Lawyer indicted after he’s accused of trying to strangle magistrate girlfriend

A Houston-area attorney was indicted by a grand jury Wednesday after being accused of trying to strangle his girlfriend—a county magistrate—last summer.

Jan 10, 2020 2:25 PM CST

Some leaders in this state want to reform bail reform

Some political leaders in New York are calling for changes to a new law that bars cash bail requirements for many nonviolent criminal defendants.

Jan 10, 2020 10:27 AM CST

New study finds black people are staying longer in state prisons, even as they face fewer arrests

The racial disparity between black and white people sent to state prisons is declining, and it has been for some time. But criminal justice researchers say people of all races still aren’t treated equally when it comes to one important measure: time serve

Jan 10, 2020 7:00 AM CST

‘Bluff City Law’ takes on the ‘American epidemic’ of opioid abuse

One of my best friends growing up in Western Oklahoma recently accomplished his first full year of sobriety. We had kept in sporadic contact over the last decade or two, and every time we spoke, it was like nothing had changed. That is, until something did. I knew he was…

Jan 2, 2020 5:00 PM CST

‘Watchmen’ shows just how far policing police could go

“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” Although the Latin used by Juvenal in his ancient Roman Satires literally translates to “Who will guard the guards themselves?” comic book author Alan Moore transported the phrase to the dystopian future of his landmark twelve-issue comic book limited series Watchmen, which ran from 1986-1987. In…

Dec 19, 2019 3:25 PM CST

First Amendment defense claims could threaten ‘revenge pornography’ statutes

Dec 19, 2019 6:30 AM CST

Judge’s clerk performs behind-the-back cellphone dial to test plaintiff’s claim

Was it possible for a suspect handcuffed with his hands behind him in a patrol car to reach his cellphone and make a call to his aunt? That’s one of the facts in dispute in the case of Omar Alston, who contends that he made the call shortly before a sheriff’s deputy pulled him out of a police vehicle in June 2011 and exposed Alston’s genitals during a search.

Dec 16, 2019 4:01 PM CST

SCOTUS accepts pro se appeal that could upend hundreds of convictions

The U.S. Supreme Court accepted Friday a pro se cert petition to once again consider whether a large part of eastern central Oklahoma is an American Indian reservation, which could call into question hundreds of state convictions.

Dec 16, 2019 10:33 AM CST

Finding your niche: How one lawyer built a practice by defending a notorious accused hacker

Tor Ekeland’s advice to others looking to hang their shingle? Stay hungry and don’t shy away from imperfect—or even unpaid—opportunities. “The opportunities and taking the risks in one area put you in contact with a whole host of people,” he says.

Dec 12, 2019 11:38 AM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Law student expelled after posting flyers; Harvey Weinstein reportedly reaches $25M deal

Suspended law student is expelled after posting ‘okay to be white’ flyers A suspended law student at Oklahoma City University was expelled after he posted flyers reading “It’s okay to be white.” The student violated the terms of his suspension, which barred him from being on school property, according to…

Dec 11, 2019 3:21 PM CST

The curious case of A$AP Rocky

Five months after his release from detention in a Swedish jail, A$AP Rocky returned to Stockholm to perform Wednesday. It’s a surprise comeback for the rapper, who was jailed for nearly 30 days this summer after his arrest on suspicion of assault. The case made international headlines and trained an unprecedented level of scrutiny on the criminal justice system of a country normally lauded for its progressive ideals.

Dec 11, 2019 9:50 AM CST

Meet Paul Skalnik, one of the most prolific jailhouse informants in American history

Paul Skalnik learned about the benefits of being a jailhouse informant when he was in the Harris County Jail in Texas in 1978 for passing bad checks.

Dec 6, 2019 12:15 PM CST

Man who claimed to have Epstein sex tapes duped David Boies; what are the ethical implications?

Famous lawyer David Boies was duped by a man who claimed to be a hacker with sex tapes implicating several powerful and rich men in the sexual abuse scandal involving multimillionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Dec 3, 2019 10:34 AM CST

Defendant doesn’t automatically get new trial because judge nodded off, top state court rules

A man convicted of assault and weapons charges isn’t automatically entitled to a new trial just because the judge nodded off during a portion of testimony, the Kansas Supreme Court has ruled.

Dec 2, 2019 12:51 PM CST

Random investigative questions by cops during traffic stops are unconstitutional, state supreme court rules

Police officers who pull over drivers in Oregon can’t ask investigative questions that are unrelated to the purpose of the stop unless they have independent justification for doing so, the Oregon Supreme Court has ruled.

Nov 26, 2019 3:12 PM CST