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Tag: times square

  • Who’s performing at tonight’s Times Square ball drop for New Year’s Eve 2026?

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    As revelers from around the world ring in 2026 in New York City’s Times Square, they’re being treated to a New Year’s Eve packed with live performances. 

    Crowds have gathered to watch the ball drop from atop the skyscraper at One Times Square on New Year’s for more than a century. At this year’s festivities, organizers unveiled a star-studded lineup of entertainment featuring Diana Ross, Ciara, Maren Morris, Little Big Town and more. 

    But it’s not the only New Year’s celebration with A-list performers on tap. Some top country music stars usher in 2026 on CBS’ “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash,” with Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson and CeCe Winans just a few of those taking the stage.

    Here’s what to know about who is scheduled to perform, and when, this New Year’s Eve.

    Full list of Times Square New Year’s Eve performers 

    New Year’s Eve celebrations officially kicked off in Times Square at 6 p.m. ET with the lighting and raising of the ball that will drop at midnight. The evening features performances from some big names in the entertainment world:

    • James McCarthy
    • B.o.B 
    • Ciara 
    • Tones And I
    • LE SSERAFIM
    • AGNEW, a New York dance group
    • Robyn
    • Little Big Town 
    • Xavi 
    • Maren Morris
    • Ana Barbara 
    • Diana Ross

    When is Diana Ross performing on New Year’s Eve?

    Legendary singer Diana Ross is scheduled to perform a medley of her hit songs, including “I’m Coming Out” and “Upside Down,” on the Countdown Stage in Times Square beginning at 11:37 p.m. ET on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” on ABC. Ross is the recipient of two Grammy Awards for Lifetime Achievement — one as a solo artist and one with the Motown group The Supremes — as well as a Tony, multiple American Music Awards, a Golden Globe and Kennedy Center Honors.

    When is Ciara performing on New Year’s Eve?

    Grammy-winning singer Ciara‘s Times Square performance is expected to air sometime between midnight and 12:30 a.m. ET on “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” according to an ABC spokesperson. Twenty-one of the R&B artist’s songs have made it onto Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, including her 2004 hit “Goodies,” which claimed the No. 1 spot for seven weeks. Earlier this year, Ciara released “CiCi,” her first album since 2019.

    When is Little Big Town performing on New Year’s Eve?

    Country music group Little Big Town is scheduled to play a medley of their hits starting at 9:35 p.m. ET on “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.” The band has been together for over a quarter-century with 32 songs making Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, including their 2014 hit “Girl Crush,” which was No. 1 for 13 weeks. Along the way, Little Big Town was named vocal group of the year six times by the Country Music Association and four times by the Academy of Country Music, and they’ve won three Grammys.

    When is Maren Morris performing on New Year’s Eve?

    Country music star Maren Morris is scheduled to perform a medley of her songs starting at 10:33 p.m. ET on “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.” The singer-songwriter, who released her latest album “Dreamsicle” earlier this year, rose to stardom with her 2016 hit “My Church.” The song won her a Grammy and peaked at No. 5 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

    When is Robyn performing on New Year’s Eve?

    Swedish pop star Robyn is scheduled to sing her 2010 songs “Dancing on My Own” and “Call Your Girlfriend” as well as her new single “Dopamine” starting at 9:18 p.m. ET on CNN’s “New Year’s Eve Live.” “Dancing on My Own” was named the top song of the 2010s by the Associated Press’ music editor. More recently, a writer for Britain’s The Guardian likened it to Donna Summer’s “Last Dance” and Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive.”

    When is Tones And I performing on New Year’s Eve?

    Australian singer-songwriter Tones And I was set to perform her hits “Dance Monkey,” “Fly Away” and “Gone Gone Gone” starting at 8:03 p.m. ET on the official livestream of the festivities in Times Square. She’s expected to return at 11:55 p.m. for her version of John Lennon’s iconic song “Imagine” before the countdown to 2026. “Dance Monkey” climbed to the No. 4 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in 2020, and “Gone Gone Gone,” her new song with David Guetta and Teddy Swims, has been on the chart for the past three weeks.

    Schedule for tonight’s Times Square performers

    When are your favorite acts performing? Here is a list of the scheduled times for each performance (all times Eastern). Organizers note that the times on the live schedule may not match the exact broadcast time.

    • 6:03 p.m.-6:05 p.m. — James McCarthy sings the national anthem
    • 6:30 p.m.-6:43 p.m. — B.o.B performs two of his hits plus a new song
    • 8:03 p.m.-8:14 p.m. — Tones And I performs three of her hit songs
    • 8:26 p.m.-8:32 p.m. — LE SSERAFIM performs their hit songs on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” on ABC
    • 8:41 p.m.-8:46 p.m. — AGNEW, a New York dance group, performs
    • 9:18 p.m.- 9:31 p.m. — Robyn performs three of her hit songs on “New Year’s Eve Live” on CNN
    • 9:35 p.m.-9:42 p.m. — Little Big Town performs a medley of their hit songs on “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”
    • 10:02 p.m.-10:08 p.m. — Xavi performs a medley of his hit songs on “Feliz 2026” on Univision
    • 10:33 p.m.-10:41 p.m. — Maren Morris performs a medley of her hit songs on “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”
    • 11:02 p.m.-11:08 p.m. — Ana Barbara performs a medley of her hit songs on “Feliz 2026”
    • 11:37 p.m.-11:46 p.m. — Diana Ross performs a medley of her hit songs on “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”
    • 11:55 p.m.-11:58 p.m. — Tones And I returns for a special performance ahead of the ball drop
    • After midnight — Ciara performs a medley of her hit songs on “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”

    Who’s performing on CBS’ “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash”?

    Music stars help welcome the new year in Nashville on CBS’ “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash.” Five hours of festivities air from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET/PT and 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. ET/PT, on the CBS television network and streaming on Paramount+.

    Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson and Bailey Zimmerman headline the celebration, with special guests CeCe Winans and the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Comedian and actor Bert Kreischer and country music artist Hardy serve as hosts. 

    The Nashville event includes a countdown at midnight and the city’s traditional Music Note Drop and fireworks, the organizers said.

    Here’s a list of scheduled performers and special appearances:

    • Jason Aldean
    • Lainey Wilson
    • Bailey Zimmerman 
    • CeCe Winans
    • The Fisk Jubilee Singers
    • Dierks Bentley
    • Brooks & Dunn
    • Rascal Flatts
    • Zach Top
    • Keith Urban
    • Gretchen Wilson
    • Stephen Wilson Jr.
    • Riley Green
    • Megan Moroney
    • Dwight Yoakam 
    • Marcus King
    • Cody Alan
    • Caylee Hammack
    • Comedian Dusty Slay
    • UFC champion Kayla Harrison
    • Entertainment Tonight’s Cassie DiLaura
    • Sirius XM host Buzz Brainard

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  • No, you don’t need tickets to New Year’s Eve in Times Square. But there are rules

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    Thousands of people will pack into Times Square on New Year’s Eve to watch the ball drop at midnight to witness the iconic moment.

    If you’re one of those revelers, there are a number of things to be aware of before commuting over to the “crossroads of the world.”

    The celebration is free and open to everyone on a first-come, first-served basis; no tickets are needed.

    When you get to Times Square, the best access points to reach the viewing areas are at 49th Street, 52nd Street and 56th Street, all from 6th and 8th avenues.

    Here’s the list of banned items for Wednesday night:

    • Backpacks
    • Large bags
    • Umbrellas
    • Lawn chairs or other folding chairs
    • Picnic blankets
    • Large coolers
    • Alcohol

    Gus Rosendale reporting on New Year’s Eve confetti test.

    Traveling around Manhattan by car?

    The NYPD has released its street closures to ring in the new year. On-street parking will be extremely limited in midtown Manhattan throughout the day on Wednesday, and people are advised to take mass transit.

    The Times Square website provides the best subway station to use to arrive on Wednesday.

    And maybe most important to know — there are NO portable restrooms in Times Square during the New Year’s Eve celebration. Plan ahead!

    Fun facts about the New Year’s Eve ball drop

    To impress your guests, here are some fun facts about the famous New Year’s Eve tradition, according to the official Times Square website.

    • The ball is 12 feet in diameter and weighs 11,875 pounds.
    • It’s covered in more than 2,600 crystal triangles, with each sparkling pattern representing a different virtue: love, wisdom, happiness, goodwill, harmony, serenity, kindness, wonder, fortitude and imagination.
    • The New Year’s Eve ball first fell in 1907, welcoming 1908, though Times Square celebrations began at least three years earlier.
    • The first ball was made of iron, wood and lightbulbs.
    • The ball was lowered every year since except for 1942 and 1943, during the wartime “dimout” of New York City, a method of defense during World War II.
    • “Time-balls” precede the Times Square New Year’s Eve tradition. Balls have been “dropped” since at least the 1830s at England’s Royal Observatory at Greenwich, where a ball dropped at a set hour every day for captains to set their navigation tools.

