Jerold E. Levine, Attorney At Law

NEW YORK CARRY PISTOL LICENSE

In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the New York law that stopped most people from being able to get a carry pistol license. Under the new law, if you can pass the criminal background check, moral character review and mental health check, then you cannot be denied a carry license.

But, the license application process has become more complicated, with many more requirements and pitfalls. So, having someone who can assist you is even more valuable if you do not want to go through the process alone.

Our office provides license application preparation and other services, including compliance with the many new requirements for carry licenses.

If you want a carry license, and you do not want to make mistakes in the process that will cause your license to be denied, then our service is for you. Call our office to find out how we can help.

PISTOL LICENSE DISAPPROVAL

If you are disapproved for a pistol license, the reason almost certainly will be listed as "moral character," and will relate to (1) some incident(s) in your past, and/or (2) something you did during the application process (e.g., failed to disclose required information during the investigation).

Sometimes, these denials are very unreasonable, and can be challenged. But, you must challenge them within the time limits. The deadline for challenging the first disapproval notice is 30 days in New York City, but it can be even less in some other counties. The deadline for challenging a final disapproval is 4 months, and is made by filing an Article 78 court proceeding.

If you miss these deadlines, you destroy your opportunity to fight the disapproval, because you become "time barred." So, when you get a disapproval notice of any kind, you must take action immediately.

For more than 30 years, our office has provided appeal and court services in all kinds of licensing cases, and has established significant precedents in the law. Contact us without delay if you receive a disapproval notice.

OPMC ATTORNEY - OPD ATTORNEY
MEDICAL LICENSE DEFENSE
MEDICAL LICENSE RESTORATION
PROFESSIONAL LICENSE DEFENSE
PROFESSIONAL LICENSE RESTORATION

Professional misconduct proceedings have become a larger area of concern for doctors, psychologists and other professionals in recent years. There has been an increased regulation of the professions, resulting in the filing of misconduct charges. The results largely have been unwelcome in the professional community, for while a few dangerous or unethical actors have been removed from the scene, others who have engaged in relatively minuscule acts of misconduct---some unintentionally---have had the full weight of the government fall upon them.

If you are notified by OPMC (Office of Professional Medical Conduct) or OPD (Office of Professional Discipline) that an inquiry has begun, it is important that you seek assistance immediately from a license defense attorney. Allegations or suspicions of wrongdoing often balloon into full-blown investigations, and this activity can be tremendously hurtful to the operation of a professional practice. Investigators are not concerned with your business needs or your inconvenience, and they will pursue the investigation with relentless tenacity. Any who doubt this need only ask a professional who has been the target of such an investigation.

Our office will help you through the investigation process, and if needed through the trial process. But, we can be of use only if you call us, and we are of most use when contacted very early in the proceeding. It is extremely important that you have counsel before you start answering questions and handing over documents to investigators.

NYPD PSYCHOLOGICAL
DISQUALIFICATION APPEAL

Government job applicants can be disqualified from employment for various reasons, including character (honesty and trustworthiness), medical (physical) and psychological (mental). Of all these, psychological disqualifications are the most challenging, and unfortunately, they also can be the most damaging to your future employment if not handled correctly. A psychological disqualification has the real potential to ruin your job opportunities.

Also unfortunate is the rate of psychological disqualification. As example, one New York law enforcement agency has reported that over a 14 year period it psychologically disqualified 27% of all job candidates who were evaluated. So for every 1,000 candidates, 270 were psychologically rejected. But that only is the average rate over 14 years; for 7 of those years the disqualification rate was 30%-34%.

Appealing a psychological disqualification involves a psychological or psychiatric expert witness who provides an opinion about your mental suitability for employment. Commonly, the opinion also highlights any disagreement that the expert has with the agency disqualification.

It is very important that the psychological expert have sufficient experience in the field of related disqualifications. As example, if you are a police candidate then you should obtain the services of a psychologist who has experience with police psychological disqualification appeals.

You also should consult with an attorney who is knowledgeable about your kind of case. Many legal issues arise in the preparation of appeals, and it is very unlikely that you or your psychologist will be able to deal with these properly. The best representation for you will occur when an experienced lawyer and psychologist work together.

PSYCHOLOGICAL REVIEW,

MEDICAL REVIEW &

CHARACTER REVIEW

PSYCHOLOGICAL HOLD,

MEDICAL HOLD &

CHARACTER HOLD

Government employment candidates frequently are told that they are on "review" or "hold." Sometimes this occurs because the agency must gather more information about you before making a hiring decision. However, in many cases review and hold are just excuses to avoid giving any decision. This can happen when the agency does not wish to hire you, but also does not have a very strong reason to disqualify you.

Instead of issuing a disqualification which you can appeal---an appeal which you might win---the agency puts you on review. While on review, your Eligible List gets closer to expiring with each passing day, but you cannot appeal because there is no decision to appeal. In other words, you are left waiting until the Eligible List expires, after which time you cannot be hired.

This is a very abusive government practice, and it destroys your right to use the disqualification appeal process. Most unfortunate is that, by the time some candidates realize what has been done to them, it is too late to get legal help.

You should be in contact monthly with your investigator so that you are up-to-date about your employment application status. If you are told that you are on review or hold, then do not wait more than three months before seeking legal advice. With enough time remaining on the Eligible List, we may well be able to help you get off review or hold. Our office has done this many times for many job candidates.

MEDICAL DISQUALIFICATION &
NEW YORK CITY HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

If you are disqualified for a civil service job based upon a medical condition, you may want to consider filing a complaint with the New York City Human Rights Commission, instead of an appeal with the New York City Civil Service Commission. The main reason for this is that, while the Human Rights Commission process takes much longer than the Civil Service Commission process, your case before the Human Rights Commission could be much more likely to win. Also, a money award may be gotten from the Human Rights Commission, while such awards never are given by the Civil Service Commission.

Before taking any action on a medical appeal, you should contact an experienced attorney to discuss your options and determine which course is the best for your particular case.

NOTICE OF PROPOSED DISQUALIFICATION

(NOPD) & NOTICE OF DISQUALIFICATION

For many years, when a New York City agency wanted to disqualify you from employment, it would issue a "Notice of Disqualification" which could be appealed to the Civil Service Commission. However, this procedure was not correct under the Civil Service Law, which requires that candidates be told in advance why they are going to be disqualified, and be offered an opportunity to argue against a disqualification before it becomes final.

The Civil Service Commission advised agencies some years ago that they were not following the law, and the result is the "Notice of Proposed Disqualification" (NOPD). It notifies you that you have 30 days to ask the agency to "reconsider" the proposal to disqualify. Only after receiving your reconsideration appeal and supporting evidence will the agency then issue you a final decision; usually a Notice of Disqualification.

In practice, all that has changed is that most of what you previously had to do when appealing a Notice of Disqualification, now is done when you receive an NOPD. Instead of appealing a disqualification to the Civil Service Commission, now a reconsideration appeal is sent to the agency first, and after final disqualification you appeal to the Civil Service Commission.

Nevertheless, while only a minor change in procedure has occurred, there is an important consequence: If you wait until the NOPD process is over before getting good legal counsel, you may have hurt your appeal. This is because all supporting papers and other evidence must be presented to the agency during the NOPD process. After that, when the agency issues a final disqualification, the "administrative record" is closed, and any new evidence you try to submit to the Civil Service Commission can be "inadmissible." So if you do not put your best foot forward during the NOPD processâ€”using all evidence and legal resources availableâ€”then the case may be defective when it goes to the Commission. Many people learn this lesson late and hard.

In almost all instances, good attorneys can make a case better and stronger than the client could have done on their own. You may understand some of the good evidence in your case, and medical experts should be able to identify relevant medical issues. But almost always, you will overlook helpful legal points, or worse, you will use evidence that actually hurts your case. Also, you might assume that your case is "good enough" to win, and decide that you will call a lawyer only if you lose the NOPD appeal. But by then, the damage has been done. The best course is to contact counsel immediately upon receiving a Notice of Proposed Disqualification, or any other negative notice from an agency.

PSYCHOLOGICAL FILE

If you are a New York government employment candidate who was disqualified for medical reasons, the New York Public Health Law provides that you have the right to obtain a copy of your medical file from the government agency. As example, a Police Officer candidate denied employment for psychological reasons has the right to get a copy of his psychological file.

Unfortunately, most agencies violate this law and refuse to release file copies to candidates. Usually the file is released only to a doctor who is assisting the candidate with a disqualification appeal, and the government directs the appeal doctor not to give the file to anyone else. That direction is wrong, but many doctors are scared by the warning and will not release the file to the candidate or even the candidateâ€™s lawyer.

Nonetheless, the law is clear and it has been upheld in court. Disqualified candidates have the right to obtain a copy of their medical file, and they can enforce that right by going to court.

PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVIEW PREPARATION &
PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION PREPARATION

Almost all police and public safety agencies will screen you for psychological suitability, and usually this involves three steps. First, questionnaires about personal history. Second, psychometric tests, including the MMPI-2-RF and Cornell Index. And third, a psychological interview; sometimes more than one.

You can make serious mistakes at all levels. With psychometric testing, the usual mistake is answering questions in a way that you believe will make you look better. But since the tests are geared to measure such "faking good," the result is a test score which hurts you. So the best advice regarding these tests simply is to answer all questions honestly.

However, far more important than test scores is your performance during the psychological interview. The interview is the culmination of the entire psychological evaluation process, and if you do poorly, then your fate is sealed. No amount of good personal history or test scores will compensate for a bad interview. Unfortunately, few candidates know how to present themselves well, and very often make significant errors that lead to disqualification.

Since candidates usually have no experience with psychological interviews, the failure rate is not surprising. And in New York City, the failure rate is higher than the national average. This means that the chance of psychological disqualification is greater than most other places, and many candidates who never imagine that they will be disqualified receive a nasty surprise in the mailbox.

Keep in mind, you do not need to have a mental illness to be disqualified, and disqualified candidates usually have no mental condition at all. What they almost always have in common is that they did badly during the interview.

The good news is that you can be well prepared for a psychological interview, but only if you are counseled by someone who understands the process---such as an attorney with many years experience in psychological disqualification cases. Just like taking an S.A.T. prep course, or a class that teaches job interview skills, you can learn how to handle a psychological interview also. Some candidates who received counseling later remarked about how easy the psychological interview seemed, but how difficult it would have been without preparation.

