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In January, remedy project member Steven Negron was living in a halfway house in New York City, reconnecting with his family and waiting for the day he would be a fully free man again. One snowy Friday, Negron, a practicing Jew, requested a temporary leave from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday to observe Shabbat, a weekly day of rest. Shortly into his rest day, Negron noticed that it began to snow heavily, and became increasingly concerned for others' safety in the hazardous conditions. His focus shifted to his late mother’s house, and he decided to break Shabbat and shovel the driveway to prevent any tragic accidents. Bracing himself against the nipping cold, Negron pushed forward and scraped at the mounds of snow and ice built up around the house and sidewalks. Suddenly, the steady scrape of Negron’s shovel was abruptly interrupted with blaring sirens. Confused and panicked, Steven Negron was forced into the back of a police car and brought to the precinct, where he was wrongfully detained for breaking and entering.
The next day, Negron was released from the precinct and rushed to his halfway house. Panicking about what the staff may think of his disappearance, he reported back only to be met with the director’s immediate anger and disbelief of the situation. Enraged at him for leaving his home and not reporting to his check-in, the halfway house director Magaly Cosme declared that his actions would result in an incident report and unavoidable consequences. Steven Negron, a man who constantly displays his desire to put others’ needs before his own, was wrongfully charged with escaping home confinement.
“As described in the Community Corrections Manual, escape is defined when an individual does not return. I willingly and voluntarily returned.”
Shortly after being wrongfully charged with escape and being neglected proper due process under the 5th Amendment, Negron reached out to us at The Remedy Project to fight for his case. In the Community Corrections Manual, a handbook that outlines the rules and procedures for halfway houses connected to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, an escape is characterized as a failure to report and communicate with one’s correctional facility. Not only did Negron report directly to the facility after his release from the precinct, but he also attempted to call the halfway house and report his whereabouts on his way. Negron described to the Remedy team that he was fully cooperative with the halfway staff and did not attempt to escape - so he should not be punished as such. In addition to these unreasonable charges, his incident report was filled with inaccuracies regarding dates, times, and information about attempted contact. As a result, Negron has been stripped of his forty good conduct days, which allow those in the incarceration system to receive a reduced sentence based on good behavior. His good character and desire to help others in times of need caused him to lose the chance to exit the halfway house and adequately reenter society as a reformed man.
Director Magaly Cosme and the staff at the Bronx Community Reentry Center are not the only people guilty of filing inconsistent reports and practicing unjust resident procedures. The constant neglect and disbelief of individuals linked to the incarceration system is seen across the country and has led to many instances of wrongful reports and convictions similar to that of Negron. In fact, last year The Remedy Project helped release Elbert Walker, an elderly man in Georgia who was reincarcerated after receiving a similar “false escape” charge. His case, like that of Negron and several other individuals striving to be welcomed back into society, reflects the inhumane practice of prioritizing punishment over mercy. Such a baseless array of false convictions seriously hinders the process of societal reentry and suggests that our prison systems are not places that create reform - but rather the permanent expulsion of incarcerated persons. To help Negron, we demand that he be cleared of his escape charge and be financially compensated for his loss of good conduct days. Magaly Cosme and the staff at the Bronx CRC must be held accountable for violating due process rights to not only gain justice for Negron but also prevent further abuse of power in such facilities.
In January, remedy project member Steven Negron was living in a halfway house in New York City, reconnecting with his family and waiting for the day he would be a fully free man again. One snowy Friday, Negron, a practicing Jew, requested a temporary leave from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday to observe Shabbat, a weekly day of rest. Shortly into his rest day, Negron noticed that it began to snow heavily, and became increasingly concerned for others' safety in the hazardous conditions. His focus shifted to his late mother’s house, and he decided to break Shabbat and shovel the driveway to prevent any tragic accidents. Bracing himself against the nipping cold, Negron pushed forward and scraped at the mounds of snow and ice built up around the house and sidewalks. Suddenly, the steady scrape of Negron’s shovel was abruptly interrupted with blaring sirens. Confused and panicked, Steven Negron was forced into the back of a police car and brought to the precinct, where he was wrongfully detained for breaking and entering.
The next day, Negron was released from the precinct and rushed to his halfway house. Panicking about what the staff may think of his disappearance, he reported back only to be met with the director’s immediate anger and disbelief of the situation. Enraged at him for leaving his home and not reporting to his check-in, the halfway house director Magaly Cosme declared that his actions would result in an incident report and unavoidable consequences. Steven Negron, a man who constantly displays his desire to put others’ needs before his own, was wrongfully charged with escaping home confinement.
“As described in the Community Corrections Manual, escape is defined when an individual does not return. I willingly and voluntarily returned.”
Shortly after being wrongfully charged with escape and being neglected proper due process under the 5th Amendment, Negron reached out to us at The Remedy Project to fight for his case. In the Community Corrections Manual, a handbook that outlines the rules and procedures for halfway houses connected to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, an escape is characterized as a failure to report and communicate with one’s correctional facility. Not only did Negron report directly to the facility after his release from the precinct, but he also attempted to call the halfway house and report his whereabouts on his way. Negron described to the Remedy team that he was fully cooperative with the halfway staff and did not attempt to escape - so he should not be punished as such. In addition to these unreasonable charges, his incident report was filled with inaccuracies regarding dates, times, and information about attempted contact. As a result, Negron has been stripped of his forty good conduct days, which allow those in the incarceration system to receive a reduced sentence based on good behavior. His good character and desire to help others in times of need caused him to lose the chance to exit the halfway house and adequately reenter society as a reformed man.
Director Magaly Cosme and the staff at the Bronx Community Reentry Center are not the only people guilty of filing inconsistent reports and practicing unjust resident procedures. The constant neglect and disbelief of individuals linked to the incarceration system is seen across the country and has led to many instances of wrongful reports and convictions similar to that of Negron. In fact, last year The Remedy Project helped release Elbert Walker, an elderly man in Georgia who was reincarcerated after receiving a similar “false escape” charge. His case, like that of Negron and several other individuals striving to be welcomed back into society, reflects the inhumane practice of prioritizing punishment over mercy. Such a baseless array of false convictions seriously hinders the process of societal reentry and suggests that our prison systems are not places that create reform - but rather the permanent expulsion of incarcerated persons. To help Negron, we demand that he be cleared of his escape charge and be financially compensated for his loss of good conduct days. Magaly Cosme and the staff at the Bronx CRC must be held accountable for violating due process rights to not only gain justice for Negron but also prevent further abuse of power in such facilities.
