100 Centre Street, March 5 –
A defendant with three cases, under two
separate names, was brought before NYS Justice Michele S.
Rodney on March 5. Inner City Press was there.
Jorge Cortaza - or Cortza - faced a
range of crack-selling and possession charges. "Your
Honor," he said, "I'm ready for treatment."
First hear the charges, Justice
Rodney said. The charges were read out; the ADA said they
had an offer to make: three years in prison on one charge,
in exchange for dropping the other two cases.
The offer was not accepted. In fact,
the defendant asked why he couldn't get diversion, ATI, or
mere probation.
Because he's not eligible, the ADA told
Justice Rodney. We think he is a violent predicate felon.
The ADA said he would check.
Justice Rodney put the case
over to June 11. The defendant was still talking as he was
led back into the holding cell.
Minutes later, a defendant who had
been sitting with Inner City Press in the otherwise empty
courtroom, his phone periodically making noise that the
officers asked him to stop, went up to face Justice
Rodney. His lawyer said he is 61 and in bad health and
only wants to return to his daughter in North
Carolina.
The ADA said it was not a $20
bag, but rather 41 zip bags - also of crack.
Justice Rodney said she wanted to conference the case, off-calendar, before the next formal date of April 30. Our Thursday is almost over, she told her staff, not without humor.