Do not "cast your fate to the wind" and pray for a good outcome. Maximize your chances of success by being prepared for the psychological evaluation.

ARTICLE 78 PROCEEDING

The New York Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR) gives you the right to sue a government agency for various reasons, and many cases involve Article 78 of the CPLR.

An Article 78 proceeding is used, among other reasons, when you want to challenge a government agency decision, or force an agency to do something. As example, when an agency issues a bad decision about you, usually it can be challenged in court under Article 78. Or, the agency might be refusing to issue a decision at all. To force the agency to act, you can use an Article 78 proceeding.

However, you must use all available agency procedures before filing an Article 78. This means that any internal agency appeals, or other available appeals, must be used before going to court. If those procedures are not used, then you lose the right to file an Article 78.

Also, you must usually file the Article 78 proceeding within four months of the final agency determination. This means that once the agency has made its final decision about you, an Article 78 must be filed within four months of the date of that decision.

The four month period is not 120 days, as many attorneys (and even some judges) mistakenly believe. Four months means the same day in the month four months later. As example, if the government notice is dated June 5th, then the four month Article 78 filing deadline is October 5th, not 120 days later on October 3rd. If the deadline month does not have the same numbered last day as the date of the government notice, then the deadline is the last day of the deadline month. As example, if the government notice is dated the last day of December, December 31st, then the Article 78 deadline is April 30th, because April does not have 31 days.

Additionally, if the deadline date falls on a weekend or legal holiday, the deadline is extended to the next business day. As example, if the deadline falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the deadline becomes Monday, unless Monday is a legal holiday, in which case the deadline becomes Tuesday.

Whatever the deadline date, as you can see, the Article 78 filing period only is a few months, and if your case is not filed by the deadline then usually you lose the right to go to court. This is called being "time barred." So it is very important that you contact an attorney as soon as you receive any unfavorable decision from an agency, or as soon as you realize that the agency is refusing to give you a decision. This is so you can find out if any agency appeals must be used, and also to make sure that your Article 78 time deadline is not missed.

LOW LIST NUMBER HELPS AN APPEAL

Something that you may not understand is how achieving a high score on the civil service exam can help your appeal if you get disqualified from the eligible list. The following is an example.

John scores 85 on the police officer exam in 1999, and the eligible list is promulgated (officially created) during January 2000. John is called down to begin his investigation process at the police department during summer 2002, and after his investigation he is disqualified for character reasons during May 2003. He appeals the DQ in June 2003, and eventually wins the appeal in November 2003. Unfortunately however, the eligible list expires in January 2004, and the last academy class for candidates on his list starts in October 2003. John runs out of time on the eligible list, and cannot be appointed to an academy class after the list expires.

John did win his appeal, and that will be useful for him in the future if he applies again to the police department, because the department will not DQ him again for the same reason. But, his appeal did not get him the job this time.

The situation would be even worse if John was age-limited. If he became too old to take another police exam after his eligible list expired, then he never can get the job because he cannot take any more exams.

Why did this happen? It happened because John scored too low on the exam, and so his eligible list number was too high. If John had scored 98 on the exam, he would have had a much lower list number, and would have been called down to begin his investigation much sooner. His DQ then probably would have been issued much sooner also, and he would have had more time remaining on the list after winning his appeal. The result would have been that perhaps two or three academy classes may still have remained for his eligible list, and he might have gotten into one of those classes.

The lesson: Study hard for your civil service exam and score high.

MULTIPLE EXAMS CAN HELP AN APPEAL

If available, you should take one exam per year for every civil service job that you want to get. Doing this will put you on a fresh civil service list every year, and so you do not have to worry as much about becoming age-limited. Consider the following example.

Susan is 32 years old, and takes Exam 1000 for police officer. At age 33 she takes Exam 2000 for police officer. At age 34, she takes Exam 3000 for police officer. The eligible list for each exam, without any extension, probably will last four years. So, Exam 1000 will last until Susan is 36 years old, Exam 2000 until she is 37, and Exam 3000 until she is 38.

After her investigation process, Susan is disqualified from Exam 1000 when she is 34 years old, and is only a few months away from her 35th birthday. At age 35 she cannot take any more police exams, but fortunately, Susan was smart. By taking an exam each year until she was age 35, Susan put herself on multiple eligible lists, each of which is going to last four years. So, now she has time to appeal. If she wins her appeal, and even if the eligible list for Exam 1000 expires before she can get into the academy, Susan still is on other lists from Exams 2000 and 3000, and she can get hired from those lists.

Imagine if Susan only had taken Exam 1000, and never took Exams 2000 and 3000. She might have run out of time on the list from Exam 1000 before she could get into the academy, and she would not have been able to take any more exams because she had reached age 35.

The lesson: Again, if available, you should take one exam per year for every civil service job that you want to get. If the exam is offered every two years, then take one every two years, etc., until you reach maximum testing age.

PORT AUTHORITY DISQUALIFICATION

Employment disqualifications from city and state agencies in New York routinely are appealed to various civil service commissions. However, disqualifications from public authorities, like the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, are not covered by the Civil Service Law, and so cannot be appealed. This is because the Port Authority is not an agency of either New York or New Jersey, but an entirely separate entity created by agreement between both states.

