Criminal Procedure

Judge faces obstruction of justice charges; ICE says she helped immigrant evade courthouse arrest

A Newton District Court judge and a state court officer are facing criminal charges for allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the courthouse in April 2018.

Apr 25, 2019 3:35 PM CDT

Can true-crime documentaries do more harm than good?

When done correctly, the true-crime genre produces digital page-turners, cliffhangers and whodunnits allowing viewers to play detective. While the best ones of the breed are engaging, informative and entertaining, it's the entertainment aspect that ultimately worries me.

Apr 25, 2019 2:45 PM CDT

Why tech tools can have promise and peril for policing

Like everyone else, police are inundated with new gadgets and technologies promised to make their jobs easier. But do they? In his new book, Thin Blue Lie, investigative journalist Matt Stroud digs deeps into the background of various police technologies' promises and perils.

Apr 24, 2019 8:54 AM CDT

ACLU challenges attorney over sexual relationships, time out of practice

The American Civil Liberties Union is trying to remove an attorney from a death penalty case in Kern County in California, arguing that his sexual relationships with a client’s daughters and lengthy leave of absence from the law could be detrimental to the client. Lawyer Gary Turnbull was appointed to…

Apr 23, 2019 9:25 AM CDT

Utah bar investigation into polygamy could raise other legal challenges

The Utah State Bar is investigating complaints that seven lawyers are violating rules of conduct by being involved in polygamous relationships, a felony punishable by five to 15 years in prison.

Apr 22, 2019 9:19 AM CDT

Alleged phony lawyer arrested for creating fake website with Cravath bios

A Tennessee man was charged Tuesday for allegedly creating a fake website for a six-lawyer New York City law firm, so he could dupe people into paying him for legal services. John Lambert, 23, was arrested Tuesday and charged with wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy, according to a press…

Apr 18, 2019 3:56 PM CDT

Lawyer held in contempt for spending $390K in frozen funds spends 2 weekends per month in jail

A lawyer in Jackson, Mississippi, continues to spend two weekends per month in jail for contempt of court after he failed to persuade a judge to switch him to home confinement. Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III denied the motion by lawyer Eduardo Flechas in February, the Mississippi…

Apr 18, 2019 7:00 AM CDT

Lawyer says she’s entitled to crime victim protections for alleged secret police recording at her office

A Florida lawyer says she is a crime victim entitled to information regarding a police investigation into two detectives she accused of making a secret audio recording at her law office. Criminal defense lawyer Varinia Van Ness says she is entitled to information about the investigation and to internal affairs…

Apr 17, 2019 12:12 PM CDT

DC Circuit says Guantanamo judge created ‘intolerable cloud of partiality’ and tosses his rulings

On Tuesday, a federal appeals court tossed every pretrial ruling issued in the last 3½ years by a Guantanamo judge in the case of an accused terrorist.

Apr 17, 2019 9:04 AM CDT

Juvenile lifer, now 72, won landmark Supreme Court case but remains behind bars

A 72-year-old Louisiana inmate who was 17 when he killed a sheriff’s deputy must remain in prison, despite his U.S. Supreme Court victory in January 2016. Parole was denied for Henry Montgomery on April 11, report the Advocate, the Associated Press and Mother Jones. Parole is not granted absent a…

Apr 17, 2019 7:00 AM CDT

Cops listed occupations like ‘scum bag,’ ‘dork’ on gang arrest cards; report calls for overhaul

Arrest cards for suspected gang members in Chicago listed occupations such as “scum bag,” “bum,” “criminal,” “dork,” “looser” and “turd,” according to an April 11 report by the city’s inspector general. The employment entries by Chicago officers show how the police department’s gang information systems can be used “to demean…

Apr 16, 2019 7:30 AM CDT

Trump administration seeks to expand criminal background checks for federal job seekers

The Trump administration has proposed a rule that would require federal job applicants to divulge whether they’ve been through criminal diversion programs meant to avoid conviction.

Apr 16, 2019 6:30 AM CDT

Judge arrested for alleged courthouse sex assault; women adopted buddy-system safety plan

A judge in Washington was arrested at the courthouse Wednesday and charged with second-degree rape for the alleged sexual assault of a courthouse employee. Judge Scott Gallina of Asotin County was also charged with fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation and indecent liberties, according to a press release by Washington’s attorney…

Apr 12, 2019 1:22 PM CDT

DC Circuit bars release of grand jury materials to author; are there implications for Mueller report?

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled Friday that judges don’t have inherent authority to order the release of grand jury information that is protected by secrecy rules.

Apr 8, 2019 11:23 AM CDT

‘Blindfold’ off: New York state overhauls discovery laws

Prosecutors will be required to turn over information to the defense much earlier in a criminal case, among other changes.

Apr 3, 2019 7:00 AM CDT