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    NBC New York Staff

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  • Times Square to feature patriotic crystal ball for NYE, kicking off country’s 250th birthday

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    After the crystal ball drops on New Year’s Eve in New York City, it will rise again, sparkling in red, white and blue to usher in 2026 and kick off months of celebrations for the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday.

    The patriotic touches at this year’s Times Square gathering, including a second confetti drop, will offer an early glimpse of what’s ahead: hundreds of events and programs, big and small, planned nationwide to mark the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

    “I’m telling you right now, whatever you’re imagining, it’s going to be much more than that,” said America250 Chair Rosie Rios, who oversees the bipartisan commission created by Congress in 2016 to organize the semiquincentennial anniversary. “It’s going to be one for the ages, the most inspirational celebration this country and maybe the world has ever seen.”

    Rios and her group worked with the Times Square Alliance business district and One Times Square, the building from where the ball is dropped, to make the changes to this year’s ceremonies. They’re also planning a second ball drop event on July 3, the eve of the nation’s birthday, “in the same beautiful style that Times Square knows how to do it,” Rios said.

    It will mark the first time in 120 years there will be ball drop in Times Square that doesn’t occur on New Year’s Eve, she said.

    A New Year’s Eve ball was first dropped in Times Square in 1907. Built by a young immigrant metalworker named Jacob Starr, the 700-pound, 5-foot-diameter ball was made of iron and wood and featured 100 25-watt light bulbs. Last year, the Constellation Ball, the ninth and largest version, was unveiled. It measured about 12 feet in diameter and weighs nearly 12,000 pounds.

    The only years when no ball drop occurred were 1942 and 1943, when the city instituted a nightly “dimout” during World War II to protect itself from attacks. Crowds instead celebrated the new year with a moment of silence followed by chimes rung from the base of One Times Square.

    This year, the stroke of midnight will also mark the official launch of America Gives, a national service initiative created by America250. Organizers hope to make 2026 the largest year of volunteer hours ever aggregated in the country.

    On the following day, America250 will participate in the New Years Day Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, with a float themed “Soaring Onward Together for 250 Years.” It will feature three larger-than-life bald eagles representing the country’s past, present and future.

    “We want to ring in this new year from sea to shining sea. What better way to think about it than going from New York to California,” Rios said. “This has to be community-driven, this has be grassroots. We’re going from Guam to Alaska, from Fairbanks to Philadelphia, and everything in between.”

    President Donald Trump has also announced the “Freedom 250” initiative to coordinate additional events for the 250th anniversary.

    Rios said she sees the wide range of celebrations and programs planned for the coming months, from large fireworks displays and statewide potluck suppers to student contests and citizen oral histories, as an opportunity to unite a politically divided nation.

    “If we can find something for everyone … having those menus of options that people can pick and choose how they want to participate,” she said. “That’s how we’re going to get to engaging 350 million Americans.”

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    Susan Haigh | The Associated Press

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  • Prosecutors say a food vendor lit a man on fire in Times Square. Then he fled to Egypt

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    A 23-year-old food cart vendor has been indicted on attempted murder and assault charges for allegedly lighting a club promoter on fire in Times Square after a brief interaction, sending him running through the Crossroads of the World screaming for help, the Manhattan prosecutor’s office announced Monday.

    According to the indictment, Ahmad Mossad was working as a food cart vendor in Times Square, on West 41st Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue, in the overnight hours of March 16 when the club promoter approached his cart. The two had a brief reaction and the victim walked away, prosecutors said.

    Mossad then allegedly poured gasoline from the food cart into a small water bottle and paced up and down the street waiting for an opportunity to attack the victim, prosecutors say.

    Eventually, he walked by again.

    The two men had another interaction, the nature of which wasn’t clear, and separated.

    Mossad found the victim again and allegedly used a lighter to ignite the water bottle and set the 45-year-old promoter ablaze. The victim had flames consume his entire body, prosecutors say, and ran through Times Square looking for help. Two nearby NYPD officers doused the flames and took him to a hospital.

    There, the man was placed in a medically induced coma for several weeks. He suffered second- and third-degree burns across nearly 20 percent of his body, according to prosecutors.

    Mossad, meanwhile, fled to Egypt hours after the incident. He stayed there for more than eight months before returning to New York City on Nov. 25, which is when the NYPD arrested him.

    “This alleged attempted murder is absolutely heinous,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. “I know the victim has suffered excruciatingly painful injuries as a result of this incident, and I hope he can continue to improve and recover.”

    Attorney information for Mossad wasn’t immediately available Monday.

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    Jennifer Millman

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  • Inside the New York Marriott Marquis, a 40-year Times Square icon with a new revolving restaurant, atrium and Broadway lights

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    When the Marriott Marquis Times Square opened in 1985, its soaring atrium and glass elevators were meant to feel futuristic and help reinvent a faded Times Square. Nearly four decades later, stepping inside still carries that sense of spectacle.

    Architect John Portman, a pioneer of the atrium hotel style, designed the Marquis to operate as a self-contained city. Watching the elevators glide up through the 49-story atrium still feels both retro and timeless, like something—somehow—out of both “Bladerunner” and Frank Lloyd Wright’s sketchbook at once.

    The 8th floor of the New York Marriott Marquis features modern seating areas that overlook the hotel’s soaring atrium.

    This year marks the New York Marriott Marquis’s 40th anniversary. Since opening in 1985, the hotel has stood as both a symbol of Times Square’s revival and a practical home base of sorts for travelers who want to be in the center of it all, but with all the predictability of the Marriott brand.

    It’s no surprise then that last year, it had the most redemption stays in the Marriott portfolio globally (this includes redemptions with points and Free Night Awards from co-branded credit cards and other perk programs).

    In a pricey city like New York, using points or free night awards here makes sense: guests can rest their heads just footsteps from Broadway theaters, Rockefeller Center and Bryant Park. Then wake up, glide serenely down a capsule elevator in the vast hotel’s atrium, and head to the M Club lounge on the 8th floor for waffles and scrambled eggs.

    The M Club lounge at the New York Marriott Marquis provides an elevated space for Marriott Bonvoy elite members and guests who book access.

    The M Club lounge at the New York Marriott Marquis provides an elevated space for Marriott Bonvoy elite members and guests who book access.

    Reserved for Marriott Bonvoy elite members and guests who book access, the lounge feels like a quiet perch above Times Square, serving elaborate breakfast buffets (decent food—but plenty of it!), coffee and light fare. For families, it’s a convenient spot to fuel up before exploring, but for business travelers, it doubles as a serene place to answer emails and read the news.

    A recently renovated guest room at the New York Marriott Marquis overlooks Midtown Manhattan. The hotel has nearly 2,000 rooms and suites.

    A recently renovated guest room at the New York Marriott Marquis overlooks Midtown Manhattan. The hotel has nearly 2,000 rooms and suites.

    Upstairs, close to 2,000 guest rooms continue the theme of breathing space in the middle of Midtown. Standard rooms have king or double beds and floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over the city. Suites add separate living areas and generous square footage. For many travelers, the size of the rooms is what makes the Marquis stand apart from the typical cramped Manhattan hotel.

    Visitors walk through Times Square outside the New York Marriott Marquis, located at West 46th Street and Broadway.

    Visitors walk through Times Square outside the New York Marriott Marquis, located at West 46th Street and Broadway.

    And then, there’s the proximity to Broadway. Without even hailing a cab, you can descend right into the bustling, historic theater district. The Marquis’ location makes this aspect of your stay feel almost small-town in scale, or like you’re walking onto a movie set; it’s so convenient. On the sidewalks, theatergoers line up shoulder to shoulder for a shows, but you can mosy your way there, no long taxi rides across town or $75 Uber rides from Brooklyn. For many members, that cost-effectiveness makes the Marquis one of the smartest and most popular redemptions in New York City.

    One night I walked a block from the Marquis to see The Outsiders at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on West 45th Street. Within minutes I was in my seat without ever calling a cab. That kind of seamless shift from hotel to show feels like pure New York magic.

    New York, NY, USA - June 9, 2022: The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, with Company playing.

    Dining holds up too. On the 8th floor, Revel & Rye feels tucked in and intimate, with low lighting, leather seating and a menu of American comfort food and whiskey-forward cocktails.

    Revel & Rye at the New York Marriott Marquis offers a cozy atmosphere with low lighting, leather seating and a menu centered on American comfort food and whiskey-forward cocktails.

