SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 9 – While many even most cases in the Magistrates Court of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York are sealed or have no case number given, on July 9 before Magistrate Judge Henry B. Pitman things hit a new level of murkiness. In an indictment for loansharking, at first the government said the boss of the conspiracy was recorded making threats for the repayment of the "loan."
Then, after Judge Pitman was said this defendant was detained, it was said that there is no recording of that threat, only two witnesses both of whom are cooperators. Judge Pitman reversed himself and allowed the loansharking boss to be freed on bond, with a signature by his sister who is a part-time professor at NYU. The loansharking muscleman with a relative working at Columbia University but only at a coffee serving franchise, was detained.
Back on July 3, a murder defendant was brought through, charged with the killing in 2818 Bronx Park East of Shaquille Malcolm. The defendant's last name - no case number was given - was Hopkins, with all Speedy Trial Act time excluded until September 5. The charging document, even as shown to the defense, was missing the third count. One CJA lawyer stood in for another. And so it goes in the SDNY.
