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Rhiya Trivedi

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Rhidaya Trivedi, commonly known as Rhiya Trivedi, is a lawyer based in New York City.

Early life

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Trivedi is from Canada.[1] Her parents are South Asian immigrants from an upper-caste Hindu family.[2] As a teenager, Trivedi attended St. Paul's School in New Hampshire, where she led the student environmental group, Eco-Action.[3] She went on to attend Middlebury College, where she continued climate justice work, and, in 2009, participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.[4] She attended New York University School of Law, where she presented an assignment that was judged by Ron Kuby. Kuby was impressed by Trivedi's argument, and offered her a summer internship, which turned into a full law partnership with him when she graduated in 2017.[3] Trivedi gave the convocation address for her graduating class at NYU.[5]

Cases

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In 2017, Trivedi and Kuby represented more than a dozen immigrant rights activists who were arrested while protesting the unconstitutional detention of immigrant rights leader Ravi Ragbir. Trivedi was a member of Ragbir's defense committee. Of the activists arrested, two were members of New York City Council — Jumaane Williams and Ydanis Rodriguez. Williams would take his case to trial, and was convicted of one charge and acquitted of two others.

In 2018, Trivedi and Kuby represented Prakash Churaman, who was arrested for felony murder when he was 15, pro bono.[2] Trivedi argued Churaman was coerced into confessing to a crime he didn't commit.[6] In 2022, Churaman was cleared of all charges and began pursuing a 25 million dollar lawsuit against the NYPD.[7] Trivedi also defended activist, Ravi Ragbir, when he was detained by ICE in 2018 and threatened with deportation.[8][9] She defended activist, Patricia Okoumou, in a high-profile case against the immigration activist for climbing the statue of liberty in 2018, stating, "There are times when justice demands that we transcend the law".[10][11]

In 2019, Trivedi and Kuby represented Sundhe Moses, a client that was abused and coerced into falsely confessing to a drive-by shooting by Louis Scarcella. Trivedi and Kuby helped Moses clear his criminal record.[12][13]

In 2020, Trivedi and Kuby defended a homeless man, Joseph Matos, who stabbed a student in self-defense when he kicked the cardboard structure Matos was sleeping and living in.[14]

In 2021, Trivedi defended environmental lawyer, Steven Donziger, against Chevron Corporation.[15][16]

In 2022, Trivedi and Kuby began representing Chanel Lewis, a client convicted of the murder of Karina Vetrano. Trivedi argued that Lewis was wrongfully convicted due to invalid evidence and racial bias.[17]

In 2023, Trivedi and Kuby represented Kareem Mayo, a client who spent 20 years in prison for a murder he says he didn't commit. The conviction against Mayo was vacated by Judge Dena Douglas on January 23, 2023.[18] Trivedi and Kuby also represented Daniel Gill in a 2023 lawsuit against Rudy Giuliani for “for false arrest, civil rights conspiracy resulting in false arrest and false imprisonment, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress”.[19]

Philosophy

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Trivedi identifies as a prison abolitionist.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Government at the Back of the Pack in Climate Talks, say Canadian Youth Delegation". Cision. 2009. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  2. ^ a b c Bahadur, Gaiutra (2022-03-18). "The Prakash Churaman Story: Fighting for His Freedom". The Margins. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  3. ^ a b Brown, Jana F. (2019-03-05). "Feature: Advancing the Cause". St. Paul's School Alumni Horae. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  4. ^ "From Copenhagen: Students, alums helping shape climate discussion". Middlebury News and Announcements. 2009-12-15. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  5. ^ Rhiya Trivedi '17 - NYU Law Convocation Address, 21 October 2017, archived from the original on 2023-06-16, retrieved 2023-06-16
  6. ^ Carrega, Christina (2018-10-31). "After Growing Up On Rikers Island Teen Heads to Trial". Queens Daily Eagle. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  7. ^ DeGregory, Priscilla; Marino, Joe (2022-06-08). "Prakash Churaman, cleared in 2014 murder case, to sue NYC". New York Post. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  8. ^ "NYC: Hundreds Rally in Support of Ravi Ragbir & Jean Montrevil". Democracy Now!. 2018. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  9. ^ Jackson, Sarah (2018-02-20). "Activist Ravi Ragbir Granted Stay of Deportation Files First Amendment Lawsuit". Washington Square News. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  10. ^ Jao, Charline (2018-07-06). "The Statue of Liberty Protestor Isn't Done Fighting". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  11. ^ Graham, Adam (2019-03-20). "'Lady Liberty' Patricia Okoumou Will Not Go to Prison for July 4th Protest". America's Black Holocaust Museum. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  12. ^ Carrega, Christina (2019). "Inside a wrongfully convicted man's 24-year quest to clear his name". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  13. ^ King, Shaun (2019). "Falsely Convicted NY Man Exonerated After Prosecutors Drop 18-year-old Charge". The North Star. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  14. ^ Stewart, Nikita; Ransom, Jan (2020-01-15). "He Says He Stabbed a Student to Defend His Home. His Home Is a Box". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  15. ^ Loudis, Jessica (2021). "Chevron Put an Environmental Lawyer in Jail". AJ+. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  16. ^ Scharf, Rachel (2021). "Donziger Prosecutor's Final Pitch: Guilty 'Beyond Dispute' - Law360". Law360. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  17. ^ Barshad, Amos (2022-11-28). "When the NYPD Gets Desperate". The Nation. ISSN 0027-8378. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  18. ^ "Brooklyn Judge Vacates Two 1999 Murder Convictions". New York Law Journal. 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  19. ^ Bekiempis, Victoria (2023-05-17). "Man sues Giuliani over false arrest after 'pat' on back led to assault charge". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
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