Bronx Public Defenders help make "kill cops" rap video

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Quote:

Two lawyers with the taxpayer-funded Bronx Defenders knowingly participated in a rap video advocating the killing of police officers, the NYC Department of Investigation announced today. The video, called "Hands Up," was released on YouTube last month, and features lyrics such as "For Mike Brown and Sean Bell, a cop got to get killed," and "Time to start killing these coppers." The video also shows two men pointing guns at the head of an actor dressed as an NYPD officer. According to the DOI, attorneys at The Bronx Defenders "participated in the video, and allowed the organization’s offices to be used in the video, despite knowing that it advocated the killing of police officers." The report also criticizes the organization’s Executive Director, Robin Steinberg, for failing to discipline the staff after learning of their conduct, as well as lying to officials about the Bronx Defenders' involvement. The Bronx Defenders has two contracts with the city totaling $20 million in taxpayer funds, intended to cover criminal defense services for the indigent. According to emails obtained by the DOI, one of the organization's attorneys, Ryan Napoli, said he "loved" the song but was concerned about the use of the word "**********." On the day that Napoli and another lawyer, Kumar Rao, appeared in the video, the producers showed them previously-shot footage of the actors pointing guns at the man dressed as a police officer. The DOI says they participated in the video anyway. Their scenes were filmed at the Bronx Defenders office on a Sunday, their day off, but the report found that they helped coordinate in the shoot in their capacity as public defenders.

This is making some noise in local news, what a bunch of idiots. :facepalm: