The Litigation Committee maintains the fight on multiple fronts, thanks mostly to the work of our gallant committee members.
We are still waiting on a decision from Judge Colin after the hearing of our Motion for Attorney Fees in the Suffolk Superior Court. David Kelston and Jeff Petrucelly made well-crafted and supported arguments for NLG, aided by Jonathan Messinger and Chris DiOrio, in favor of our demand for fees after almost three years of obstruction and obfuscation by Boston Police in acquiring records regarding BPD’s response, or lack thereof, during the “Straight Pride” threat march three years ago. We await her decision anxiously.
Our lawsuit regarding the Boston Police Department and BRIC’s discriminatory inactivity and subsequent failure to provide records during the Patriot Front “march” through Boston streets resulting in harassment and injury to counter protestors has been answered, and we are advancing toward discovery and potentially dispositive actions. We have also served M.G.L. c.66 record requests to BPD/BRIC to address their disparate treatment of pro-Palestinian protesters versus those who are pro-Israeli supporters, and await their statutory required response eagerly.
Chris DiOrio and Jeff Feuer will be engaging with Grace Ross at MAAPL/WAFT regarding a series of discriminatory orders against her organizations by housing and district court judges on behalf of predatory lenders attempting to evict families. Judges have specifically prohibited her and her volunteers from being present at eviction actions in support of the potential evictees, violating their 1st Amendment and Article 16 of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights. Jeff Feuer and Chris DiOrio will be working with Grace to strategize and choose a course of action regarding these heinous abuses of prior restraint against protesters.
We have also recently circulated a series of outreach communications to our Jailhouse Lawyers in an effort to monitor and confirm compliance by detention facilities and prisons with our hard fought wins on behalf of prisoners in the areas of Hep C and other medical treatment, access to care, and follow-up care.
