Brooklyn elected officials are standing up for incarcerated New Yorkers. In a joint statement regarding a class action suit being litigated in United States District Court Eastern District of New York against Metropolitan Detention Center, U.S. Reps. Nydia Velázquez; Yvette Clarke; Carolyn Maloney; Grace Meng; José E. Serrano; State Sen. Zellnor Myrie; and Councilmembers Carlos Menchaca and Brad Lander wrote, “MDC Brooklyn has a long, troubled history, but it is increasingly clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded problems at this institution. Most recently, we were alarmed by the findings of Dr. Venters, who visited the site in late April. His analysis suggested that, far from being prepared for COVID-19, management’s practices at the facility are endangering staff and inmates alike, and heightening risk of transmission in our federal prison system.”

Read more here.