    Revel & Rye at the New York Marriott Marquis offers a cozy atmosphere with low lighting, leather seating and a menu centered on American comfort food and whiskey-forward cocktails.

    Sharing the floor just off the atrium is the Broadway Lounge brings more energy with New York–style dishes and floor-to-ceiling windows looking directly onto Times Square.

    Chefs prepare pizza at the Broadway Lounge inside the New York Marriott Marquis.

    Chefs prepare pizza at the Broadway Lounge inside the New York Marriott Marquis.

    Imagine celebrating New Years Eve here—casually behind a barrier yet smack-dab in the action.

    The Broadway Lounge at the New York Marriott Marquis offers floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Times Square.

    The Broadway Lounge at the New York Marriott Marquis offers floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Times Square.

    Outside, The Perch terrace offers an open-air spot eight floors above the square, where you can sip a drink while watching the crowds below.

    The Perch, an outdoor terrace at the New York Marriott Marquis, overlooks Times Square and nearby Broadway theaters.

    The Perch, an outdoor terrace at the New York Marriott Marquis, overlooks Times Square and nearby Broadway theaters.

    Come holiday time, the New York Marriott Marquis pulls out all the stops. Its 25 Days of Festive Fun events run from December 1 to 25 with carolers in the atrium, cookie-decorating workshops, Santa-approved rooms, the Very Merry Santa Brunch—which tends to sell out quickly—and Christmas trees in your rooms upon request.

    And of course, step outside and you’re a short walk from the Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, the Rockefeller Center tree, and Bryant Park’s Winter Village for skating and shopping.

    A Santa-approved guest room at the New York Marriott Marquis features holiday décor, including a Christmas tree, garlands and festive accents, as part of the hotel’s annual holiday programming upon request.

    A Santa-approved guest room at the New York Marriott Marquis features holiday décor, including a Christmas tree, garlands and festive accents, as part of the hotel’s annual holiday programming upon request.

    The Marquis has also made its way into pop culture. One of its high-floor hospitality suites—typically used for events and connected to guestrooms on either side—was used as a filming location in HBO’s Succession. The suite doubled as a Manhattan penthouse in the series’ final season, adding to the hotel’s lore as both a stage for travelers and a backdrop for New York stories.

    A two-level living area inside one of the New York Marriott Marquis suites, which appeared in HBO’s Succession.

    A two-level living area inside one of the New York Marriott Marquis suites, which appeared in HBO’s Succession.

    Forty years in, the New York Marriott Marquis is part of Times Square’s identity. It is a spectacle when you want it, convenience when you need it, and still one of the most popular places in the world to cash in your points.

    The author’s passion for every trip she writes about is sincere. Some experiences may be hosted, but hosting organizations have no control over articles before they’re published.

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  • Proposals for Times Square, Hudson Yards casinos rejected

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    TIMES SQUARE, Manhattan (WABC) — Proposals for two separate casino plans in Manhattan were both rejected by the Community Advisory Committee considering their future on Wednesday morning.

    Both the Caesars Palace Times Square and Avenir at Hudson Yards were rejected in separate votes.

    Only two members on the six-person committee voted to approve moving either project forward to the state. Four rejected the plan.

    “I’m shocked by the result. We’re putting forth a project in a location that could really use this type of complex: jobs, housing, a hotel, restaurants – these are all things we heard from the community,” said Dino Fusco, COO of Silverstein Properties.

    That leaves six competitors bidding for three slots.

    The remaining proposed casinos include Coney Island (Brooklyn), Aqueduct Racetrack (Queens), Citi Field (Queens), United Nations/East Side (Manhattan,) Ferry Point (Bronx) and Yonkers Raceway.

    One of the proposals involves MGM Resorts – the owner of Empire City in Yonkers.

    The casino wants to expand gaming to add live tables by obtaining one of the available licenses, and on Tuesday, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano says the city council approved a community benefits package followed by overwhelming community support.

    The Times Square proposal had been a hot-button issue, especially among the Broadway community.

    The building that’s currently home to the Minskoff Theater and “The Lion King” would keep the show, but everything above it would have been overhauled to make way for the Caesars Palace if the plan had become a reality.

    “This was a vote to protect the magic of Broadway for the one hundred thousand New Yorkers who depend on it for their livelihoods, and for the tens of millions who come from around the world to experience it,” said Jason Laks, President of The Broadway League. “A casino can go anywhere, but Broadway only lives here. We are so filled with gratitude for the committee members and the local elected officials-State Senator Liz Krueger, Assembly Member Tony Simone, Borough President Mark Levine and Council Member Erik Bottcher – who looked at the facts, listened to the residents, and stood up for this neighborhood and the theater community.”

    That includes residents like Dolores Rubin who’s lived near Times Square her whole life.

    “For me personally, this was really about recognizing that the casino cannibalizes a lot of what’s already here, and it takes away from Broadway which is the star of this area,” Rubin said.

    Jay-Z and his entertainment company Roc Nation was involved in the plan that included a nightclub, almost 1,000 hotel rooms and 150,000 square feet of gaming space.

    Developer SL Green had promised the Times Square casino would bring in $7 billion in taxes for the city and state, and hundreds of millions in investments into the neighborhood.

    SL Green CEO Marc Holliday blasted the board after the vote.

    “What you did here today was a despicable display of cowardice, lack of leadership, lack of consideration for all the people who would benefit from this proposal,” Holliday said. “You know it, we met the standard and then some, the only one with courage to stand up is the mayor and governor appointees and everyone else runs and hides. Go run and hide because what you did, the benefits you denied this community, and this city and state, you have delivered that history forever.”

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  • Martha Atienza’s ‘Our Islands’ Brings the Seas of Philippines to Times Square

    Martha Atienza’s ‘Our Islands’ Brings the Seas of Philippines to Times Square

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    Martha Atienza, Our Islands 11°16’58.4” N 123°45’07.0” E, 2017, on view as a “Midnight Moment” in New York’s Times Square. Michael Hull

    From the 16th through the 19th Century, the trade route between Manila and Acapulco connected the pan-Pacific regions,  facilitating an early global maritime trade similar to the Silk Road, linking East Asia and the Americas from east to west and vice versa. Galleons filled with Chinese ceramics, spices and silk sailed from Manila in the Phillippines to Acapulco, passing through China and Japan and then connecting with other ports of New Spain in the Americas, creating meaningful cultural exchange.

    On view through the end of July in Times Square, a video work by Dutch-Filipino artist Martha Atienza invites us to explore this story while raising questions and concerns about pressing issues surrounding local communities and the environment. Our Islands 11°16’58.4” N 123°45’07.0” E reimagines an annual traditional parade from her native Philippines by staging it on the floor of the Visayan Sea. Divers from Bantayan Island perform the parade underwater, moving within coordinates they chose based on nature, considering the tides, current and time of day. The choice of costumes, characters and objects is a humorous commentary on contemporary society in the Philippines yet also addresses the progressive erosion of cultural memories and identities due to a pervasive global culture.

    SEE ALSO: Pierre Huyghe’s Show in Venice Presages Inhuman Perspectives

    With the sea as background, the work also links to the threat of climate collapse to which Southeast Asia is increasingly exposed. Exploring this intricate interplay between local traditions, human subjectivity and the natural world, with this work, Atienza highlights the dynamics through which specific explorative human behaviors about nature have been established while eroding this relationship with ancestral knowledge and spirituality, which encouraged instead a more respectful symbiotic relation with natural cycles.

    “I want to take this opportunity to amplify urgent environmental and social challenges faced on our island home of Bantayan and the Philippines,”  said in a statement. “This brief, powerful moment brings attention to issues around the complexities of climate change while underscoring the intersection between environmental and cultural loss and resiliency.”

    The video is screening nightly through the rest of the month as part of Times Square Art’s “Midnight Moment,” the world’s largest and longest-running digital art program, from 11:57 p.m. to midnight on all ninety electronic billboards in the square.

    Electronic billboards in Times Square showing underwater divers.Electronic billboards in Times Square showing underwater divers.
    The video is part of the artist’s ongoing project of creating a moving diorama under the sea, a collaboration with the local community in an effort to empower and amplify seldom-heard voices. Michael Hull

    Born to a Dutch mother and Filipino father, Atienza has navigated between these cultures and identities throughout her life, allowing her to adopt multicultural viewpoints and a transnational open approach to her observation and documentation of global events.

    In addition to her art practice, Atienza is the president and co-founder of GOODLand, a platform under Art Lab that develops and applies a creative and collaborative methodology to tackle social, economic and environmental issues on Bantayan Island in the Visayas. The mission is to facilitate the realization of a self-sufficient and resilient community that can preserve nature and its cultural memories.

    The work the artist creates is both an extension and integration of her community-centered practice to empower and create awareness of the values already embedded in their roots and connection to the land.

