Introduction to the Problem
Felisa Geddis got her first look at Dondre Richardson as police officers led him, handcuffed, from the 88th precinct house in Brooklyn on a Wednesday night in January 2020. Her 55-year-old cousin, L. Antonio Litman, had been stabbed to death nine days earlier, and the officers had arrested Richardson for the crime. She remembered her relief that a suspect had been caught. “It seemed like the case was so cut and dry,” Geddis told THE CITY. Five years later, the case has still not gone to trial, leaving the victim’s family in a terrible purgatory.
The Impact of Delayed Trials
Geddis, who was raised with Litman and considered him a sibling, said she has attended scores of hearings, even after she was diagnosed and treated for cancer. She compared the cycle of hope and disappointment to the whiplash of bungee-jumping: “It’s like someone is stepping on your heart over and over again.” The first case of COVID-19 had not yet been diagnosed in the city on the day Richardson began his jail stay on Rikers Island. In the years since he pleaded not guilty, he has been awakened before dawn and bused to the courthouse more than 70 times, according to court records, mostly to make momentary appearances followed by postponements of weeks or months.
The Effect on Defendants and Their Families
“The longer you be in here, the longer people going to fade,” he said in a recent interview from behind bars. “When I first came here, everybody was talking to me, everybody on the phone, everybody coming to visit. Nothing anymore. As far as people are concerned, I’m probably dead.” Metal gates lock in detainees at the Otis Bantum Correctional Center on Rikers Island, March 20, 2025. Credit: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY
The Wait Begins
On a December morning in a windowless courtroom of the Kings County Supreme Court, a fresh group of the accused began their wending journey. Judge Deepa Ambekar was arraigning a few dozen people arrested in Brooklyn, a fraction of some 12,000 felony cases that will land in New York City courts this year. The alleged crimes — assaults, robberies, an occasional murder — were as serious as the proceedings were tedious. Most felonies inch along for more than a year before resolution.
Contributing Factors to Delay
Comptroller Brad Lander’s office has calculated that speeding up cases by even a few weeks could shrink the jail population by over 1,200 people. But all parties have something to gain by slowing proceedings. Prosecutors, who want to build the best case but don’t have capacity to bring every defendant to trial, can gain leverage in plea negotiations by jailing defendants at length. Defense lawyers, reluctant to risk their clients’ liberty at trial, may benefit from delays as witnesses’ memories fade.
Is It Different This Time?
Delays have been a feature of New York City’s courts for as long as anyone can remember. In the 1970s, the courts tried sanctioning attorneys who ask for unreasonable adjournments. In the 1980s, they shifted personnel to overburdened portions of the courts. In the 1990s, a new chief administrative judge, Jonathan Lippman, deployed specialized teams of judges to clear backlogged cases, what some called a “rocket docket.” Retired Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman speaks at a City Hall close-Rikers rally with Mayor Bill de Blasio and Council Speaker Speaker Corey Johnson, Feb. 14, 2018. Credit: John McCarten/New York City Council
Recent Reforms and Their Potential Impact
In October, as part of the courts’ latest attempts at reform, the chief administrative judge, Joseph Zayas, announced a handful of new protocols meant to coax defense attorneys and prosecutors into promptly reviewing evidence and avoiding protracted negotiations. There are changes in courtroom procedure, additional court lawyers to help resolve issues in between formal hearings, and a shared citywide calendar to sync busy attorneys’ schedules. Brooklyn began introducing the changes for jailed defendants last fall and they will roll out citywide this year.
Conclusion
The sluggish pace of New York City’s courts has significant consequences, including keeping Rikers Island full. The case of Dondre Richardson, who has been awaiting trial for five years, illustrates the human cost of these delays. Recent reforms aim to speed up the process, but their success depends on the cooperation of all parties involved. Until the courts can resolve cases more efficiently, the cycle of delay and frustration will continue, affecting not only defendants but also their families and the community at large.
FAQs
- What is the main cause of the delays in New York City’s courts? The main cause of the delays is a combination of factors, including the complexity of cases, the lack of resources, and the culture of delay among prosecutors and defense attorneys.
- How many people are currently jailed on Rikers Island? Over 7,200 people are currently jailed on Rikers Island, a five-year high.
- What are the recent reforms aimed at addressing the issue? The recent reforms include changes in courtroom procedure, additional court lawyers to help resolve issues, and a shared citywide calendar to sync busy attorneys’ schedules.
- How will the success of the reforms be measured? The success of the reforms will be measured by the reduction in the number of delayed cases and the overall efficiency of the court system.
- What is the potential impact of the reforms on the jail population? The reforms have the potential to shrink the jail population by over 1,200 people if cases are sped up by even a few weeks.
