Providing all evidence as early as possible in a case

In Brooklyn, District Attorney Eric Gonzalez’s office supports open file discovery, which requires prosecutors to make all evidence available to the defense well before trial: “It’s about transparency. . . . [The government] can’t hold on to evidence that either inculpates you or exculpates you until the last moment.” He has also aimed to turn over discovery for most cases as early as arraignment, even though New York law does not require discovery to be turned over to defense counsel until the day of trial.[]For delays in discovery in New York, see Beth Schwartzapfel, “Defendants Kept in the Dark about Evidence, Until It’s Too Late,” New York Times, August 7, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/0.... For Gonzalez’s position on discovery, see Faith in New York Action, “Candidates Guide for Brooklyn District Attorney,” https://perma.cc/75JH-24MJ; and Brooklyn Defender Services, “Memorandum in Support: Comprehensive Discovery Reform,” April 16, 2018, https://perma.cc/5B8E-Y4ZB.