    “Our Islands is a continued collaboration with compressor divers, their families, and the community,” Atienza told Observer. “As we documented and created a ‘living’ archive over the years, the work visually tackles issues of climate change (as the sea levels rise and super typhoons become a common occurrence), human destruction of the environment, social dislocation within the community as more people choose to earn a living overseas, and our loss of culture. We are also exploring ways to use new technology to find solutions together. We are creating a model for change and resilience for our neighboring islands and beyond our borders.”

    Originally conceived as a  72-minute film, Our Islands 11°16’58.4” N 123°45’07.0” E was awarded the esteemed Baloise Art Prize at Art Basel in 2017 and acquired by the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi in 2022. The work has been widely screened across Asia, Australia and Europe, and this presentation in one of the most iconic places in the world marks an important moment for societal and ecological reflection and for the empowerment of the Filipino community, bringing those complicated legacies and issues to a global stage.

    Martha Atienza’s ‘Our Islands’ Brings the Seas of Philippines to Times Square

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    Elisa Carollo

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  • Bodycam footage shows Times Square brawl involving NYPD cops — See the full video

    Bodycam footage shows Times Square brawl involving NYPD cops — See the full video

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    The Manhattan district attorney’s office released the full bodycam footage showing the altercation between cops and a group of men in Times Square that led to a high-profile case drawing national headlines. There are also new camera angles not seen before. 

    See the full footage in the video player above.

    For more on the bodycam footage and details on the investigation, click here.

    Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.

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    NBC New York Staff

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  • NYPD searching for gunman after innocent bystander shot in Times Square

    NYPD searching for gunman after innocent bystander shot in Times Square

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    NYPD searching for gunman seen on video in Times Square


    NYPD searching for gunman seen on video in Times Square

    02:14

    NEW YORK — An innocent bystander was shot inside a store in Times Square on Thursday when police say a shoplifting suspect pulled a gun on a security guard.

    Police are still searching for the alleged gunman. He is described as a Hispanic male between the ages of 15-20, last seen wearing a white t-shirt, white pants and sneakers.

    CBS New York has learned that the incident started around 7 p.m. when three individuals allegedly began shoplifting at JD Sports at 42nd Street and Broadway.

    Watch NYPD update


    NYPD holds press briefing on Times Square shooting

    03:18

    Police say a security guard stopped two of the individuals at the front door, asked them for their receipt, took their shopping bag and questioned them.

    One of the individuals then allegedly pulled out a gun and fired at the security guard, but missed and struck a 37-year-old female customer in the leg.

    The victim was taken to a local hospital and is expected to survive.

    Watch Chopper 2 over Times Square

    Chopper 2 Flying

    Chopper 2 is over Times Square after police say at least one person was shot. Read more: cbsloc.al/4bouxjU Watch more local news on CBS News New York: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/live/

    Posted by CBS New York on Thursday, February 8, 2024

    The two individuals then ran down to 47th Street and Seventh Avenue, where they were approached by two police officers. One individual was apprehended and taken to a local precinct for questioning.

    The alleged gunman continued running down 47th Street toward Sixth Avenue, pursued by one officer. Police say the alleged gunman fired two shots at the officer while fleeing. The officer drew his weapon, but did not return fire due to the number of people in the area.

    “Mid-block on 47th Street, there was a cut between the Fox buildings. As the perpetrator goes in there, he turns one time and fires at our officer. Our officer draws his weapon, but he cannot fire, too many people around. There’s too many people ducking. As the male in the white goes farther into the cut, under his armpit, he fires his second shot at our officer. Again, our officer does not return fire,” NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said.

    Police say the alleged gunman then fled into a subway station at 46th Street and Sixth Avenue and that video shows him running onto subway tracks before emerging from the subway system.


    1 injured in Times Square shooting, police searching for gunman

    04:24

    The alleged gunman has not yet been found. The NYPD says they have crews searching the area.

    Police say the third individual who was allegedly involved in the shoplifting incident is unaccounted for.

    The area around 42nd Street and Broadway, including the entrance to the subway, remained close off late Thursday night.

    The NYPD had Sixth Avenue between 47th and 51st streets closed off for hours as counterterrorism officers and K-9s searched the area, but it has since reopened.

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  • 1 injured in Times Square shooting, police searching for gunman

    1 injured in Times Square shooting, police searching for gunman

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    1 injured in Times Square shooting, police searching for gunman


    1 injured in Times Square shooting, police searching for gunman

    04:24

    NEW YORK — An innocent bystander was shot inside a store in Times Square on Thursday when police say a shoplifting suspect pulled a gun on a security guard.

    Police are still searching for the alleged gunman. He is described as a Hispanic male between the ages of 15-20, last seen wearing a white t-shirt, white pants and sneakers.

    CBS New York has learned that the incident started around 7 p.m. when three individuals allegedly began shoplifting at JD Sports at 42nd Street and Broadway.

    Police say a security guard stopped two of the individuals at the front door, asked them for their receipt, took their shopping bag and questioned them.

    One of the individuals then allegedly pulled out a gun and fired at the security guard, but missed and struck a 37-year-old female customer in the leg.

    The victim was taken to a local hospital and is expected to survive.

    Watch NYPD update


    NYPD holds press briefing on Times Square shooting

    03:18

    The two individuals then ran down to 47th Street and Seventh Avenue, where they were approached by two police officers. One individual was apprehended and taken to a local precinct for questioning.

    The alleged gunman continued running down 47th Street toward Sixth Avenue, pursued by one officer. Police say the alleged gunman fired two shots at the officer while fleeing. The officer drew his weapon, but did not return fire due to the number of people in the area.

    “Mid-block on 47th Street, there was a cut between the Fox buildings. As the perpetrator goes in there, he turns one time and fires at our officer. Our officer draws his weapon, but he cannot fire, too many people around. There’s too many people ducking. As the male in the white goes farther into the cut, under his armpit, he fires his second shot at our officer. Again, our officer does not return fire,” NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said.

    Police say the alleged gunman then fled into a subway station at 46th Street and Sixth Avenue and that video shows him running onto subway tracks before emerging from the subway system.

    Watch Chopper 2 over Times Square

    Chopper 2 Flying

    Chopper 2 is over Times Square after police say at least one person was shot. Read more: cbsloc.al/4bouxjU Watch more local news on CBS News New York: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/live/

    Posted by CBS New York on Thursday, February 8, 2024

    The alleged gunman has not yet been found. The NYPD says they have crews searching the area.

    Police say the third individual who was allegedly involved in the shoplifting incident is unaccounted for.

    The area around 42nd Street and Broadway, including the entrance to the subway, remained close off late Thursday night.

    The NYPD had Sixth Avenue between 47th and 51st streets closed off for hours as counterterrorism officers and K-9s searched the area, but it has since reopened.

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    Katie Houlis

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  • Search for gunman after shooting at Times Square store sparks midtown chaos: Police

    Search for gunman after shooting at Times Square store sparks midtown chaos: Police

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    A tourist was shot in the leg after a suspect tried shoplifting at a Times Square store, according to a law enforcement source, leaving a large swath of midtown streets closed for hours as the search for the gunman was underway.

    The incident began just after 7 p.m. at a store near Broadway and West 41st Street, a police official told NBC New York. Three individuals were inside a store, reported to be JD Sports on Broadway, according to the FDNY, when one person with a shopping bag was believed to have been shoplifting.

    A loss prevention officer went up to the three and asked for a receipt, a law enforcement source said. The other two individuals left the store while the security officer took the bag from the third. As the guard was talking with him, the third person took a few steps, pulled out a gun and fired, police sources said.

    The bullets missed the security officer, but struck a tourist in the leg above the knee, the source told News 4. The victim, a woman shopping at the store, was taken to Bellevue Hospital where she was expected to recover.

    Police arrived shortly after and the suspects took off, running north on Sixth Avenue dropping the clothes along the way, on 48th Street and 51st Street.

    Law enforcement sources said a 15-year-old was being questioned as a person of interest, but no arrests had yet been made. It was not clear exactly what role that individual in custody played in the incident, but it was not believed he was the one who fired the shot, police sources said.

    Two images of the suspected shoplifter and gunman were released by the NYPD, who was still on the run.


    NBC New York

    The suspect seen in the white jacket is who police are searching for in connection to an alleged midtown shooting stemming from a shoplifting at a Times Square store

    Police are also trying to determine whether any shots were fired at police as the suspects fled. No injuries to the officers were reported.

    A large swath of midtown streets were closed for hours as a result, with police telling people to avoid the area between 47th and 51st street along 6th Avenue for much of Thursday evening. Sixth Avenue did not reopen until after 10 p.m. The department also said a police presence could be expected in Times Square, and traffic delays were likely.

