Judge’s Ruling Leads to Changes in NY DWI Wall of Shame

Only those convicted of drunk driving in Nassau County will now appear on the website.

County Executive Tom Suozzi created an internet Wall of Shame last Memorial Day that listed the names and featured photographs of motorists arrested for driving while intoxicated in Nassau County, New York. A state Supreme Court judge has ruled that announcing a New York DWI arrest before the suspect has the opportunity to present a defense in court is a violation of due process.

Suozzi insists he has the right to distribute the information but will alter the site to include only those convicted of drunk driving in New York. DWI defense attorneys have decried the website postings saying that they punish drivers beyond what state statutes allow. Earlier in the year Suozzi was forced to purge the site because it included underage drivers arrested for suspicion of drinking and driving, which was a violation of state law.

Since its inauguration last Memorial Day weekend, approximately 1400 drivers accused of drunk driving in Nassau County have appeared on the site.

The judge’s ruling only directly affects those involved with a lawsuit, though Suozzi anticipates the ruling will lead to more suits being filed. Suozzi plans to appeal the decision, and in the interim the site will only feature those who have been convicted of NY DWI after a trial or have entered a guilty plea.

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