The Port Authority acts, essentially, like an independent government, and has vast powers normally exercised only by a state. It is for this reason that such public authorities commonly are referred to as "shadow governments," and the laws which apply to city and state agencies often do not apply to authorities. The result is that job disqualifications from the Port Authority ordinarily cannot be successfully challenged. The only exception is perhaps a rare case of civil rights violation, where a Federal lawsuit might be filed.

However, while Port Authority employment disqualifications usually cannot be challenged, the candidate still has a right to obtain the reasons for the disqualification, which are contained in the Authorityâ€™s employment investigation file. As example, a candidate disqualified for psychological reasons has a right to obtain a copy of the psychological file. A demand for the file must be made, and if the Authority refuses to release the file, an Article 78 court proceeding can be used to compel release.

Candidates interested in obtaining such files should contact an attorney as soon as the candidate receives a notice of a Port Authority disqualification.

NEW YORK GUN ARREST
HANDGUN ARREST
ASSAULT WEAPON ARREST
KNIFE ARREST
AIRPORT ARREST

New York weapon laws are different from most other places, and the gun laws truly are terrifying. Your mere possession of a loaded handgun, with no criminal intent at all, results in a mandatory 5-15 year prison sentence upon conviction. Further, almost every case of unlicensed handgun possession now is a felony offense, including possession in the home which formerly only was a misdemeanor.

This is true also for rifle and shotgun possession, particularly if your gun meets the definition of an "assault weapon." Many rifles and shotguns which are legal most everywhere else are considered assault weapons in New York, and the same mandatory sentence applies as with handguns. Additionally, gun magazines are included in the felony category if they can hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

Knives too are criminalized in New York, and the knife statute is so vague that carrying almost any knife is chargeable as a crime. In New York City, your carrying even a simple pocket knife can result in arrest.

If you are unaware, you unknowingly can be ensnared by these laws, and many people traveling with guns at airports and by car are arrested regularly. You would be shocked by the severe penalties, and become even more shocked when facing a prosecutor determined to obtain a jail sentence, even though you were not aware of the law.

Your case will require representation by counsel experienced with New York gun and weapon laws, and who understands every argument that can be raised for you against the government. In many cases, not only can police and prosecution errors be used as a defense, but also technical issues regarding weapon specification. A defense attorney must be skilled in all these areas to give you the greatest advantage. If you are charged with violating the firearm, pistol, rifle, shotgun, assault weapon or knife laws, please contact our office immediately.

NEW YORK SAFE ACT APPEAL,
NICS APPEAL & CERTIFICATE OF RELIEF

In 2013, the New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act (SAFE Act) was created, and one part of that law changed the New York Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) to require that certain people be reported to the State. If a mental health professional believes that you are â€œlikely to engage in conduct that would result in serious harm to self or others,â€ then you must be reported to the State, and once reported you lose your right to own firearms.

Also, when New York puts you into the State MHL reporting system, you will not be able to buy a gun legally, and if you go to a gun store and try to purchase a firearm, the FBI National Instant Check System (NICS) will deny the purchase.

The reporting system has been severely criticized, and rightfully, because mental health providers and hospitals routinely report people who are not a threat to anyone. Doctors and hospitals are frightened that if a person they treat later harms themself or another person, then the doctor or hospital will be blamed for not reporting. And so, people are being reported, and are losing their gun rights, even when they are not dangerous.

The only way to restore your rights is by getting a Certificate of Relief from Disabilities. When that Certificate is issued by New York, FBI NICS then no longer should deny gun purchases. However, the Certificate of Relief process has many steps, and must be completed carefully so that you can have the greatest chance of getting back your rights.

NEW YORK ASSAULT WEAPON LAW BOOK

Mr. Levine's latest book, New York Assault Weapon Laws, has been published by LawTech Publications Company and now is available for purchase. The book contains detailed analysis of the New York assault weapon law, various local assault weapon codes, gun-related terminology, and is heavily illustrated with many photographs. It is a must-have resource for persons interested in this very complex and confusing legal subject.

The book can be purchased by using the order form below, or by telephoning LawTech Publications at 212-482-8830. The cost is $49.95 which includes tax and shipping.

An online review of the book by TheGunMag.com can be viewed at:

http://www.thegunmag.com/real-skinny-new-yorks-vaunted-assault-weapons-laws/

RECENT DECISIONS FROM OATH

The following are summaries of recent decisions of the Administrative Law Judges at the New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.

(Note: Unless otherwise indicated, these are not cases involving clients of Mr. Levine.)

PERSONNEL

ALJ Kevin F. Casey recommended dismissal of charges that a Comptrollerâ€™s Office computer associate obstructed an investigation by making false statements and submitting false documentation. ALJ Casey found that respondent engaged in protected activity when she submitted an EEO retaliation claim, and sustaining disciplinary charges stemming from that claim could deter her or others from filing discrimination claims, contrary to the Cityâ€™s Human Rights Law. However, ALJ Casey found that the employeeâ€™s false or misleading statement to the Department of Investigation was misconduct, rather than protected activity, and recommended a 20-day suspension without pay. (Office of the Comptroller v. Hogans, OATH Index No. 203/21, January 05, 2022), adopted, Comptrollerâ€™s Dec., January 24, 2022.)

