Fall 2011 Lower Hudson Valley Newsletter

Director's Corner by Linda S. Berns

Chapter Director Linda S. Berns

We contacted the White Plains Police Department on behalf of a Pennsylvania man who submitted a DNA sample to the Department last year. He was concerned that his genetic information was being stored in a police database. I spoke with the detective who assured me that he had personally destroyed the sample and would provide a written report verifying this fact. Through a subsequent Freedom of Information Law request, we learned that the White Plains P.D. does not have a DNA database.

A group advocating for human rights for Palestinians and reform of U.S. policies in the Middle East was banned from the public meeting space at the Saugerties Public Library in Ulster County. The library's director then allowed them to meet, but would not allow the group to screen a controversial film. I, along with Capital Region Chapter Director Melanie Trimble (who originally received the request), contacted the library on this censorship issue. Senior Staff Attorney Corey Stoughton and I sent a letter to the library's director detailing our objections. The group was then allowed to use to space as they intended. Also, the library promised to review its policy prohibiting “political” meetings.

A Dutchess County legislator contacted us with concerns about a proposed county law to ban funeral protests – a response to the Westboro Baptist Church. NYCLU Legislative Director Robert Perry sent the county a letter outlining our objections. Jack Economou, chapter board member and a retired lawyer and judge, testified against the proposal at a legislative hearing. On Aug. 7, the Poughkeepsie Journal published my op-ed explaining why the proposal would be both unconstitutional and bad policy. In response to our advocacy, the legislation was withdrawn. A revised bill was introduced that addressed several of our objections. Governor Cuomo has signed legislation mandating a 300-foot buffer zone for funeral protests and allowing municipalities to establish a permit process for those wishing to hold demonstrations. We issued legislative memos in opposition to these measures.

Prisoners' Legal Services of New York, the only organization that provides direct legal services to protect the basic human rights of incarcerated people statewide, lost most of its state funding in the current state budget. As a result, we have seen an increase in complaints from state prisons: Greenhaven Prison in Dutchess County: An inmate, who suffers from pain due to a metal plate in his knee, has not been receiving medication. His written requests for an orthopedist have been ignored. I called the prison and spoke to a sergeant who promised to investigate the matter. Otisville Correctional Facility in Orange County: A nurse practitioner called about an inmate who recently learned that he is HIV-positive. He believes that the Department of Correctional Services had been aware of this diagnosis much earlier and failed to inform him of it. We spoke with medics at the prison and as a result the man signed a HIPPA authorization for the nurse practitioner to receive his medical results. A woman who has been visiting her boyfriend at the Ulster County Jail had her visiting privileges revoked for what she claimed was a misunderstanding. We assisted her in getting her visitation privileges were restored. Due to our intervention, Prisoners' Legal Services will investigate the case of a man who says he was badly beaten by several guards at Greenhaven Prison.



I spoke about the NYCLU's mission and immigration issues at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockland in Pomona.

Reporter Anne Phyllis Pinzow of Our Town Media Association in Rockland County interviewed me about surveillance cameras in public spaces.

Paige Rentz of The Town Report interviewed me about the chapter's March 29 public forum.

I spoke about NYCLU's mission and immigration reform, focusing on S-Comm, at the Community Synagogue in Rye.

I've spoken to the Journal News on multiple occasions: Ernie Garcia interviewed me about redistricting in Yonkers; Theresa Juva interviewed me about license plate readers the Greenburgh Police Department installed on busy streets; and finally, Laura Incalcaterra interviewed me at an immigrants' rights rally we held in Rockland.

I attended meetings in Rockland County of the Rockland Immigration Coalition and Jornaleros Project to mobilize our opposition to S-Comm and to brainstorm ways to help local immigrants. Families for Freedom did presentations at two of these meetings.

The Lower Hudson Valley Chapter fought aggressively for fair marriage laws all winter and spring. Leading up to the State Senate's historic passage of the Marriage Equality Act, we reached out to all of our Dutchess County members and urged them to lobby Sen. Stephen Saland to support the measure. Our efforts paid off when Saland's vote put the bill over the top. We followed up this brilliant victory by releasing an FAQ guide to help gay and lesbian couples navigate the new law. In the run-up to the final vote, I participated in a number of advocacy events. I joined 1,100 advocates at Equality & Justice Day in Albany on May 9 to lobby for same-sex marriage and the Gender Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA). I tabled with local board chairperson Joann Prinzivalli on June 12 at a Pride event at Riverspace Arts in Nyack. On July 24, I attended the first same-sex wedding in Westchester County at the Greenburgh Town Hall with more than 100 happy guests.