    An investigation is ongoing.

    This was the scene on Avenue of the Americas near 51st Street shortly after 8 p.m. as the police investigation was underway.



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    Chris Jose and Tom Shea

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  • NY officials looking for 2 more men suspected in Times Square attack on NYPD officers

    NY officials looking for 2 more men suspected in Times Square attack on NYPD officers

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    What to Know

    • A group of people, migrants among them, were caught on video attacking two NYPD officers in Times Square last month
    • At least a half-dozen people have been arrested so far; most were released on bail, sparking outrage among police brass and the governor’s office. Police are now looking for two additional, unidentified suspects
    • Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg has defended his decision to not request bail for several suspects, saying he was proceeding cautiously to ensure the proper suspects are identified

    Manhattan prosecutors are asking the public for help finding two additional suspects wanted in connection with an assault on police officers in Times Square last month.

    The two men, who are still unidentified, are visible on video attacking the officers, officials said. One man is seen kicking an officer multiple times, while the other is seen kicking an officer then falling down, according to officials.


    Manhattan District Attorney’s Office

    So far, six suspects have been charged with assault from the January attack but only one of of the six was held on bail.

    “When you attack our police officers, you should be on Rikers,” NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said.

    Critics are calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to remove Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg from office for releasing the other five defendants.

    “Anyone who thinks they should have been let loose, I have a big disagreement with,” Hochul told reporters.

    Bragg said he did not want to keep people in jail until he knew who played what role in the assault.

    “So we put the right people in jail,” Bragg said.

    The Manhattan DA held a news conference to make it clear attacks on police officers will not be tolerated, after dodging reporter questions earlier in the day. News 4’s Melissa Russo reports. 

    After 10 days scrutinizing the videos made public after the assault, a law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation said in the case of two of the defendants charged and released, the video does not show them making any contact with officers.

    One defendant, Kelvin Arocha, who is wearing camouflage in the video, is only seen kicking a police radio, but not a police office, according to the law enforcement source. Another defendant, Wilson Juarez, was charged with assault, but a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation said Juarez is not even visible on the videos at all.

    “They wanted to make sure they had the right person, but you can hold these people while you’re still investigating,” Hochul said. “You don’t let them out.”

    Amid the criticism of Bragg for not seeking bail for the defendants, reports developed that several of the accused migrants boarded buses to California after their release and were headed towards the California-Mexico border. It remains unclear if that definitively happened.

    In a statement Tuesday night, the Department of Homeland Security released a statement saying it picked up four suspects Monday in Phoenix who were “…believed to be fleeing the state of New York from their suspected involvement in a coordinated assault on multiple New York City Police Department (NYPD) Officers.”

    On Wednesday, New York law enforcement officials said the four men in ICE custody in Arizona are not the same four men believed to be involved in last month’s attack on NYPD officers in Times Square, despite the federal agency’s claim.

    The Manhattan district attorney’s office put out a statement Wednesday stating the detainees were not connected.

    “The Manhattan D.A.’s Office was informed yesterday by HSI that the four individuals they took into custody were not affiliated with the New York City investigation,” the statement said. “To date, we have not received any indication from federal authorities that they have detained anyone related to our case.”

    One other suspect is being held at Rikers. Police think a total of at least 13 people were involved. Several of the suspects are migrants, Chell said, while police were familiar with some from past incidents.

    “Some of them live in the migrant shelter, they appear to be migrants, obviously. I don’t know when they got here. Some of them already have lengthy police records,” said Chell. “These individuals who were arrested [or] will be arrested should be indicted, they should be sitting in Rikers awaiting their day in front of the judge. Plain and simple.”

    On Feb. 2, Bragg dodged reporter questions before ultimately holding a press conference hours later. In that briefing, he defended his decision to not request bail for several suspects, saying he’s proceeding cautiously to ensure the proper suspects are identified.

    Bragg’s office was expected to present the case to a grand jury on Tuesday.

    Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

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    Melissa Russo

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  • 4 people detained in Arizona in connection to Times Square attack on NYPD officers, ICE says

    4 people detained in Arizona in connection to Times Square attack on NYPD officers, ICE says

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    TIMES SQUARE, Manhattan (WABC) — Four people believed to be involved in the attack of two NYPD officers in Times Square last month were detained in Phoenix, Arizona, according to ICE.

    Officials say the four individuals who “were believed to be fleeing the state of New York” for their suspected involvement in the attack were apprehended while traveling to the Phoenix Greyhound Bus Station from El Paso, Texas.

    They were then transferred to the custody of ICE officials.

    The NYPD is working with ICE to determine whether they are the same four men who allegedly skipped town on a bus headed toward California after being charged in the attack. If the grand jury indicts them, they will be expected to appear in court.

    It comes as one of the suspects arrested in the attack was indicted by a grand jury.

    N.J. Burkett has the latest.

    Yohenry Brito, the man who allegedly set off the melee by resisting arrest, appeared in court on Tuesday where he was indicted for his role in the assault.

    The charges against him will be unsealed when he is arraigned on the indictment at a later date.

    Before the indictment, Brito appeared before the judge for about 10 minutes and a new court date was set for March 25 on his two prior misdemeanor cases.

    Brito’s defense attorney commented outside court, saying only that “he pleaded not guilty.”

    Brito is being held on Rikers Island on $15,000 bail.

    The Police Benevolent Association president said in the indictment is a step toward justice.

    “This is just one small step towards justice for our injured brothers,” PBA President Patrick Hendry said. “It might never have happened without the outcry from New Yorkers who are fed up with a justice system that keeps failing to protect both police officers and the public. Too many of the participants in this vicious attack are still roaming free. We are once again urging all New Yorkers: keep speaking up until they are all behind bars where they belong.”

    The grand jury hearing comes as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg continues to defend his office’s decision to release five of the six suspects without bail.

    In light of the attack, some local lawmakers gathered Monday to call for New York City to once again start cooperating with federal immigration officials. Mayor Eric Adams said the law in place that limits the cooperation between the two doesn’t impact the work ICE does.

    “ICE can execute warrants. ICE can have a role here. No one is stopping ICE from doing their job. They have a job to do when you deal with dangerous people such as that. I cannot use city resources based on existing law. I think that’s a question that should be presented to the council,” Adams said.

    A council spokesperson says the laws limiting cooperation with ICE exist, “to ensure immigrant communities aren’t deterred from seeking help or reporting crime to city officials out of fear of deportation.”

    Meanwhile, a statement from New York Immigration Coalition says they trust Bragg and are calling on NYPD to “release the full bodycam footage of the incident to reduce rampant speculation that is fueling anti-immigrant rhetoric.”

    Authorities continue to search for several others involved in the attack against the two officers. They say 14 people were involved.

    ALSO READ | Exclusive: NYPD cracks down on illegal scooters amid investigation into officers attacked

    Josh Einiger has the exclusive report.

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  • Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg to present evidence in assault on officers to grand jury

    Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg to present evidence in assault on officers to grand jury

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    TIMES SQUARE, Manhattan (WABC) — Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will present evidence to a grand jury next week following the attack on two NYPD officers in Times Square last week.

    Police department officials say 14 people, believed to be asylum seekers staying in city shelters were involved in the assault.

    Authorities have arrested and charged six – five were released without bail.

    DA Bragg says his office ‘will not rest until every person who assaulted a police officer in this awful attack is held accountable.’

    The incident prompted growing concern from the New York Immigration Coalition that a few bad apples would put a target on the greater asylum-seeking population.

    “I think that we have to really highlight that these are isolated incidents,” said Robert Agyemang, Vice President of the New York Immigration Coalition. “It feeds into kind of the belief system that these people are coming and they’re messing up things when it’s not really the case.”

    According to data from the mayor’s office, there were fewer migrants in the city’s care since last week.

    On January 7, 2024, the city reported 69,000 migrants in their care, as opposed to 67,500 on January 23. Meaning that migrants are leaving the city’s care faster than they are coming in.

    Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website, and on Twitter @NYPDTips.

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  • DA Bragg addresses why no bail was sought for suspects in NYPD Times Square attack

    DA Bragg addresses why no bail was sought for suspects in NYPD Times Square attack

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    Nearly a week after two NYPD officers were injured by a group of attackers in Times Square, the Manhattan district attorney initially dodged questions as to why his office did not seek bail for several of the suspects involved — some of whom have since fled the state, sources previously said.

    District Attorney Alvin Bragg declined early Friday afternoon to answer questions from NBC New York regarding the case and why several migrants accused of assaulting police were released without bond. He did not respond when asked if he thought not requesting bail was a mistake, instead walking past reporters without saying much at all.

    Seemingly caught off-guard by the questions, Bragg offered only one answer: “We’ll speak in court.”