ALJ Joan R. Salzman recommended a 20-day suspension, with credit for five days pre-trial suspension served, finding a Correction Officer negligently failed to supervise an inmate who slipped off his handcuffs, unseen by the officer and his partner, and escaped from a group of inmates that the Officer had driven to a Department of Correction facility parking lot in an agency bus. ALJ Salzman found that the Officers did not maintain constant visual supervision of the inmates as they walked into the facility, and that the Officer stayed with the bus while his partner walked ahead of the inmates, contrary to agency protocol for escorting inmates. The inmate hid in the parking lot for seven or eight minutes, sometimes under a parked bus, and then was captured. The Officer, who had no prior record of discipline in his eight years of DOC service, gave forthright testimony and admitted his error. (Depâ€™t of Correction v. Jolly, OATH Index No. 2061/21, January 14, 2022.)

ALJ Julia H. Lee recommended termination of a Correction Officer who unjustifiably struck an inmate in the face and torso. The Correction Officerâ€™s claim that he used â€œsoft handâ€œ techniques in response to a threat from the inmate was contradicted by video evidence and testimony. (Depâ€™t of Correction v. Douglas, OATH Index No. 1539/21, January 11, 2022.)

ALJ Salzman recommended a 50-day suspension for a Correction Officer who had failed to exercise self-control, and who used impermissible force against an inmate that provoked her. ALJ Salzman also found that the Officer filed a misleading report about the incident, omitting important information and minimizing facts unfavorable to her. (Depâ€™t of Correction v. Bernard, OATH Index No. 1686/21, January 10, 2022, adopted, Commâ€™r Dec., March 18, 2022.)

ALJ Ingrid M. Addison recommended a 35-day suspension without pay for a Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority Lieutenant who sent text messages to a subordinate, which violated the MTA All Agency Policy Directive against sexual and other harassment. ALJ Addison also found that respondent regularly referred to subordinates using derogatory, discriminatory language, but the evidence did not establish that respondent made unsolicited sexual advances towards the complaining subordinate. (Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Auth. v. Vella, OATH Index No. 227/22, February 10, 2022.)

ALJ Christine Stecura recommended a 30-day suspension for a Correction Officer who submitted a false, misleading, incomplete and inaccurate report regarding a use of force incident, by failing to report that she observed another Officer headbutt an inmate, where the video evidence established that respondent observed the incident from close range and with an unobstructed view. (Depâ€™t of Correction v. Gallop, OATH Index No. 544/22 , February 28, 2022, adopted, Commâ€™r Dec., April 26, 2022.)

LICENSING

ALJ Faye Lewis recommended revoking a driverâ€™s TLC driver and for-hire vehicle licenses for bypassing a metal detector at the TLCâ€™s office, disregarding orders of two security guards, threatening them and slapping one in the face. ALJ Lewis rejected the TLCâ€™s recommendation of fines and assessment of points against the license, noting that the driver had an otherwise clean record and that those penalties would be unduly harsh in light of the revocation of both of his licenses. (Taxi & Limousine Commâ€™n v. Okwan, OATH Index No. 775/22, January 25, 2022.)

ALJ Julia Davis recommended lifting the suspension of a TLC driverâ€™s license because the TLC did not prove that continued licensure posed a direct and substantial threat to the public health and safety. The driverâ€™s off-duty arrest for assault in the second degree â€” with a complainant whose identity as either a romantic partner, tenant or stranger was in dispute â€” was his first arrest and appeared to be an aberration in an otherwise law-abiding life, including an eighteen-year taxi driving record with no customer complaints and only one infraction. (Taxi & Limousine Commâ€™n v. Medina, OATH Index No. 1160/22, January 26, 2022.)

STATEMENT ON RACISM

Below is Mr. Levineâ€™s statement on racism regarding client representation:

â€œOver more than thirty years of legal practice, I have seen many different client reactions to the way that cases are resolved. When clients win their cases, obviously they are very happy. But even when they do not prevail, usually they understand the situation. They can accept that nothing is guaranteed, they did their best, and they are able to move on. However, some clients do not deal with loss very well; either loss of a case, or, being turned down for representation.

My first experience with this happened more than 25 years ago. A man who had served a long prison term for attempted murder telephoned my office seeking representation. He had tried to adopt a child from the New York City Administration for Childrenâ€™s Services, but due to his criminal conviction ACS denied the application. He called my office because he wanted to sue ACS.

I advised the man that ACS had discretion to determine if a person was a suitable parent, and that there was no judge in the courthouse that would disagree with their decision. After much time trying, over and over, to explain why he would be wasting his money on a lawsuit, the man told me that I was 'part of the white power structure trying to keep the black man down.'

What I learned in that moment is that no matter how hard one tries to give good professional advice, what one says may not be what someone else hears, or wants to hear. It seemed ridiculous to me that anyone would assume that my legal advice had anything to do with race; why would I want to turn away a new client? But if a person has race on their mind, everything they see and hear goes through that filter, and I have learned that many people have race filters installed as standard equipment.

This can cause real trouble in a professional relationship. For instance, if a client hears my instruction that he be truthful and honest with me --- as if it were an accusation of dishonesty based on racism --- then we have a serious problem. Similarly, a client may resist hearing advice he does not like, such as when he absolutely is convinced that he was fired due to racism, even though there is a much more obvious explanation (e.g., the client has a substantial history of misconduct).

