Justice isn’t ‘Blindfold’

JUSTICE MAY be blind, but defendants shouldn’t be blindsided, their lawyers said Tuesday.

Rallying outside Manhattan Criminal Court, defense lawyers railed against a state law that allows prosecutors to keep evidence from defense lawyers until right before a trial.

New York is one of four states, along with Louisiana, South Carolina and Wyoming, whose “Blindfold Law” does not require witness statements or police reports to be turned over to the defense until the day a trial begins.

That makes it virtually impossible for defense attorneys to thoroughly prepare, advocates say.

“If prosecutors are concerned about mass incarceration, preventing wrongful convictions and addressing our congested court system, they simply should stop holding back giving us the evidence until the day of a hearing or trial,” said Tina Luongo, attorney-in-charge of the criminal practice at the Legal Aid Society.

Luongo was among 40 people calling on Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. and other DAs to embrace reforms.

The New York State Bar Association has proposed legislation that would repeal the Blindfold Law.