WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2023 — Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will participate in a panel discussion on creating a fair and equitable criminal legal system on Friday, Nov. 3, during the 16th Annual Fall Institute convened by the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section at the Madison Hotel in Washington, D.C.
What:
16th Annual Fall Institute
Sponsored by the ABA Criminal Justice Section
When:
Thursday-Friday, Nov. 2-3, 2023
Where:
Madison Hotel
1177 15th St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
The theme of the conference is “Partnering Across the Aisle and Out of the Box: Advancing Justice and Equity in the Criminal Legal System and Profession.” Public and private defense attorneys, state and federal prosecutors, academic scholars, members of the judiciary and community leaders will attend the meeting.
Bragg will join Judge Bernice Donald (ret.) from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, and Jessica Yeary, public defender from the 2nd Judicial Circuit, at 4:15 p.m. on Nov. 3 for a panel moderated by National Legal Aid and Defender Association CEO and President April Frazier Camara, “Courageous Leadership: A Key Ingredient to Creating a Fair and Equitable Criminal Legal System.”
The two-day conference also will examine prosecutorial independence, due process and the rule of law in the panel, “Protecting the Independence of Prosecutors and Defenders,” that includes Andrew Warren, the twice-elected Florida prosecutor who was removed from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis suspended Warren from his position as the elected state attorney of Hillsborough County in August 2022. The session is from 9:15-10:45 a.m. on Nov. 3.
Monique H. Worrell, former state attorney for the 9th Judicial Circuit Court for Florida, will receive the 2023 Curtin-Maleng Minister of Justice Award.at the Keynote Awards Luncheon at 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 3. Worrell was removed from office Aug. 9, 2023, the second time DeSantis suspended a state attorney by executive order.
Lisa M. Wayne, executive director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the NACDL Foundation for Criminal Justice, will deliver the opening address at 8:45 a.m. Friday. The White Collar Crime Town Hall at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 2 will review the Department of Justice’s renewed enforcement efforts in white collar crime, including against individuals and corporate entities, and how this approach applies to trade controls and sanctions, fraud and other white collar investigations.
Other session highlights include:
“The Use of Restorative Justice Measures on the Road to Redemption: Bringing Added Value to Deflection, Diversion and Reentry Programs” — Panelists will explore the theory and practice of restorative justice in American jurisprudence, how a careful application of these principles can aid both the client and the victim and discuss effective models from pre-arrest to post-release to achieve a more just and equitable criminal legal system.
Friday, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
“Unsung Heroes: How Journalists and NGOs Impact Corruption Investigations” — The panel will discuss how the work of prosecutors, journalists and NGOs differs, how they all advance the fight against corruption separately and how they work together. They also will examine the ethical issues that arise in their respective areas and provide information about U.S. laws, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, asset recovery, international cooperation and money laundering laws.
Friday, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
“Let’s Work on Justice & Equity for All, but We Don’t Really Mean Neurodiversity, Do We?” — This session will discuss various mental and behavioral issues such as autism, dementia and bipolar disorder/schizophrenia and the unique challenges individuals with those diagnoses have in the criminal legal system. Panelists will examine the implicit and sometimes explicit biases these persons face in school disciplinary matters, encounters with law enforcement, the courtroom, jails/prisons and legal workplaces.
Friday, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
“Collaborative Exonerations in Red States: Making History in Indiana” — The expert panel will discuss the Marion County, Indiana, Prosecutor’s Office Conviction Integrity Unit’s program “to identify, remedy and prevent wrongful convictions, and to ensure that justice is continuing to be sought even after a conviction is reached.” An attorney for the first person exonerated by the CIU and the exoneree will join the panel.
Friday, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
For media registration, please contact Shanda T. Ivory at [email protected].
The ABA is the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.