Sentencing/Post Conviction

Former death row inmate thanks God and his lawyers for his release after 30-plus years in prison

A former death row inmate in Florida told reporters Thursday that he thanked God and his legal team for his release from prison.

Apr 9, 2021 12:43 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Judge’s husband heads to prison; Stephen Miller’s new legal group to sue over Biden policies

Husband of appeals judge goes to prison Suspended lawyer Charles McCullough, the husband of a Pennsylvania appeals judge, reported to prison Tuesday after he was convicted of stealing $50,000 from an elderly widow. McCullough is married to Patricia McCullough, who is running for a seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.…

Apr 8, 2021 4:45 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: DA wants to vacate 90 drug convictions; BigLaw firm targeted by law student climate group

90 convictions could be vacated after detective is charged Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez in New York says his office has lost confidence in 27 felony and 63 misdemeanor convictions in which an essential witness was a detective who’s now facing perjury charges. Gonzalez’s Conviction Review Unit is asking a…

Apr 7, 2021 4:35 PM CDT

A conversation with attorney George Critchlow on his new book, ‘The Lifer and the Lawyer’

In his new book, The Lifer and the Lawyer, co-authored by Michael Anderson, an African American man who was charged with committing 22 offenses—including kidnapping, assault and robbery—during a violent crime spree, lawyer George Critchlow recounts his defense of Anderson and how their relationship evolved from attorney-client to a lasting friendship.

Apr 6, 2021 10:04 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Final 4 justices named in SCOTUSblog brackets; law firms open Northern California offices

SCOTUSblog releases final 4 justices SCOTUSblog readers have narrowed down the list of justices in the running for the greatest U.S. Supreme Court justice of all time. The March Madness-style tournament began with a “Supreme 16” and has been culled to these justices: John Marshall vs. Antonin Scalia and Earl…

Apr 5, 2021 2:54 PM CDT

‘Professional exonerators’ contributed to more than 60% of last year’s exonerations

Conviction integrity units and innocence organizations are contributing to an increasing number of exonerations over time, according to the National Registry of Exonerations.

Apr 1, 2021 9:00 AM CDT

Professor’s justice project aims to humanize those behind bars

“In September 2014, I started teaching at a maximum-security prison in Maryland because I wanted to provide an educational opportunity to a group of human beings who have largely been forgotten by society. I knew the research showing prison education dramatically improves people’s behavior and life chances, but I wanted to see and feel that human transformation myself. Teaching my own class provided an ideal opportunity to create a productive educational environment in a classroom setting with minimal staff supervision.”

Apr 1, 2021 2:10 AM CDT

Amy Breihan has dedicated her career to helping juvenile lifers seek parole

It’s been nearly nine years since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Miller v. Alabama that mandatory life without parole for juveniles violates the Eighth Amendment. It’s been five years since it held in Montgomery v. Louisiana that its 2012 decision was retroactive. In that time, Amy Breihan has helped seek second chances for prisoners in Missouri who were younger than age 18 when they were sentenced to life behind bars.

Mar 30, 2021 8:56 AM CDT