brand 12 Views 0 Comments anti-hazing, baruch, cuomo, michael deng, the ticker, victoria merlino

By Victoria Merlino Queens Daily Eagle Five years after the brutal hazing death of a Baruch College freshman from Flushing,

Trainees attend the New York State Court Officers graduation ceremony in December 2017. // Photo courtesy of NYS-UCS

LAW

From 100K Applicants to 130 Trainees: The Path to Becoming a Court Officer

August 14, 2018 David Brand 25 Views 0 Comments court officers, courthouses, Joseph Baccellieri, Jr., NYS UCS, queens criminal court

By David Brand Queens Daily Eagle The court officers who staff Queens courts are an elite group, selected from among

St. John’s School of Law features 10 clinics and 11 centers that enable students to apply their legal education. // Photo courtesy of SJU Law

LAW

St. John’s Clinics Open Doors For a New Class of Students

August 14, 2018August 13, 2018 David Brand 15 Views 0 Comments Consumer Justice for the Elderly: Litigation Clinic, law school, sju law, st. john's, Summer Public Interest Fellows

As another semester begins at the St. John’s School of Law, second and third-year students to apply their legal training through the school’s various legal clinics.

There are currently 10 in-house and partner clinics at St. John’s Law, including the Consumer Justice for the Elderly: Litigation Clinic. The school also hosts 11 academic centers, including the Public Interest Center.

School of Law spokesperson Lori Herz said the experience that students gain in the clinics and centers often “seals the deal” for those considering careers in public interest law.

A tornado smashed a tree into a car in College Point. // Twitter photo by Daniel Rosenthal

VOICES

OPINION: Lessons from the College Point Twister

August 13, 2018 David Brand 10 Views 0 Comments

By Jack Ryan Eagle Contributor The recent tornado that tore through a small part of Queens has drawn attention to

Hon. Joseph A. Zayas // Photo Courtesy of NYS-UCS

LAW

‘Varied Experiences’ Help Hon. Zayas Thrive In Different Worlds

August 13, 2018August 13, 2018 David Brand 45 Views 0 Comments frederick douglass houses, hon. joseph a. zayas, joseph zayas, queens supreme court. criminal court, woodside

Over a span of a few decades, Hon. Joseph A. Zayas ascended from the park benches outside his childhood public housing complex to the bench inside Queens’ highest criminal court.

Though his path from the projects to the judge’s chambers are not typical, his experiences have enabled him to thrive in various settings and given him a unique perspective that he says reflects the importance of empathy.

“Empathy is the characteristic of a judge that is most important, but people confuse it with sympathy,” Zayas said. “They think you’re going to sympathize with the David in every David and Goliath story but that’s not what empathy is. Empathy means that you’re going to put yourself in the shoes of the litigant before you — that may be a cop, it may be a victim.”

Asian Long-Horned Beetle // Photo by David J. Barber

QUEENS TODAY

A Dead Body Floats to Powell’s Cove and Nasty Sexts Spark Women’s Safety Initiative

August 13, 2018 David Brand 16 Views 0 Comments asian long-horned beetle, o'connell park, Powell's Cove, sexts

By Evan Rosen Dead Body Discovered Near Powell’s Cove On Thursday morning, the NYPD’s Harbor Unit recovered the unresponsive body

In April, a swastika was painted on a rock in Powell’s Cove in College Point. // Photo Courtesy Mirjana Karcic

COMMUNITIES FEATURED

Twister-Ravaged Park Is Site of Swastika, Noose & Dangerous Conditions

August 10, 2018August 15, 2018 David Brand 69 Views 0 Comments College Point, parks department, paul vallone, Powell's Cove, tornado, twister

Mirjana Karcic, a College Point resident, walks her dog through deteriorating Powell’s Cove every morning, but on Thursday, Aug. 3 the park looked even worse than usual.

“It was like a disaster, like a war zone,” Karcic said.

Decade-old trees lay splintered in the path, smashed to bits, and pieces of homes and trash were scattered throughout the trees. The devastation prompted Karcic to share the conditions of the park, which she has been documenting for months, with the Queens Daily Eagle.

Her photos reveal racist graffiti, including a swastika spray painted on a rock, and a medical waste container discarded next to a garbage can.

The Queensbridge Houses, a NYCHA development in Long Island City//Metro Centric

FEATURED LAW

Queensbridge Raid Nets 22 — Including 3 for Weed Possession

August 10, 2018August 10, 2018 David Brand 63 Views 0 Comments legal aid, marijuana, normandeau news, nycha, nypd, police, queens district attorney, queensbridge

A year-long investigation concluded Wednesday with the arrest of 22 people inside the Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City, including 3 for low-level marijuana possession.

The Queens District Attorney’s office announced the bust in a press release Thursday morning, which listed the names and charges for the 22 people arrested.

Of the 22 defendants, one was charged with criminal possession of a firearm and another with possession of an undisclosed weapon. Nine are charged with 7th-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance — the lowest-level criminal drug possession charge —and three are charged with marijuana possession.