Outside Lawyer Files Motion for New Murder Trial for Drew Peterson; Lead Counsel Calls It ‘Insanity’

Updated: In the latest bizarre twist in a high-profile murder conviction against a former suburban Chicago police officer for the death of his third wife, a lawyer not previously involved in the case has filed a motion seeking a new trial for Drew Peterson. Attorney John Paul Carroll said in…

Oct 10, 2012 3:59 PM CDT

Prison Break: Budget Crises Drive Reform, But Private Jails Press On

Oct 1, 2012 9:50 AM CDT

Anti-Islamic Filmmaker Jailed on Probation Violation

The California man behind the anti-Islamic video “Innocence of Muslims” has been jailed on alleged probation violations. The Los Angeles Times reports that Nakoula Basseley Nakoula faces up to three years in prison, but that probation officials have recommended a 24-month detention. Nakoula, whose film’s trailer on YouTube is blamed…

Sep 28, 2012 12:18 PM CDT

Federal Warrantless Surveillance Has Increased 60% Since 2009, Says ACLU

Federal warrantless surveillance using “pen register” and “trap and trace” technology increased by 60 percent between 2009 and 2011, according to a post published today on the American Civil Liberties Union’s Free Future blog. Using Justice Department documents that the ACLU sued to obtain, the organization focused on federal law…

Sep 27, 2012 8:30 PM CDT

Florida Considers Safe Houses for Child Trafficking Victims

Responding to growing concerns nationally about human trafficking, Florida social services officials have outlined plans to create a network of “safe houses” and treatment facilities for underage sex workers and other minors held against their will. “We have to have a different treatment program for these kids,” Department of Children…

Sep 27, 2012 11:00 AM CDT

Chemist’s Credibility Questioned, Doubt Cast Over Thousands of Criminal Cases

More questions are being raised over the credibility of a chemist whose alleged conduct has already cast doubt over thousands of criminal cases that passed through the Massachusetts drug lab during her nine-year tenure. The Associated Press reports that Annie Dookhan testified in a 2010 case that she obtained a…

Sep 26, 2012 11:30 AM CDT

Innocence Group Uncovers Perjured Testimony, Wins Ex-Gang Member’s Release After 19 Years

Former gang member John Edward Smith had been in jail more than 15 years before a fledgling wrongful convictions group got wind of his story and checked it out. Three years later, Smith, now 37, is a free man. Smith has always maintained his innocence, but was convicted of murder…

Sep 25, 2012 5:04 PM CDT

Author Describes Clash of Titans Jefferson and Marshall in ‘The Treason Trial of Aaron Burr’

Marbury v. Madison may have been their first major legal battle, but President Thomas Jefferson and Chief Justice John Marshall clashed again in the treason trial of former Vice President Aaron Burr. Professor R. Kent Newmyer reveals these events in his new book, "The Treason Trial of Aaron Burr: Law, Politics, and the Character Wars of the New Nation," and joined the Modern Law Library podcast to discuss them with ABA Journal Web producer Lee Rawles.

Sep 24, 2012 1:56 PM CDT

Court Closings Announced; Illinois US District Courts Weigh Weekly Shutdowns

Updated: In a drastic measure to deal with severe funding deficits, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois may shut down every Wednesday beginning in January 2013. The proposal by Chief Judge James F. Holderman comes as lawmakers struggle to reach an agreement for reduced federal spending,…

Sep 11, 2012 5:18 PM CDT

Army Judge Orders Forced Shave for Ft. Hood Massacre Suspect; Appeal Likely to Delay Military Trial

Setting the stage for further appellate review of whether the defendant accused in the Ft. Hood shooting massacre can continue to wear at a military trial, in violation of Army regulations, the beard he claims to have grown for religious reasons, a military judge Thursday ordered that Major Nidal Hasan…

Sep 7, 2012 5:17 PM CDT

Documentary Filmmaker Errol Morris Writes About Jeffrey MacDonald Case After His Movie Is Rejected

Documentary filmmaker Errol Morris helped free a convicted murderer after his film, The Thin Blue Line, suggested there had been a miscarriage of justice. Now Morris has turned his attention to Jeffrey MacDonald, the Army doctor convicted of killing his family in 1970 despite his assertion that the perpetrators were…

Sep 4, 2012 6:33 PM CDT

Letters of the Law: National Security Letters Help the FBI Stamp Out Terrorism But Some Disapprove

Sep 1, 2012 10:20 AM CDT

Hip-Hop at Law: Course Samples Hip-Hop’s Bottom-Up Critique of the Law

Sep 1, 2012 9:40 AM CDT

Keeping Watch: NYC’s Stop-and-Frisk Policing Inspires New Video App

Sep 1, 2012 9:30 AM CDT

Behind Bars: Elderly Prison Population Expected to Triple by 2030

Sep 1, 2012 9:10 AM CDT