NEW CITY – The Rockland County Legislature unanimously voted to oppose the parole and release of Judith Clark for her involvement in the 1981 Brinks Robbery, during which a security guard and two Nyack cops were killed.
Clark, the getaway driver, was sentenced to 75-years-to-life at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in 1983 and was previously denied parole in 2017. She became eligible for early release in 2016 after Governor Andrew Cuomo officially commuted her original sentence to 35- years -to -life.
The legislature’s decision on Tuesday night came at the end of
a routine session where a number of budgetary items were also voted on.
The Rockland County Animal Shelter was officially funded; the new facility
will replace the Hi Tor shelter and is budgeted for over $1 million in
annual operational expenses.
Funding was also approved for the design and construction of a new Gulf
War Veteran’s memorial, as well as repairs and renovations to Rockland
County Sewer District #1.
The Legislature also discussed the “Jerry Donnellan Theft of Valor Prevention Act” that would penalize anyone who would attempt to pass themselves off as veteran or decorated veteran for finical gain. The proposed law, which is named after a Rockland County veteran and community leader who died recently, would impose financial penalties for anyone who impersonates a veteran with repeat offenders facing possible jail time. One local veteran, a friend of the late Donnellan, voiced his strong support of the proposed legislation saying anyone who impersonates a vet “should be dealt with seriously and accordingly.”
The legislature also discussed proposed legislation that would establish a new comprehensive human rights law in Rockland County. The measure received praise and support from the Rockland County Pride Center, an LGBTQ advocacy group, and the Rockland Collation to end the new Jim Crow, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting racial equality.
