Ellis served a 40 year sentence for a double murder and motioned for compassionate release based on her increased risk of severe illness if she were to contract COVID-19 due to her hypertension, diabetes, and schizophrenia. The government had not challenged that Ellis exhausted all administrative rights. The court denied compassionate release motion on two main grounds: first, Ellis' pre-existing conditions were "not the kind of life-threatening impairments that militate towards release" and second, "the nature and circumstances of the offense" was "among the most heinous conduct seen". The court added that "[d]efendant has offered no evidence that her character [had] changed or that the public can be protected from her, except a naked promise" which the court concluded is "not nearly good enough."
United States v. Ellis, No. 96-CR-100 (BMC), 2020 WL 5802312 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 29, 2020)
DETAILS
Decision
Date
09/27/2020
Practice Area
Criminal (Federal Charges)
Relief Requested
Release
Type of Court
Federal District Court
Location
New York
Type of Case
Individual
Case Characteristics
Post-Conviction Detention [jail or prison], Pre-Existing Health Conditions, Significant Criminal History
Release Granted
No
Compassionate Release Case
Yes
Case Tracking Number
1:96-cr-00100-BMC
MORE CASE INFORMATION
Court Name
E.D.N.Y.
Decision
Motion Denied
Place of Incarceration
Federal Prison
Name of Facility
FCI Danbury
Legal Authority
First Step Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)
Convictions
murder, conspiracy to commit murder to prevent communication of a federal
offense, and bank fraud
Crowdsourced legal documents from around the country related to COVID-19 and incarceration, organized, collected, and summarized for public defenders, litigators, and other advocates. Created and managed by Bronx Defenders, Columbia Law School’s Center for Institutional and Social Change, UCLA Law COVID-19 Behind Bars Data Project, and Zealous. Mostly federal court opinions, but now expanding to states and legal filings, declarations, and exhibits.
This resource is designed to help lawyers, advocates, researchers, journalists, and others interested in challenging, remedying, or drawing attention to the grave risk that Covid-19 poses to individuals who are detained.