16 MARCH 18, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Judge dismisses nearly
700 prostitution cases
following DA’s request
BY JACOB KAYE
JKAYE@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Following a request from Queens
District Attorney Melinda Katz,
a Queens judge dismissed and
sealed nearly 700 alleged prostitution
and prostitution-related cases
on Tuesday, March 16.
The dismissal of the cases by
Queens Acting Supreme Court
Justice Toko Serita comes several
weeks after the state Legislature
repealed Penal Law 240.37. Often
referred to as the “walking while
trans” law, the law allowed for police
to make an alleged prostitution
arrest based on a person’s clothing
or gender identity. The law largely
resulted in the targeting of trans
women of color.
The law was struck down following
years of advocacy from trans
women of color and activists.
“Historical data shows that
enforcement of this statute had
primarily been used to arrest
people based on their gender or appearance,”
Katz said. “Dismissing
cases related to this unfair and now
repealed statute frees members of
our community from the collateral
consequences of their arrests.”
The bulk of the dismissed cases
– 443 cases – were those in which
defendants had outstanding warrants
on pending cases charging
prostitution, according to the DA.
Around 150 of the dismissed
cases were those in which 240.37
was charged, and around 85 of the
dismissed cases were those in which
240.37 was charged and the defendant
failed to appear after pleading
guilty.
Judge Serita thanked Katz for
making the “righteous decision,”
to advocate for the dismissal of the
cases.
Since taking office in January
2020, Katz has not prosecuted
anyone charged under the former
“walking while trans” law.
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