The New York Supreme Court will hold a hearing Monday, April 28, in the national nonprofit Animal Legal Defense Fund’s (ALDF) case against the New York Police Department (NYPD) for refusing to turn over public records regarding the city’s controversial horse-carriage industry.
The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. EST at the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, Room 631.
In December, 2013, ALDF filed a petition asking the court to force the NYPD to share public records as part of a long-term investigation of the horse carriage industry. Beginning October, 2012, ALDF has filed numerous public records requests under New York’s Freedom of Information Law (FOIL)—the NY state equivalent of the federal Freedom of Information Act. Despite clear evidence of ongoing violations, accidents, and injuries, the NYPD claimed for months that it had no records, although the NYPD is obligated to enforce such regulations under the city health code and state anti-cruelty codes.
In February, under threat of litigation, the NYPD finally admitted it does have records but is unwilling to share them—claiming the records are exempt pursuant to New York’s code of criminal procedure § 160.50. At the hearing, Judge Hagler will review the records and determine whether the NYPD has violated the law.
