Kramer Levin Secures Parole for Client Sentenced to Decades-Long Prison Term During the Mid-90s Incarceration Boom

Kramer Levin helped secure parole for a pro bono client who was unjustly sentenced to 32.5 to 65 years’ imprisonment for committing three robberies in 1994, where he stole less than $100. At the time of his crimes, the client was homeless and addicted to drugs. Over the past year, the Kramer Levin team advocated for the client’s release through both clemency and parole, garnering support from a wide cross-section of the community. The team prepared an extensive submission to the New York Parole Board on the client’s behalf, which included letters of support from two of the client’s victims and another complaining witness from his trial, along with a strong letter of support from the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office—the office that prosecuted the client. Citing to the strength of the submission and numerous support letters, the Parole Board granted the client’s release after his first eligible interview, a rare and significant result. After the decision was made, both the Brooklyn DA’s office and the Governor’s office expressed an eagerness to collaborate with Kramer Levin on similar cases in the near future. The team also received praise for their efforts from the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, which referred the case and intends to highlight it publicly.

The Kramer Levin team included Litigation associates Elise Funke, Shahriar Raafi, and Aaron L. Webman, along with supervising attorneys Nolan J. Robinson and Paul H. Schoeman.