Regarding government racism in civil service cases, I can say that almost never have I had a case where a client was denied employment, was disciplined in employment or was terminated from employment based on race. While my own experience does not mean that there is no racism in government operations, it probably means that race-based employment decisions occur far less often than many people believe, or want to believe. And again, consider that my office has represented hundreds of clients, and counseled thousands more, for over thirty years.

Lastly, as with any kind of legal claim, if someone alleges racism then there must be real proof; suspicion or belief, alone, do not justify a claim. Claims without adequate proof are known as 'frivolous,' and if a court finds that a claim was frivolous, the court can impose fines on the lawyer and the client. So when a lawyer is unwilling to make a claim of racism because there is not enough proof, it does not mean that they are racist. The lawyer is just being a good lawyer.â€

A HISTORY OF NYPD

GUN LICENSE CORRUPTION

In 2018, a government corruption trial in New York Federal Court resulted in the conviction of political fundraiser Jeremy Reichberg. Reichberg had bribed the New York City Police Department to obtain gun licenses for his clients, and in 2019 he was sentenced to 48 months in prison. His co-defendant in the trial, NYPD Deputy Inspector James Grant, was acquitted, but the trial still proved that bribes had been paid, and so New York Post editorial writer Eric Sanders correctly wrote, â€œAcquittal or no, the NYPD has shown it can be bought.â€

That criminal case was only one of several that developed from a corruption scandal that became public in 2016 â€” the worst gun license bribery scheme in the entire history of the NYPD. Yet, it was only the latest in a long line of similar scandals, all emanating from the nature of New Yorkâ€™s gun control system.

HISTORY OF THE LAW

There were no handgun restrictions in New York until the 1911 Sullivan Act, when the carrying and ownership of handguns became licensed. In New York City, licenses are issued by the Police Commissioner through the NYPD License Division, and if the License Division does not believe that an applicant is worthy, it has virtually unlimited authority to deny a license application.

Such a system, in theory, can be enforced fairly, but in reality it is not. Not only is the system Byzantine â€” the current application form, without supporting documentation, can be more than 20 pages â€” decisions about carry licenses have been unfair for decades. Many news articles have reported the names of the rich, famous and well-connected who received carry licenses, while average citizens usually could not.

This discretionary scheme invites bias and corruption, and the Sullivan Act was criticized originally for preventing Italian immigrants from getting guns, and for giving special treatment to others. It is no surprise that the system led to favoritism and bribery, and what follows here is just a partial list of wrongdoing:

CORRUPTION SINCE 1970

1970: Police Officer Frank Serpico revealed widespread NYPD corruption, which led to the formation of the Knapp Commission. Among other things, the Commission heard reports that Police were bribed for pistol licenses. In response, NYPD moved licensing from the precincts to Police Headquarters, perhaps believing that the agency could keep a better eye on things under one roof. What was created instead was a convenient one-stop-shop for corruption.

1973: Captain Salvatore Salmieri was suspended without pay for issuing a pistol license to Joseph Sternfeld, the driver of gangster Thomas Eboli, and for lying about the matter. Eboli was the leader of the Genovese crime family for many years, until he was murdered in 1972.

1973: Police Officer Jack Werner was indicted for receiving bribes to â€œexpedite and facilitateâ€ the issuance of pistol permits.

1975: Acting on earlier reports to the Knapp Commission, Special Prosecutor Maurice Nadjari presented evidence to a grand jury that Police Officers and their superiors had received bribes for pistol licenses. Over 100 people were subpoenaed, and the proceeding was interesting, at one point featuring testimony from a stripper who used the stage name â€œLittle Egypt.â€ However, Nadjari had limited success, and some of the likely guilty parties walked away untouched.

1996: Deputy Inspector Charles Luisi allegedly got hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts from a gun dealer believed to have ties to the highest levels of the NYPD. State and Federal prosecutors investigated, but whether Luisi exerted influence over gun licenses never was answered publicly. The Department Internal Affairs Bureau failed to file disciplinary charges against Luisi before he retired, but in a later court trial between the gun dealer and his wife, the wife alleged, among other things, that her husband had used his NYPD connections to have her held against her will in a hotel room for three days by Detectives. Luisi was called to testify, but he took the Fifth.

1997: Deputy Inspector Henry Krantz was accused of corruption and his License Division office was raided by IAB. Departmental charges were filed, including that Krantz had given â€œpreferential treatment to individuals or entitiesâ€ and had been â€œwrongfully directingâ€ other Officers to grant favors.

Krantz signed a plea agreement, under which he paid a $10,000 fine, was demoted to Captain and was allowed to retire. Even that disposition perhaps was favoritism, because some believed Krantz was not prosecuted to avoid his telling all that he knew. Others involved were transferred to different duties.

2002: Deputy Inspector Benjamin Petrofsky was accused of giving favored treatment to Aerosmith band members who applied for pistol licenses. Petrofsky allegedly did this for VIP treatment at an Aerosmith concert, and a limousine ride to the after-party. Among other things, Petrofsky was accused of personally going to Madison Square Garden to fingerprint the band members for their license applications.

The Manhattan District Attorney examined whether Petrofsky got illegal benefits. Ultimately, he was demoted to Captain and placed on Dismissal Probation.

