First Defense Legal Aid

When you feel police violated your rights & you want to sue. New, free legal aid for victims of police abuse. Call anytime to get started. 1(800)LawRep4 / 1(800)529-7374 #KnowYourRights #EnforceYourRights

FDLA is hiring! Details here: first-defense.org/s/Civil-Rights…

FDLA attorneys Emma Melton and Daniel Massoglia are quoted in this story about what to (maybe) expect from police at the DNC

Touhy Park, Northwest Corner Wednesday, August 14, 6pm The Chicago Park District acts to criminalize unhoused neighbors for the use of public space. Join fellow Touhy Park neighbors, Food not Bombs + @FDLAChicago for a conversation about our legal rights and political defense.

What happens if the police do not allow you your phone calls or access to an attorney, violating the #ConsentDecree? Report the violation. Your responses will be confidential and your name will not be shared. bit.ly/access-attorney

[3] What happens if the police do not allow you your phone calls or access to an attorney? Report the violation: bit.ly/access-attorney We're monitoring violations with @MacArthrJustice & the Civil Rights & Police Accountability Project at @UChicagoLaw.

[2] Need a free attorney? 📞Call the Law Office of the @CookCoDefender at (844) 817-4448 cookcountypublicdefender.org

🗣️KNOW YOUR RIGHTS UNDER ARREST - a thread 🧵 [1] If the Chicago Police arrest you, stay silent and ask for a phone. You are entitled to 3 phone calls to anyone within 3 hours of being arrested AND access to an attorney.

We were one of the plaintiffs that "won a first-of-its-kind consent decree in the case in 2022 requiring that people receive access to lawyers and phone calls soon after being brought into custody." But the issue is far from solved:

“In addition to holding CPD accountable, we need to empower each other to enforce our right to phone calls and attorneys when arrested.”⁣ /end 🧵

"With the DNC fast approaching, there will likely be increased opportunities for law enforcement to violate the rights of people arrested,” said Emma Melton, Community and Civil Rights Attorney at FDLA. [1/2] 🧵

🧵Almost no one in Chicago Police custody is consulting with a lawyer & more than 50% of people are not making a phone call within three hours of arrest, according to a new expert report in our civil rights lawsuit challenging “incommunicado detention."⁣ first-defense.org/advocacy/new-r…

Get trained up to help NLG Chicago visit protesters in custody this summer! Learn how to defend protestors and any other arrestees by representing them at Chicago police stations with our friends at @FDLAChicago. Register here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI…