Notable Cases

New York's Youthful Offender Adjudication

In 2023 a case I took on during the pandemic reached its conclusion. This was the case of a young man, 17 at the time of the offenses in 2020, who like so many others in similar circumstances in this city, found himself involved in a local gang that was embroiled in street warfare. With charges of conspiracy to commit attempted murder hanging over his head, unwavering advocacy was necessary to create even a sliver of hope for his future. One of the services we were able to connect him with were clinical advocates to begin his rehabilitation while he was held in pretrial detention. Our combined efforts helped convince the Judge that he should serve a minimal sentence That young man will complete a minimal prison sentence, after factoring the time spent in pretrial detention, and thanks to the New York State Legislature he will not carry that criminal record forward into his adult life. The law recognizes that young people are still developing physiologically and cognitively at that age, and external influences have an outsized effect on their actions, so young offenders can qualify for "Youthful Offender Adjudication" under Article 720 of the Criminal Procedure Law. Once they have served their sentence, that record is automatically sealed and they can face the future anew.

Year in Review: 2023

The Ebanks Law Firm closed another two dozen cases this year, before various New York courts.  Some highlights of 2023 include:

• Three custodial sentences of less than 1 year
• Three sentences of Probation/Supervised Release
• Six of our clients completed conditional release, interim supervision, or alternative-to-incarceration programs successfully, ending their cases with either reduced charges and no jail time or full dismissal. When there is clear evidence of wrongdoing in a case, these dispositions are invaluable for defendants who can show that their current brush with the law will be their last.

Wrong place, wrong time, wrong hoodie?

The most notable case of 2022 has to be the case of the 16 year old in Queens who was arrested for looking like someone who participated in a home invasion robbery. Or rather, the back of his head with his hood pulled up made him look like someone who participated in the home invasion robbery. Eyewitnesses may be fallible, but cameras don't lie. Two cameras in this case spoke volumes: a security camera on a house across the street from the scene of the crime and the Ring doorbell video camera on the defendant's grandmother's house--where he had just stepped outside moments before being stopped and arrested. Through diligent review and investigative work, we were able to show that the youth was not one of those involved in the violent crime, and that he happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time - and apparently wearing the wrong hoodie - and all charges were dismissed.

Year in Review: 2022

The Ebanks Law Firm closed about two dozen cases this year. Two of those were in Federal Court, and the rest were before various New York courts. Some highlights of this year include:

• Six cases ended in convictions of lesser included or lower charges, saving clients from longer prison sentences
• Five of the cases that ended in criminal convictions resulted in either time served or probation/supervised release
• Several other mitigation successes, in particular that of a 57 year old man with a lifetime of addiction problems who found himself caught up in drug distribution. We made the case that he was dealing primarily to sate his own drug habit, and that he would benefit immensely from the drug treatment programs offered by the Bureau of Prisons. While a custodial sentence was unavoidable, the Judge sentenced him to 18 months -- half of what was recommended -- and I fully anticipate that he will remain clean once his time is served.

The defendant was facing serious charges of attempted murder along with various gun charges. Before seeking assistance from the Ebanks Law Firm, the defendant had retained and sought assistance from six other law firms. The prior attorneys all recommended and advised the defendant to take a plea deal of 10 years because the case was "hopeless." The defendant refused to give up and retained the Ebanks Law Firm to defend him. Midway through the trial, following an extensive investigation and endless hours of preparation, the alleged victim was exposed as a liar and had to be appointed a lawyer to defend him and advise him on potential perjury charges. The entire case was riding on that witness' tongue. The case was subsequently dismissed and sealed. Instead of prison, the client now takes their kids to the park every afternoon and attends church every Sunday.