The Legal Aid Society celebrated Public Defense Day and the anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright—the landmark 1963 U.S. Supreme Court ruling guaranteeing right to counsel for criminal defendants—in each borough on Thursday.
Among those attending the ceremony at the Staten Island courthouse were, from left, Christopher Pisciotta, attorney-in-charge of criminal defense for Staten Island Legal Aid; Timothy Koller, Staten Island executive district attorney; Staten Island Supreme Court Justice Wayne Ozzie; Legal Aid staff attorneys Jessica Torres, Michael Rooney and Yan Katznelson; and Shannon Blackman, assistant attorney in charge of juvenile rights.