2016 SCANDAL

The Mother-of-All gun license scandals began after Federal investigators â€” probing fundraising efforts by supporters of Mayor Bill DeBlasio â€” uncovered a bribery extravaganza.

In 2016, Federal prosecutors charged businessman Alex Lichtenstein with bribery after he, essentially, bought carry licenses for cash. Lichtenstein reportedly bragged that he got 150 licenses, charging his clients $18,000 apiece, which if accurate would total $2,700,000. One license recipient had a record including domestic violence complaints and a threat against someoneâ€™s life.

Lichtenstein pled guilty in 2016, admitting to bribing NYPD Sergeant David Villanueva of the License Division. Lichtenstein was sentenced to 32 months in prison.

Villanueva pled guilty in 2017 to charges that he accepted bribes, and in 2019 was sentenced to 4 months in prison. At his sentencing he reportedly explained that he fell in with a bad element when he joined the License Division.

Villanueva admitted to prosecutors that he helped over 100 people get licenses that never should have been approved, including a person who may have had ties to organized crime. Nonetheless, his vast knowledge of corruption in the License Division made him an invaluable asset, and he became the star witness for the government, with his testimony advancing numerous criminal cases.

One case was the 2018 trial and conviction of former Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney John Chambers. Chambers, who for years billed himself as the top gun license attorney in New York, was convicted in Federal Court of bribery and other charges. He was sentenced to 1 year in prison.

Villanueva also testified at the trial of Deputy Inspector Grant and fundraiser Jeremy Reichberg, where a bombshell inference was raised by Grantâ€™s attorney. The attorney asked Villanueva if he had knowledge about Police Commissioner James Oâ€™Neill, when he was the Chief of Patrol, intervening to help a former Playboy Playmate obtain a pistol license that previously she had been denied. However, the attorneyâ€™s question never was answered as the prosecutor objected, and after a sidebar conference with the judge the matter was dropped.

Yet another NYPD Officer who was charged by Federal prosecutors was Lieutenant Paul Dean, who pled guilty in 2018 to conspiracy to commit bribery. He was sentenced in 2019 to 18 months in prison, a $7,500 fine, and forfeiture of a $1,000 bribe.

In his pre-sentencing memo to the Court, Dean claimed to have knowledge of enormous corruption involving numerous persons, including a scheme that extended pistol license bribery into neighboring Nassau County. Dean alleged essentially that Sergeant Salvatore Mistretta, the former commanding officer of the NCPD Pistol License Section, would grant licensing favors in exchange for similar favors in New York City.

No charges were filed against anyone at the NCPD, however, Deanâ€™s allegations at least partially were corroborated during the earlier trial of attorney John Chambers. In that case, Sgt. Villanueva testified that he used his good relationship with the Nassau licensing office to obtain favors for clients of Chambers. Villanueva also testified that Chambers sent him an email stating, â€œIf we play our cards right, you could potentially be looking at an extra $10,000 in cash in a 12-month period just for being my consultant in Nassau County.â€

Other Officers charged at NYPD included Police Officer Robert Espinel, accused in 2017 of conspiracy to commit bribery and extortion. He pled guilty in 2019 to the conspiracy charge, and was sentenced to a year and a day in prison and a $5,000 fine. Retired Detective Gaetano Valastro was charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and is awaiting trial. Also, Police Officer Richard Ochetal pled guilty in 2016 to charges of bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery. In 2019 he was sentenced to time-served, two years probation, 320 hours of community service and a $15,000 fine.

Ochetal received the lightest sentence thus far due to his cooperation with prosecutors, and also because he was the person who initially exposed the bribery scandal. It was Ochetal who in 2016 turned himself in and confessed to various corruption. Among his revelations was that NYPD brass had exchanged official power for favors, including a $60,000 junket to Las Vegas in the company of a prostitute. He also testified at the trial of Deputy Inspector Grant and Jeremy Reichberg.

FUTILITY OF ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS

When Sergeant Villanueva indicated that he fell into a bad element at the NYPD License Division, his description was a historic understatement. Saying that the NYPD contained a bad element is like saying that a tsunami contains moisture. Such an element has existed, on and off, for more than 50 years, and each time it saw an opportunity for enrichment, pockets were stuffed.

In the past, no one ever paid the full price for their greed, but the 2016 scandal was different. For the first time since 1973 there was an indictment, and for the first time ever people went to jail. The NYPD could not just transfer, demote or retire those who committed crimes â€” they could not sweep it under the rug â€” because there was a Federal investigation with real teeth, the truth was exposed, and the price was paid for what one Federal prosecutor described as a â€œperiod of rampant corruption.â€

Would it change anything? Yes, for a while. As in other cases of bribery, the License Division was administratively reorganized, and the public was told that the same thing could not happen again. This has been the usual offering from NYPD when gun license bribery was uncovered, and the first time the agency made such promises probably was around the same time the White Star Line announced that the Titanic was â€œpractically unsinkable.â€ The NYPDâ€™s assurances have been just as reliable.