    The Manhattan DA held a news conference to make it clear attacks on police officers will not be tolerated, after dodging reporter questions earlier in the day. News 4’s Melissa Russo reports. 

    The DA was attending a law enforcement conference which reporters were invited to by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. She has made it clear she disagrees with the decision to let the suspects go free without bail, and has called for the attackers to be deported. Hochul said the problem was not about weak bail laws, but rather the failure to use the laws in place.

    “All I know is that an assault on a police officer means you should be sitting in jail,” said Hochul.

    Bragg and Hochul met behind closed doors, but he was noticeably absent when the governor emerged for a news conference with several other district attorneys from Queens, Brooklyn and Westchester. Hochul confirmed that she discussed the incident with Bragg, adding that she was “confident there will be more charges brought.”

    Hours later, Bragg convened an early evening press conference to try and clarify his position — insisting he would not tolerate attacks on police, following days of criticism and silence from his office.

    “We do not tolerate or accept assaults on police officers. I watched the tape this week, despicable behavior and it sickened me and outraged me,” Bragg said.

    The embattled DA said his office was looking into new video to identify what role each individual may have played in the group assault. Bragg told reporters he did not request bail because he is proceeding cautiously to ensure they have the proper suspects identified in the case.

    “That is what is required to secure a conviction and get accountability and send the right people to jail. That’s what we’ve been working on all week,” Bragg said, noting that the one who was “deemed to have committed the most serious crimes is currently on Rikers.”

    He also said the office has received more information than it did after Saturday, and he expects to get further information in the next few days. What remains unclear is if Bragg has any hesitation or concerns about whether they have arrested and charged the right suspects, even if they were not held on bail.

    Seven suspects have been arrested for the attack so far, and police officials have said at least 13 people were involved in the attack on the officers. At least one suspect had bail set and is being held on Rikers.

    Several of the suspects are migrants, NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said, while police were familiar with some from past incidents.

    “Some of them live in the migrant shelter, they appear to be migrants, obviously. I don’t know when they got here. Some of them already have lengthy police records,” said Chell. “These individuals who were arrested [or] will be arrested should be indicted, they should be sitting in Rikers awaiting their day in front of the judge. Plain and simple.”

    Multiple sources familiar with the matter said they believe four of those initially arrested and released after court have since boarded a bus under aliases and were headed toward the California–Mexico border.

    Federal officials said that in many cases, New York officials do not alert them when an undocumented defendant is being released from court or jail. A spokesperson for the Manhattan district attorney’s office said bail was not sought in part because they were still sorting out which defendants committed which acts during the assault.

    An official with the New York Office of Court Administration said they were “not aware of the defendants’ whereabouts but they are obligated to return to Court on their scheduled dates”; their next court date in New York was scheduled for March 4.

    Gov. Hochul said suspected attackers will face additional charges in the attack on two NYPD officers. News 4’s Jonathan Dienst reports. 

    Police do not track crime committed by undocumented residents, but arrest records show residents living at 30 of the city’s 200 migrant shelters have been arrested more 1,200 in the last year. City records show the top crimes include petit larceny, assault, grand larceny, endangering the welfare of a child and robbery.

    Former NYPD Chief of Department and current NBC New York consultant Terry Monahan said that while the vast majority of migrants are coming to the U.S. to seek better lives, crime is a growing problem.

    “A lot of times it shows it’s a first arrest for that individual because it’s the first time they’re here. And they’re getting sent right back out on the streets to do it again,” Monahan said.

    Gov. Kathy Hochul has shared harsh words for the migrants arrested.

    “Get them all — send them back,” the Democrat said Thursday. “You don’t touch our police officers, you don’t touch anyone.”

    The lack of consequences for the suspects has sparked police pushback.

    “Why aren’t they in jail right now? They brutally attacked a police officer and a lieutenant. Our criminal justice system is upside down,” said Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry.

    Details of the Times Square attack

    Authorities say the caught-on-camera brawl erupted as cops tried to break up a group of migrants in front of a shelter on 42nd Street, steps from the New Amsterdam Theatre. Police officials said Thursday that it is believed at least 13 people were involved in the attack on the officers.

    Multiple law enforcement sources said it all started when a couple of people walked up to the officers and said there was a group being disorderly, causing issues.

    Police went to check it out, and the situation escalated quickly. Video obtained by NBC New York shows the moments before the beatdown, as a police officer and a lieutenant were talking to the group. They put their hands on one person and suddenly, the cops are surrounded. They stumble down 42nd Street, where the officers fall to the ground, before being kicked, stomped and punched in the face and head. 

    Two officers were hurt when chaos erupted outside a migrant shelter in Times Square over the weekend.

    One lieutenant suffered a cut to his face. The other officer has injuries to the side of his body.

    “I’m appalled at this. The city, we have had enough,” said Chell. “The shame of this is they’re trying to keep this city safe, and they get attacked by eight cowards who are kicking them in the face, taking cheap shots.”

    Those arrested have been accused of assault or attempted assault on a police officer and gang assault. Several are charged additionally with obstructing governmental administration.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have not commented on whether they will attempt to detain the defendants in this case. Camille Joseph Varlack, the chief of staff for Mayor Adams, said NYC’s sanctuary city status does not prevent police from coordinating with ICE.

    Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

    Violence at migrant shelters has been a burgeoning problem as of late, prompting demands for fresh quality of life initiatives in certain neighborhoods. The city’s largest shelter is on Randall’s Island, where a deadly fight broke out earlier this month. Three people were arraigned Tuesday in that case.

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    Jonathan Dienst, Melissa Russo and NBC New York Staff

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  • Shock Video Shows Illegal Immigrants Assault NYPD Officers – They Were Released WITHOUT Bail

    Shock Video Shows Illegal Immigrants Assault NYPD Officers – They Were Released WITHOUT Bail

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    Opinion

    Screenshot: NYPD News X Video

    A group of illegal immigrants were seen attacking two NYPD officers outside a migrant shelter in Times Square, New York City.

    The incident occurred when the officers attempted to advise the illegal aliens to move along. They then appear to attempt to subdue one of the individuals.

    As the officers attempted to make an arrest, the suspects reportedly kicked and punched them in the head and body. The attack was captured on video and then shared on social media.

    Four suspects were arrested a little while later and identified as aging in the range from 19 to 24.

    “They were kicking and punching one of the cops,” a security guard nearby told the New York Daily News. “They mobbed [the cops]. It was wild.”

    RELATED: Outrage As NYC High School Kicks Out Students To House Illegal Immigrants

    Illegal Immigrants Assault The NYPD

    The New York Daily News report seems more concerned about how this assault by illegal immigrants is going to reflect on the debate regarding the border crisis.

    The incident, they fret, is “likely to raise the temperature of the already heated debate surrounding the migrant crisis, in which more than 100,000 migrants came to the city last year.”

    Yea, probably. Seeing video of animals assaulting police officers in the hopes that they can free one of their own based on overwhelming numbers seems concerning – especially when they number in the hundreds of thousands in NYC alone, millions across the country.

    If they’re brazen enough to go after law enforcement, what will they do to the average person walking down the street?

    Astoundingly, the illegal immigrants clearly caught on tape trying to assault police officers were, according to the report, “released without bail following arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court.”

    Even better? One of those arrested and released without bail has two pending cases in Manhattan for assault and robbery.

    RELATED: ‘I Love You Joe Biden’: African Illegal Alien Praises President at Same Location Where Another Wanted For Terrorism Was Released

    Don’t Worry, The DA Is Going To Get Them Back

    A statement from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office explains the illegal immigrants may have been released due to a lack of information on them at the time of the arrest.

    “We now have additional video surveillance that was not available at the time of arraignment and are continuing to speak to witnesses in order to determine the specific role of each defendant,” the statement reads, according to Fox News.

    What are the odds they track these guys – who are, by the left’s definition, undocumented – down? We’d wager the next time they are seen is when they end up assaulting somebody else, or worse, murdering them.

    Bragg, you may recall, has been heavily criticized for his ‘soft on crime’ policies and was eviscerated by the wife of a fallen NYPD officer at his memorial.

    In another shocking video to emerge Tuesday, two illegal immigrants driving a van unlicensed and uninsured almost took out a little girl and a bus full of schoolchildren in upstate New York.

    Meanwhile, the New York City Council has maintained its focus on reining in the NYPD, not illegal immigrants who haven’t met a law they’re seemingly unwilling to break.

    While these illegal aliens remain on the streets undocumented and out on bail, police officers in New York City will be forced to document every single interaction they have with the public.

    Mayor Eric Adams’ veto of the bill was rejected by the far leftwing Council in a 42-9 vote.

