Albert Samaha
Albert Samaha is the criminal justice reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in New York.
Contact this reporter at albert.samaha@buzzfeed.com
A Visa Program That Protected Domestic Violence Victims Is Now Putting Them At Risk Of Deportation
Sexual assault, domestic violence, and human trafficking victims are at higher risk of deportation under new policies affecting the U visa program.
Albert Samaha
• One month ago
For A Woman Who Accused A Lawyer Of Groping Her, There’s No #MeToo
“It’s robbed me of years of my life. It’s given me zero trust in the system. This is probably why women don’t come forward.”
Albert Samaha
• One month ago
Can Football Keep Young Boys Off Of Brooklyn’s Toughest Streets?
Sometimes being a good kid isn’t enough.
Albert Samaha
• 3 months ago
New York’s Governor Has Suspended An Investigation Into The Handling Of A 2015 Weinstein Case
Andrew Cuomo’s campaign received $25,000 from Harvey Weinstein’s former lawyer days before Cuomo suspended an investigation into the Manhattan DA’s handling of allegations against the movie mogul.
Albert Samaha
• 3 months ago
Campus Cops Are One Answer To School Shootings, But There’s No Proof They Work
Dozens of school resource officers have been accused of crimes involving the students they were hired to protect. Joshua Spratt was one of them.
Albert Samaha
• 3 months ago
Sex Between Federal Agents And Detainees Would Be Banned Under Proposed Law
The proposal, which lawmakers drafted following a BuzzFeed News story on the subject, also seeks to increase funding for states that adopt similar laws.
Albert Samaha
• 4 months ago
Why Fatal Police Shootings Rarely Lead To Convictions
After fatal shootings, police officers may lose their jobs, but they rarely get prison time. This cop walked away with a settlement.
Albert Samaha
• 5 months ago
A Doctor Admitted To Sexually Abusing Patients And Then Walked Free
Prosecutors told Robert A. Hadden’s patients his guilty plea was a win for victims, but the #MeToo movement has some questioning the Manhattan district attorney’s motives.
Albert Samaha
• 6 months ago
A San Antonio City Official Has Vowed To Close The Gender Gap In The Police Department
As the San Antonio city manager defends the police chief following a BuzzFeed News story exposing misogyny on the force, another former officer describes harassment she faced.
Albert Samaha
• 7 months ago
This Police Force Is Considered Progressive, But Women And Disciplinary Reports Tell A Different Story
Men defacing the women’s bathroom, threatening to post nude pictures of female cops, and dating teenage girls: The San Antonio Police Department has been praised for reforms, but female cops told BuzzFeed News the gender gap remains.
Albert Samaha
• 7 months ago
Maryland Is the Latest State To Pass A Bill Banning Cops From Having Sex With People In Custody
Unlike the bill passed in New York last month, it doesn't automatically deem all sex in custody as rape.
Albert Samaha
• 8 months ago
I Followed My Uncle’s Legend To Italy, And Found A New Way Forward
My great-uncle Tomas Concepcion was a legend in our family — a famed artist and politician living in a hilltop castle on the Mediterranean. When I was 20 I visited him in Italy, looking to understand how he got there, why he stayed, and what it means to be an immigrant who leaves home with hopes of building something permanent.
Albert Samaha
• 8 months ago
New York Just Passed A Bill Banning Cops From Having Sex With People In Custody
State lawmakers acted following a BuzzFeed story that showed how existing law lets cops accused of raping detainees fight charges by claiming the sex was consensual.
Albert Samaha
• 8 months ago
These Good Guys With Guns Accidentally Shot Their Friends And Family Members
Good guys with guns don’t only shoot bad guys. At least 47 times since 2015, a person has shot a friend, family member, or emergency responder they mistook for an intruder in their home.
Albert Samaha
• 8 months ago
When She Pursued A Rape Charge, The Cop On The Case Pursued Her
The Florida woman felt she had to have sex with Detective Michel Toro to ensure he worked on her case. Investigators agreed and said he'd violated state law, but Toro was never charged.
Albert Samaha
• 9 months ago
An 18-Year-Old Said She Was Raped While In Police Custody. The Officers Say She Consented.
When Anna said she was raped by two on-duty cops, she thought it would be a simple case. She had no idea she lived in one of 35 states where officers can claim a detainee consented.
Albert Samaha
• 10 months ago
Can A School Ban Its Students From Kneeling During The National Anthem?
With the Super Bowl days away, one high school quarterback is taking a stand for free speech.
Albert Samaha
• 10 months ago
Here's How A Cop With A Tattoo That Resembles A Nazi Symbol Kept His Job
An internal affairs memo obtained by BuzzFeed News offers insight into how Philadelphia cop Ian Lichterman was cleared of wrongdoing, even though his name appeared on a white racist group's database.
Albert Samaha
• One year ago