NJ Prosecutor Seeks Court Permission to Conduct State’s First Juror Background Checks

Citing a growing concern about potential jurors who conceal criminal convictions in order to qualify to serve on a panel, a New Jersey prosecutor is seeking court permission to perform criminal background checks on those in Essex County. Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray is scheduled to argue a motion…

Jan 13, 2012 9:15 PM CST

Judge OKs Jury’s $1.3M Retaliation Award to DA’s Office Investigator

A Santa Barbara judge brought in to oversee a California retaliation case against the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office after local judges recused themselves has OK’d a $1.3 million jury award to a former investigator. However, an attorney for the county and the DA’s office said they intend to appeal…

Jan 13, 2012 8:34 PM CST

Federal Judge Delays Racketeering Trial of NJ Lawyer, Says Prosecutors Mischaracterized Court

A federal judge in Newark today postponed a racketeering trial scheduled to start next week for a high-profile New Jersey defense attorney accused of orchestrating a variety of criminal enterprises, including a cocaine operation, in connection with his law practice. Prompting the decision by U.S. District Judge William J. Martini…

Jan 13, 2012 1:19 AM CST

Former Colo. DA Is Disbarred Over Criminal Convictions Related to Harassment

A former Colorado district attorney accused of sexually harassing women in his office initially denied that he had done anything wrong. But Myrl Serra was disbarred last month by the state supreme court after pleading guilty and being convicted of various criminal charges, says a summary of the opinion (PDF)…

Jan 12, 2012 10:48 PM CST

Once a Top Prosecutor and Colo. Defense Attorney, Ex-Lawyer Awaits Arraignment in Federal Fraud Case

Once a highly regarded federal prosecutor and Colorado defense attorney, Robert McAllister is now charged in a 29-count fraud and money-laundering case. He agreed to give up his law license last year, after he twice took client funds for his own personal use, reports the Denver Post. News that McAllister,…

Jan 12, 2012 8:16 PM CST

Supreme Court Tosses Murder Conviction for Brady Violation by New Orleans DA

The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned a murder conviction obtained by New Orleans prosecutors because the defense didn’t receive important exculpatory evidence before the trial. The court ruled 8-1 on behalf of Juan Smith, convicted of five murders on the strength of testimony by a single witness who identified Smith…

Jan 10, 2012 3:41 PM CST

Polish Prosecutor Shoots Himself After Abruptly Ending a News Conference

A Polish military prosecutor is likely to recover after he abruptly ended a news conference today and then shot himself in the head minutes later while alone in his office. Reporters who heard the gunshot found Mikolaj Przybyl lying in a pool of blood, Reuters and the Associated Press report.…

Jan 9, 2012 3:01 PM CST

Judge Grants Request to Bar Prosecutor ‘Jaw-Jacking’ Outside Chambers

A makeshift sign posted outside the chambers of an Indiana judge consists of the word “jaw-jacking” covered by a circle with a line through it. The warning was posted outside the chambers of Judge Thomas Stefaniak Jr. of Lake County after he granted a defense lawyer’s request to bar prosecutors…

Jan 9, 2012 12:00 PM CST

Prosecutors Seek Court Order For Suspect to Turn Over Computer Password

Federal prosecutors have asked a Denver court to order a bank-fraud suspect to hand over her computer password so that they may search her files for evidence against her. The move is extremely rare, the Denver Post reports, as civil-liberties groups say U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn’s decision could test…

Jan 4, 2012 8:03 PM CST

FBI Determines Suspicious White Powder Sent to Florida State Attorney’s Office Not Hazardous

Updated: Three workers in a Florida prosecution office were hospitalized after being exposed to a suspicious powder in the mail room. A fire department rescue worker was also taken to the hospital with cardiac symptoms. The workers were exposed to powder contained in a letter in the mail room of…

Jan 3, 2012 5:07 PM CST

Journalism & Justice: Did Innocence Project Student Reporters Get Too Close to Lawyers?

Jan 1, 2012 11:10 AM CST

Defense Counsel Asks Judge to Order US Attorney to Remove Press Release from Website

Defense counsel for an Alabama pharmacy owner facing criminal charges for allegedly violating Medicaid rules have taken the unusual tack of asking a federal judge in Mobile to order the U.S. Attorney’s office to take down an online press release. In the Internet age, such publicity threatens Chris Vernon’s right…

Dec 22, 2011 9:33 PM CST

Despite Widespread Wrongdoing, Fed’l Prosecution of Institutions Involved in Mortgage Mess is Rare

Despite widespread evidence of fraud and other wrongdoing, federal prosecutions related to the reckless mortgage lending that nearly brought down the nation’s banking system in recent years are few and far between. From the “robosigning” of thousands of mortgage foreclosure documents by individuals who apparently didn’t have authority to do…

Dec 22, 2011 8:35 PM CST

Ruling Leaves Prosecutors with No Evidence to Prosecute Lawyer Accused of Killing Law Partner

A Kansas City lawyer accused of killing his law partner has obtained a favorable appeals ruling that leaves prosecutors without any evidence to prosecute him. The Missouri Court of Appeals for the Western District has refused to issue a writ of prohibition blocking a trial judge who tossed all of…

Dec 22, 2011 2:53 PM CST

Dateline and Experts Question Murder Conviction of Dad, Despite DNA Match with Ex-Con

Corrected: South Carolina prosecutor Kevin Brackett says he has no doubts about the murder convictions he obtained in 2004 against a South Carolina dad and a convicted ex-con. Police initially charged the father, Billy Wayne Cope, with the murder of his 12-year-old daughter and didn’t drop charges when DNA pointed…

Dec 21, 2011 5:02 PM CST