Also, in an effort to insulate itself from future corruption allegations, the License Division began the traditional slaughter of the carry licenses, cancelling most of them at renewal time. One report indicates that over 2,000 licenses have been eliminated. This is an old tactic which the agency has used after each bribery scandal, employing a version of Stalinist reasoning: Where there is no license, there is no problem. But almost all the victims of this policy are innocent licensees, many who have held their licenses for decades. They are the staggering collateral damage of License Division criminality, and a symbol of the agencyâ€™s continuing indecency.

Regardless of such efforts, no matter what changes have been made they always proved useless. This is because after the dust settled, someone who knew someone, who knew someone else, used those connections to start greasing the system again. The discretionary licensing system provided such fertile soil for corruption that a strong incentive for bribery always existed, and thus, bribes continued to be paid. But, one of the only two ways to end that incentive finally has occurred.

The first way to discourage bribery would have been to end discretionary licensing and let people with clean records, and proper instruction, receive carry licenses. But that never was done willingly by the NYPD because New York government hates the Second Amendment, and the NYPD rather would have endless corruption than let citizens regain their rights.

Fortunately however, the other way to discourage bribery was for the U.S. Supreme Court to decide that the bearing of arms is a right as fully protected as the keeping of arms, and the Court now has done that. In 2008, the Court ruled that keeping arms was a fundamental, individual constitutional right, and in 2022 the Court followed that reasoning with bearing (carrying) arms, and struck down the requirement that license applicants had to show a special â€œneedâ€ for a license to carry a gun.

This means that a person no longer can be denied a carry license based on â€œinsufficient needâ€ or lack of â€œproper cause,â€ and if they pass the background check, moral character review and mental health check, they will receive a carry license.

So the discretionary system of need-based carry license denials, which began over a century ago under the 1911 Sullivan Act, no longer is legal, and the Second Amendment largely has been restored to its original meaning.

ARMED PROTECTION FOR PEOPLE

WHO CANNOT GET A GUN LICENSE

In most of America, no license is required to possess a gun; whether pistol, rifle or shotgun. A license to carry a gun is needed almost everywhere, but possession alone usually does not require any license or permit. New York is one of the few states that requires a pistol license merely to possess a pistol, and New York City is one of the few cities that requires a rifle/shotgun permit to possess a rifle or shotgun.

If the New York systems operated fairly, obtaining the permissions would be easy for most people. In other states that have licensing systems, usually the only things which disqualify a person are a felony criminal record, history of mental hospitalization, or other serious matters. But New York operates very differently, allowing licensing officials the discretion to judge a personâ€™s â€œmoral character.â€

Since New York is â€œanti-gunâ€ politically, and since the discretion is so broad, that power is used to deny licenses as much as possible. Common examples of the reasons for license denials include: any past allegation of violence, regardless of lack of proof; conviction for non-violent misdemeanors; any history of arrest, even without conviction, for any offense no matter how old or minor; non-criminal summonses such as drinking beer in public, failing to pay subway fare or being on the beach after dark; history of traffic tickets. And there are many other examples, but too many to list here.

The result of this extraordinary power over licensing, coupled with the anti-gun mentality, is that many people are denied gun licenses every day of the week, but they are people who are not dangerous, not violent, and not a risk to public safety. These are people who should not, but are, being denied their Constitutional rights.

So, while it is obvious that police cannot be relied upon for protection, how do these un-licensable people defend themselves from violence? Certainly, the government does not care, and we see proof of this across the entire country. Not only does the government refuse to defend the public, in many cases government officials sympathize with the criminals, directing police not to arrest them. And police chiefs who should be arresting the political officials for obstructing law enforcement, instead cower in fear of losing their jobs, and use the excuse that they were just following orders.

Thus again, how does an un-licensable citizen defend themself against rioters and other criminals, many of whom are armed? The answer is that often the un-licensable citizens get guns anyway, and who can blame them.

Take note, we cannot, and are not, advising people to break the law. Lawyers cannot do that. However, we do understand that many will break the law, and are breaking the law already, so what we can do is offer some observations about how un-licensable people can avoid the worst type of law-breaking and most severe penalties. This is very important because, if such a person possesses or uses a weapon for protection in New York, there is a very good chance they will face prosecution for illegal possession of the weapon. Using an illegal gun for a good purpose does not wash away the illegal status of the weapon.

Some of the longest prison sentences apply to possession of handguns and â€œassault weapons.â€ Handguns are easy to identify, but assault weapons are not always so obvious. As a general rule, if it looks military, it is illegal in New York. But to be certain, one must do some research. The best course is to consult with a lawyer who is experienced in this area of law. It does not cost very much just to meet and speak with a lawyer, and when one considers that the client can learn how to avoid facing a felony charge with a mandatory 5-15 year sentence upon conviction, and instead face a misdemeanor charge that might result only in probation, the meeting with the lawyer is very inexpensive.

Possession of large capacity magazines also imposes severe penalties. Everywhere in New York, a large capacity magazine is, with some very minor exceptions, any magazine or similar device which can hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. In New York City, the limit is ten rounds for a handgun magazine, and five rounds for a rifle or shotgun magazine.

Another concern is that semiautomatic rifles now are licensed the same way that handguns have been licensed for over 100 years, and persons who cannot obtain a pistol license likely will not be able to obtain a license to own a semiautomatic rifle.

Thus, the least prohibited types of devices are rifles and shotguns that are not assault weapons and are not semiautomatic, and rifle and shotgun magazines that do not hold more rounds than allowed.