Gov. Kathy Hochul's anticipated changes to New York's discovery laws may not significantly reduce crime as only minimal adjustments were agreed upon. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie's announcement revealed lawmakers' support for a narrow shift in evidence requirements for district attorneys, but many essential components of Hochul’s request remain ignored. With case dismissals skyrocketing and domestic violence cases suffering extreme dismissal rates, the comprehensive reforms necessary to address criminal justice issues lack the necessary political support and urgency.
Lawmakers appear to have agreed to just a fraction of the fixes Gov. Kathy Hochul sought for the state's discovery laws, leaving significant issues unaddressed.
Dismissals have soared five-fold, from about 10,000 in 2019 to nearly 50,000 last year, with 94% of domestic violence cases being thrown out.
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