Host Robert Simels of “Injustice for All” addresses Mr. Mandami, saying his criminal justice reform proposals are unrealistic and offering to explain why. Simels emphasizes the importance of defense attorneys “testing” the system, citing John Adams defending British soldiers after the 1770 Boston incident as an example of rule of law over mob rule. He also points to the Fulton County, Georgia Trump election-interference case, describing how defense investigation revealed a conflict involving DA Fani Willis and a special prosecutor, leading the Georgia Supreme Court to disqualify Willis and her office and, in Simels’ view, effectively ending the case.

Simels then critiques political rhetoric and focuses on Manami’s NYC platform: closing Rikers Island by 2027, creating a billion-dollar Department of Community Safety with psychologists and social workers, cutting police overtime, taxing the wealthy, changing misdemeanor enforcement, and altering bail practices. Simels argues these plans overlook practical and legal constraints: federal litigation over Rikers before Judge Swain (SDNY) has led to contempt findings against the city and an order to appoint an independent remediation manager, which would limit mayoral control over the Department of Correction and potentially union rules. He describes Rikers as inhumane and dysfunctional, citing violence, poor medical care, suicides/deaths, officer disengagement, union protections, and massive spending. He questions whether borough-based jails will work, noting prior “house of detention” facilities did not function well.

On policing, Simels discusses stop-and-frisk litigation, the disbanding and relabeling of anti-crime units, CompStat under Bratton/Maples, and current officer behavior (e.g., phone use), arguing culture change across roughly 30,000 officers is difficult. He raises concerns about dispatching non-police responders to potentially dangerous incidents and challenges the feasibility of funding through taxing the rich, arguing wealthy taxpayers may avoid or leave. Simels says a mayor cannot change New York State bail statutes and also cannot direct independently elected district attorneys, who set their own policies, nor control federal law enforcement task forces. He disputes claims that large police-misconduct settlement figures can reliably be redirected to new initiatives, citing that 2024 payouts included older protest-related cases and other outliers.

Finally, Simels details how NYC criminal cases and jail-to-court logistics are slowed by multiple agencies and unions (police, corrections, court officers) and lengthy processing, often resulting in defendants spending a full day in transport/holding without appearing in court. He concludes by urging Manami to engage with the court and remediation manager, understand the system’s structure and constraints, and develop workable implementation plans.

00:00 Opening Challenge

01:22 Why Defense Matters

04:04 Fulton County Case Fallout

06:31 Politicians and Promises

07:46 Mandami Reform Agenda

10:33 Rikers Closure Plan

12:43 Federal Takeover Reality

17:42 Union Power at Rikers

20:17 Policing and Stop Frisk

24:24 Community Safety Problems

28:22 Misdemeanors and Discretion

31:28 Bail Limits and Authority

34:06 Excessive Force Myth

39:00 Terror and Diplomacy Limits

41:01 Mayors vs District Attorneys

45:13 How Cases Really Move

46:04 Court Transport Breakdown

50:48 Final Advice and Signoff

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