Brooklyn Today March 5: Brooklyn Today: Murders Spike in Brooklyn, but Crime Down Citywide

The Lede

Protests resume outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, crime is down across the city, and the state Senate approves e-poll books. Plus, a new exhibit opens at the Brooklyn Historical Society, Mayor de Blasio’s decision to cancel school yesterday comes under scrutiny, and we recommend the best Chinese dumplings in the city. Finally, Eric Gonzalez calls for discovery reform, and a Bay Ridge man documents Italian-American history.

Imprint

IMPRINT: British actress Naomi Scott receives her close-up on the April coverof Vogue UK.

The Rundown

BROOKLYN MURDER RATE SPIKES DESPITE CRIME DECLINE CITYWIDE

Crime in the city was down more than 10 percent, but the murder rate in Brooklyn jumped noticeably over the first two months of this year, according to figures released on Monday. Over the first two months of 2019, index crimes were down 10.6 percent from the same period last year. Index crimes include murder, rape robbery, burglary, felony assault, grand larceny and auto theft. According to figures obtained from NYPD’s CompStat, however, the first two months of 2019 presented a bloody picture in Brooklyn. Brooklyn North experienced a 275 percent rise in the number of murders since January, and homicides were up 125 percent in Brooklyn South. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

ACTIVISTS RESUME EFFORTS OUTSIDE BROOKLYN JAIL AFTER MORE REPORTED HEAT OUTAGES

Following reports of more heat outages at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park, activists have renewed demonstrations and monitoring efforts outside the federal jail, which went without power and heat amid record-low temperatures last month. On Friday, Federal Defenders of New York supervising attorney Deirdre von Dornum told the Daily News that she had “firsthand knowledge” that at least three units in MDC lacked heat. Attorneys and activists contacted by the Eagle Monday morning said they could not yet confirm accounts of heat outages at the jail.(via Brooklyn Eagle)

STATE SENATE APPROVES E-POLL BOOKS AT VOTING SITES

Voters could be signing their names electronically when they show up at their polling place to vote on Election Day. On Feb. 27, the state Senate approved legislation sponsored by state Sen. Zellnor Myrie that would allow the use of electronic poll books, called E-poll books, at polling sites. The E-poll books would replace the old paper books currently in use. “We can pay for a coffee by signing an iPad, but we have to sign our name in script to vote,” Myrie said. “We’re still recording voter history in the same way we did during the years of Tammany Hall and that makes absolutely no sense.” (via Brooklyn Eagle)

BROOKLYN DA CALLS FOR DISCOVERY REFORM IN OP-ED

Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez bucked the trend among district attorneys in the state on Saturday, calling for discovery reform in an op-ed in which he referred to the current system as “trial by ambush.” Discovery refers to a criminal defendant’s right to know details about the evidence that will be presented against them in a case by prosecutors. “While constitutionally permissible, I believe this is unfair,” Gonzalez wrote. “Not only does the current law allow ‘trial by ambush,’ it prevents a person accused of a crime from learning the nature and strength of the case against them in order to make a knowing plea of guilty should they choose to forego a trial.” (via Brooklyn Eagle)

QUEER COMMUNITY’S ROLE IN BROOKLYN WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT FOCUS OF NEW EXHIBIT

A new exhibit at the Brooklyn Historical Society explores a 150-year history of queer communities on Brooklyn’s waterfront through old art and ephemera — and a few stories from the Brooklyn Eagle’s archives. “On the (Queer) Waterfront,” which opens March 5, will tell the story of the lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transgender figures that defined Brooklyn’s urbanizing shoreline during the 19th and 20th centuries. “The waterfront provided jobs that queer people could have,” Hugh Ryan, co-curator of the exhibit, said. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

ITALIAN-AMERICAN HISTORY IS BROOKLYN MAN’S PASSION

When Raymond Guarini was growing up in Bay Ridge, one his favorite places to eat was Cono’s, an Italian restaurant on Fifth Avenue. “My family used to eat there all the time. We had wonderful memories of great meals we had there. But it closed a long time ago,” he said. As his favorite restaurants and shops started to close, Guarini started thinking about ways to document the past and boost Italian-American pride. So he started taking pictures of Brooklyn neighborhoods and talking to people about their memories of their favorite spots. (via Brooklyn Eagle)