There might be something in the water at the New York State Court of Appeals*, because it is rare to see a comfortable majority win this sorely.

At 19, Omar Alvarez’s gang shot at a group of younger teenagers, killing one and disabling the other. After a three-month trial and his conviction, Alvarez refused to apologize and laughed at his sentencing. The judge, knowing deep in the cockles of his heart that Alvarez could never be rehabilitated, sentenced him to a minimum of 66.6 years in prison before parole was even available. More on that later.

Alvarez asked New York for a free lawyer for his appeal. But the 18B Panel didn’t send him its best, and it was three years after the appointment before Alvarez got a letter: Continue reading →