    If they could jail the police officers and throw uniforms on the illegal aliens in New York City, there’s little doubt Democrats would do so.

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  • Watch Live: Crowds gather in Times Square on New Year’s Eve to ring in 2024

    Watch Live: Crowds gather in Times Square on New Year’s Eve to ring in 2024

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    Crowds growing in Times Square ahead of New Year’s Eve ball drop


    Crowds growing in Times Square ahead of New Year’s Eve ball drop

    03:34

    NEW YORK — We’re counting down to New York City’s iconic ball drop on New Year’s Eve in Times Square. 

    Hundreds of thousands people are watching in person, while another billion look on from around the world. 

    Earlier this week, the giant 2024 numerals were hoisted into place atop One Times Square, and the nearly 12,000 pound ball got a bow tie makeover. 

    New Yorkers and tourists alike wrote their wishes for the new year on pieces of confetti that will rain down to ring in the new year, and some also said “good riddance” to things they’d like to leave behind. 

    So how can you join the celebration and watch the ball drop at the stroke of midnight?

    How to watch the ball drop streaming live

    Streaming: Watch our coverage of the countdown on CBS News New York. 


    CBS News New York

    Live

    Watch the Times Square Alliance’s live stream starting at 6 p.m.


    New Year’s Eve 2024 Live From Times Square by
    Times Square NYC on
    YouTube

    Where to watch the ball drop in person

    Join the celebration in Times Square, with the best view on Broadway from 43rd to 50th Street, or along Seventh Avenue up to 59th Street.

    Access points for the viewing areas:

    • 49th Street from 6th & 8th avenues
    • 52nd Street from 6th & 8th avenues
    • 56th Street from 6th & 8th avenues

    See our full guide for the ball drop countdown, with more information on when and where to watch, plus who is performing and how to avoid traffic. 

    CBS New York Team


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  • Who’s performing at tonight’s Times Square ball drop to ring in New Year’s Eve 2024?

    Who’s performing at tonight’s Times Square ball drop to ring in New Year’s Eve 2024?

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    Before tonight’s ball drop in New York’s Times Square rings in 2024 on the East Coast, revelers can spend the waning hours of New Year’s Eve watching performers celebrate the beginning of the new year with music and dance.

    Here’s what you need to know about the performers in Times Square on New Year’s Eve:

    Full list of New Year’s Eve performers

    • AGNEW, a New York dance group
    • Flo Rida, joined by Sage the Gemini
    • Jelly Roll
    • LL Cool J
    • Maria Becerra
    • Megan Thee Stallion
    • Sabrina Carpenter
    • Triad Brass, a five-piece brass band with Grammy Award-winner Jonathan Arons
    • Tyla
    • Yng Lvcas

    When is Flo Rida performing on New Year’s Eve?

    Grammy-nominated rapper Flo Rida is expected to perform from 9:10 p.m. to 9:29 p.m. EST, according to organizers of the Times Square event. Rapper Sage the Gemini will join him to perform “OMG” and “GDFR.” Viewers can watch the performance on a livestream of the Times Square festivities.

    Flo Rida performs during iHeartRadio Y100's Jingle Ball 2023 at Amerant Bank Arena on Dec. 16, 2023, in Miami, Florida.
    Flo Rida performs during iHeartRadio Y100’s Jingle Ball 2023 at Amerant Bank Arena on Dec. 16, 2023, in Miami, Florida.

    John Parra/Getty Images for iHeartRadio


    When is Jelly Roll performing on New Year’s Eve?

    Country singer Jelly Roll, who’s up for Best New Artist at the Grammys early next year, is expected to perform from 10:34 p.m. to 10:40 p.m. EST on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” on ABC.

    When is LL Cool J performing on New Year’s Eve?

    Grammy-winning rapper LL Cool J is expected to perform from 11:38 p.m. to 11:46 p.m. EST on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.”

    LL Cool J poses for a picture at
    LL Cool J poses for a picture at “A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop” from the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, Nov. 8, 2023.

    Francis Specker/CBS via Getty Images


    When is Megan Thee Stallion performing on New Year’s Eve?

    Grammy-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion‘s performance is expected to air just after midnight EST on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” according to an ABC spokesperson.

    When is Paul Anka performing on New Year’s Eve?

    Singer-songwriter Paul Anka is expected to perform his song “My Way” and John Lennon’s “Imagine” from 11:51 p.m. to 11:58 p.m. EST. Viewers can watch the performance on the Times Square livestream.

    When is Sabrina Carpenter performing on New Year’s Eve?

    Pop singer Sabrina Carpenter, who has been opening for Taylor Swift as her wildly successful Eras Tour goes around the world, is expected to perform from 9:37 p.m. to 9:43 p.m. EST on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.”

    When is Tyla performing on New Year’s Eve?

    South African singer Tyla, nominated for Best African Music Performance at the Grammys, is expected to perform from 8:30 p.m. to 8:35 p.m. EST on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.”

    Schedule for tonight’s Times Square performers

    The show in Times Square starts at 6 p.m. EST. Here’s a schedule of tonight’s performances:

    • 6:06 p.m.-6:18 p.m.: Sino-American Friendship Association Chinese cultural performance
    • 8:03 p.m.-8:08 p.m.: AGNEW
    • 8:30 p.m.-8:35 p.m.: Tyla
    • 9:10 p.m.-9:29 p.m.: Flo Rida
    • 9:37 p.m.-9:43 p.m.: Sabrina Carpenter
    • 10:04 p.m.-10:08 p.m.: Maria Becerra
    • 10:34 p.m. to 10:40 p.m.: Jelly Roll
    • 11:02 p.m.-11:07 p.m.: Yng Lvcas
    • 11:38 p.m.-11:46 p.m.: LL Cool J
    • 11:51 p.m.-11:58 p.m.: Paul Anka
    • Just after midnight: Megan Thee Stallion

    Where to watch the ball drop in Times Square

    One million people are expected to watch New York City’s iconic ball drop in person, while another billion will look on from around the world. 

    Here is everything you need to know about livestreaming the countdown and ball drop.

    What’s the lineup for Nashville’s Big Bash?

    Another celebrity-packed celebration, “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash,” will air on CBS television stations and stream on Paramount+. Watch live from 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m. ET/PT and 10:30 p.m.-1:05 a.m. ET/PT.

    The entertainment special will feature performances from:

    • Bailey Zimmerman
    • Blake Shelton
    • Brothers Osborne
    • Carly Pearce
    • Cody Johnson
    • Elle King
    • Grace Bowers
    • HARDY
    • Jackson Dean
    • Jon Pardi
    • Kane Brown
    • Lainey Wilson
    • Lynyrd Skynyrd
    • Megan Moroney
    • Morgan Wallen
    • Old Dominion
    • Parker McCollum
    • Thomas Rhett
    • Trace Adkins
    • Trombone Shorty

    Alex Sundby

    Alex Sundby is a senior editor at CBSNews.com. In addition to editing content, Alex also covers breaking news, writing about crime and severe weather as well as everything from multistate lottery jackpots to the July Fourth hot dog eating contest.

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  • Your 2024 guide to NYC New Year’s Eve ball drop countdown in Times Square

    Your 2024 guide to NYC New Year’s Eve ball drop countdown in Times Square

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    New Year’s Eve confetti tested in Times Square


    New Year’s Eve confetti tested in Times Square

    02:16

    NEW YORK — One million people are expected to pack into Times Square to watch the ball drop on New Year’s Eve, along with another billion tuning in from all over the world.

    This year is expected to be the biggest gathering since before the COVID pandemic in 2019. 

    So when and where does the ball drop, who’s performing and how can you watch — or avoid traffic altogether? 

    We have your countdown guide.  

    Where does the ball drop in Times Square?

    The iconic Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball will descend form a flagpole on top of One Times Square, a 25-story building that sits on a city block in the heart of Midtown, Manhattan. 

    Organizers say the ball drop can be seen best along Broadway from 43rd to 50th streets or along Seventh Avenue up to 59th Street. 

    Who is performing at the 2024 Times Square ball drop?

    Among the celebrity guests will be performances by Paul Anka, Flo Rida, Megan Thee Stallion, Jelly Roll, Sabrina Carpenter and Tyla.

    How can you watch the ball drop on New Year’s Eve?

    Streaming: Watch our coverage of the countdown on CBS News New York. 


    CBS News New York

    Live

    Watch the Times Square Alliance’s livestream starting at 6 p.m.


    New Year’s Eve 2024 Live From Times Square by
    Times Square NYC on
    YouTube

    Times Square: Watch in person on Broadway from 43rd Street to 50th Street, or along Seventh Avenue, as far north as 59th Street.

    Access points for the viewing areas:

    • 49th Street from 6th & 8th avenues
    • 52nd Street from 6th & 8th avenues
    • 56th Street from 6th & 8th avenues

    Party Nearby: Some New Year’s Eve revelers are ponying up for expensive packages and extra comfort. Hotels and restaurants near One Times Square are offering exclusive parties, with tickets between $450 and $12,500. The tickets typically include access to food, drinks and live entertainment, while some offer views of the Big Ball. 

    How about spending $1,015 at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.?

    When does the ball drop?

    Organizers say the celebration is set to start at 6 p.m. when the ball will be raised to the top of the flagpole atop One Times Square. 

    Then, at exactly 11:59 p.m., it will make its 60-second descent to ring in the New Year. 

    How can you avoid New Year’s Eve traffic in NYC?

    If you’re checking out the ball drop in person, you are encouraged to use mass transit. The 1, 2, 3, 7, A, B, C, D, E, F, M, N, Q, R, W and S trains all run to the Times Square area. 

    For drivers, streets will be closed starting at 4 a.m. Sunday. Seventh Avenue will be shut down between 42nd and 48th streets, and side streets will also be closed from Sixth to Eighth avenues. Then at 11 a.m., Seventh Ave. and Broadway will be shut down between 38th and 59th streets. 

    CBS New York Team


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  • Brooklyn pals convicted for 1987 Times Square murder of French tourist on brink of having their names cleared

    Brooklyn pals convicted for 1987 Times Square murder of French tourist on brink of having their names cleared

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    Nearly four decades after they were busted for the New Year’s Day murder of a French tourist in Times Square, two childhood friends who have long professed their innocence appear to be on the brink of finally clearing their names.

    In an Oct. 6 letter a top prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office asked a judge for a “pre-motion conference to discuss an anticipated motion to vacate the convictions” of Eric Smokes and David Warren.

    The letter from Terri Rosenblatt, head of the Post-Conviction Justice Unit (PCJU) said the DA’s office is “prepared to concede … that there is newly discovered evidence that creates a reasonable probability of a more favorable outcome …”

    Eric Smokes (l.) and David Warren (r.) are pictured at the defense table in State Supreme Court on Jan. 14, 2020 in New York. (Alec Tabak for New York Daily News)

    The Daily News first wrote about Smokes and Warren, childhood buddies from East New York, in 2017, when their lawyers were planning to file a motion to vacate their convictions.

    They were busted Jan. 8, 1987, a week after 71-year-old French tourist Jean Casse was mugged and robbed outside Ben Benson’s steakhouse on W. 52nd St. a few minutes after midnight on the morning of Jan. 1.

    Smokes, then 19, and Warren, then 16, said from the start that they went with friends to Times Square to celebrate the new year and that when Casse was attacked they were outside the Latin Quarter nightclub, four blocks away from the steakhouse. They then headed further south because they didn’t have enough money to get in.

    Casse, visiting the city with his wife and others — was heading back to his room at the Plaza Hotel with his group when he was knocked to the ground with a punch and struck his head on the ground, causing injuries he would die from later that day. His wife, Huguette Casse, 65, was not hurt.

    Based largely on eyewitness testimony, both teens were charged with murder and convicted. Smokes, accused of punching Casse, was sentenced to 25 years to life, and Warren, accused of rifling through the victim’s pockets, got 15 years to life.

    “I just went into shock,” Warren recalled when The News first interviewed him. “I might have been in shock for two years, honestly.”

    Eric Smokes, right, and David Warren listen to arguments in court Thursday, January 3, 2019 in Manhattan, New York. Smokes, who along with lifelong buddy David Warren, served more than 20 years in prison for a murder they insist they did not commit and are seeking to have their conviction vacated. (Barry Williams for New York Daily News)
    Eric Smokes, right, and David Warren listen to arguments in court Thursday, January 3, 2019 in Manhattan. (Barry Williams for New York Daily News)

    In 2005, Smokes got a letter in prison from James Walker, the prosecution’s key witness.

    Walker, 16 at the time, was busted for a mugging a day after Casse was killed and told a detective he had done robberies with Smokes and Warren, and that Smokes earlier on Jan. 2 said he’d “caught a body” in Times Square.

    The letter, an apology in which he said he told the police what they wanted in exchange for preferential treatment in his own case, was all Smokes needed to hear.

    “There was only one way to go,” Smokes told The News in 2017. “Getting out and just letting it go, sucking it up — ’25 years is just 25 years’ — that wasn’t an option for me.”

    Eric Smokes testifies in court Thursday, January 3, 2019 in Manhattan, New York. Smokes, who along with lifelong buddy David Warren, served more than 20 years in prison for a murder they insist they did not commit and are seeking to have their conviction vacated. (Barry Williams for New York Daily News)
    Eric Smokes testifies in court Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019 in Manhattan. (Barry Williams for New York Daily News)

    Warren was released from prison in 2009, Smokes in 2011. They found steady work in construction, married the women they were dating and set out to clear their names.

    Their lawyers found two other witnesses who recanted, saying they had been pressured by police and prosecutors to pin the murder on Smokes and Warren.

    “They kept asking me who did it,” Robert Anthony testified in 2018. “I kept telling them I didn’t know. I didn’t do anything. And they said, yeah, well…If they didn’t do it, you did it.”

    After repeatedly saying he saw Casse on the ground but not who attacked him, Anthony testified that after 12 hours of being grilled he finally told cops what they wanted to hear.

    “I was scared,” he explained.

    The other witness, Kevin Burns testified that as he was being questioned for an unrelated robbery on Jan. 2, 1987 he said he was outside the steakhouse the night before and saw Casse confronted by Smokes and Warren.

    When he then tried to take back that statement, explaining he had lied, he said an assistant district attorney told him it was too late, vowed to out him as a snitch if he didn’t stick with his original story and promised he’d get no deal in his own pending case.

    “I lived with this lie,” he said at the 2018 hearing. “Everybody has something in their life they’re ashamed of and wish they had a chance to rectify. This is my chance to rectify this lie that I told 30 years ago.”

    Eric Smokes (l.) and David Warren (r.) are pictures in State Supreme Court on January 14, 2020 in New York. Their convictions were not vacated. (Alec Tabak for New York Daily News)
    David Warren in State Supreme Court on Jan. 14, 2020 in New York. (Alec Tabak for New York Daily News)

    But Judge Stephen Antignani in January 2020 dealt Smokes and Warren a serious blow when he denied their motion to vacate the convictions.

    Antignani said Smokes and Warren had not “established their innocence through clear and convincing evidence” and he agreed with Assistant District Attorney Christine Keenan, who had argued that neither police nor prosecutors involved in the original investigation pressured witnesses.

    Witnesses Anthony and Burns were “not credible,” the judge said in his ruling, and he gave only “limited credence” to Walker’s claims, which he repeated in an affidavit, but was not able to testify to because he died after getting shot in an unrelated incident.

    But as the lawyers for Smokes and Warren, James Henning and Pierre Sussman, prepared to appeal, the DA’s office changed course. The PCJU, formed by District Attorney Alvin Bragg, decided to review the case, sharing information and witness access with defense lawyers.

    PCJU’s Rosenblatt in her letter said “new evidence” had emerged — including photographs “which were misplaced and not found until after” the motion to vacate hearing. Smokes is listed as 5 feet 10 inches tall and 230 pounds — not 6 feet tall and skinny, as witnesses told police at the time.

    There were also leads to other suspects that were not turned over, with Rosenblatt pointing out that there is “no evidence” the DA’s office was aware of this during the vacate hearing.

    Rosenblatt also notes an account from someone who in statements revealed for the first time he said he was “99% confident” he was with Burns the entire night and that neither of them were outside the steakhouse; a contention from a witness who in 1987 placed Smokes and Warren at the crime but now said he made that claim because cops had threatened to charge him if he didn’t; and so-called “scratch notes” that were located in another file that suggest police fed Anthony facts, including Warren’s name and photo, before he identified him as being involved.

    “The People do not take the decision to consent to vacate two homicide convictions lightly, and come to this Court with significant deference to both the jury verdict and the prior litigation,” Rosenblatt said in her letter. “The People are aware of the resources that went into both, and the thoroughness of the Court’s prior decision.

    “However, based on the newly-discovered evidence, the People believe that the only legally correct and just outcome is to move to vacate these convictions.”

    It wasn’t immediately clear if Henning and Sussman would contest whether the evidence found during the review constitutes a Brady violation, which is a failure to turn over to the defense exculpatory evidence and could constitute malfeasance.

    The lawyers said they, Smokes, now 56, and Warren, 53, wouldn’t comment until a decision is made in the case.

    The DA’s office had no comment on the letter.

    A decision in the case is not expected for at least several weeks.

     

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    Rocco Parascandola

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