Following appointment as defense counsel pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act by the Hon. Jesse Furman in the Southern District of New York, Kramer Levin successfully secured the compassionate release of pro bono client Ivars Ozols, who was incarcerated at a federal correctional institution in Jesup, Georgia (FSL Jesup). In our motion, we argued that decreasing the inmate population in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, where consistent with public safety, is an “extraordinary and compelling” reason justifying release, particularly where the defendant (like Mr. Ozols) has served most of his sentence, worked hard to rehabilitate himself while incarcerated, and the objectives of sentencing have been achieved. On June 2, Judge Furman ruled that Mr. Ozols should be released immediately, substantially for the reasons set forth in our brief. The Kramer Levin team representing Mr. Ozols includes Litigation partner Darren LaVerne, and associates Nolan Robinson, Samantha Alman and Rupita Chakraborty.

Read the brief and opinion.

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