Why Is New York Still Paying Eric Garner’s Killer Six Figures?
Daniel Pantaleo remains with the NYPD four years after Garner's death.
Raven Rakia Aug 17, 2018
Justice in America Episode 4: A Conversation With John Legend
Josie and Clint talk with the artist about criminal justice reform and his #FREEAMERICA campaign.
A New Rhode Island Law Allows For Life Sentences in Drug Overdoses
Public health advocates are concerned that ‘Kristen's Law,’ meant to punish drug dealers, will criminalize users and fail to stem the opioid crisis.
Milwaukee Candidates Clash In Race to Succeed The Infamous Sheriff Clarke
Several candidates are vying to become Milwaukee Sheriff in the wake of Sheriff David Clarke's resignation last fall. But will they truly spurn his legacy of jail deaths and cooperation with ICE?
Raven Rakia Aug 10, 2018
St. Louis County Could Oust The Prosecutor Who Helped Ignite Ferguson Protests
His opponent in Tuesday’s primary helped establish new police accountability and court reforms in Ferguson after the police shooting of Michael Brown.
Amanda Sakuma Aug 06, 2018
Failure-to-Comply Arrests Reveal Flaws in Sex Offender Registries
In one Pennsylvania county, more than three times as many people on the registry were charged in 2016 with failing to follow registry requirements than were charged with a new sexual offense
Joshua Vaughn Aug 01, 2018
Justice in America Episode 2: The 94% — Plea Deals
A podcast from The Appeal, featuring Josie Duffy Rice and Clint Smith III.
After Hearing Concerns about ICE, Texas Sheriff Ran Apparent Traffic Sting That Led to Deportation Proceedings
A community group met with the Bastrop County sheriff in an effort to build trust between the sheriff’s office and the immigrant community. Then, the sheriff ran a sting that led to more than one dozen arrestees being handed over to ICE.
Michael Arria Jul 31, 2018
US Attorney’s Office That Prosecuted Inauguration Day Protesters Has History of Misconduct Findings
Prosecutors on the "J20" case faced grave allegations of misconduct after withholding exculpatory evidence contained in videos from defense attorneys. But this is far from the first time that this office has found itself in hot water.
New Orleans Woman Sentenced to Life In Prison For Killing Abusive Husband Is Granted New Trial
Catina Curley suffered physical abuse at the hands of her husband for more than a decade. When she turned a revolver on him, she was charged with murder and sentenced to life. Now, thanks to a court ruling, she has a chance at freedom.
Josie Duffy Rice Jul 27, 2018
Drug Testing Organizations Save Lives, So Why Haven’t Rave and Concert Organizers Embraced Them?
Groups like the Loop and DanceSafe test drugs like Ecstasy and warn users of high dosages and adulterants, but federal legislation from the early 2000s has live music promoters wary of their brand of harm reduction.
Zachary A. Siegel Jul 25, 2018
Justice in America Episode 1: Justice for the Rich, Money Bail
Introducing a new podcast from The Appeal, featuring Josie Duffy Rice and Clint Smith III.
A Pennsylvania Man Survived An Overdose Only To Be Charged With Homicide
York County resident Aaron Hinds overdosed on heroin with a friend. The friend died, and Hinds now faces a 'drug delivery resulting in death' charge and a 40-year prison sentence.
Joshua Vaughn Jul 24, 2018
Former Baltimore Police Officer Unloads On The Department’s Gang Database
A onetime gang liaison for the Baltimore Police Department writes that its database is racist and error-ridden.
Larry Smith Jul 23, 2018
Pretrial Detainees Are Being Billed For Their Stay in Jail
In jurisdictions across the country, people incarcerated before they've ever been convicted of a crime are charged a daily fee just for sitting in jail—and several courts have ruled that the practice is legal.
Steven Hale Jul 20, 2018
California Bill Would Deem Children Under 12 Too Young for Court
Legislation passed in Massachusetts and pending in California would set a minimum age for children to enter the juvenile justice system.
Jeremy Loudenback Jul 17, 2018
The Appeal Podcast Episode 7: What Abolitionists Mean When They Talk About Abolition
With William C. Anderson, journalist and co-author of As Black As Resistance.
Adam H. Johnson Jul 12, 2018
Prosecutors and Judges in Pennsylvania County Hammer Defendants in Low-Level Drug Cases
In overdose-wracked Franklin County, Pennsylvania, a small-time dealer is denied bail, while the number of drug induced homicide cases has skyrocketed.
Joshua Vaughn Jul 09, 2018
The Baltimore Police’s ‘Summer Surge’ Scam
A former Baltimore Police officer says that a plan to flood the streets with local and federal law enforcement is likely to yield more of the same ineffective 'broken windows'-style arrests.
A Black Man Called The Cops Nazis–And Was Charged With A Hate Crime
A Pennsylvania hate crime statute is being used by law enforcement to punish angry arrestees.
Joshua Vaughn Jun 28, 2018
Cuomo the Merciless
New York's Democratic governor has granted only a trickle of commutations, fewer than many of his Democratic and Republican predecessors.
Victoria Law Jun 20, 2018
Responses to Violence Must Move Beyond Policing
The solution to problems like unsolved homicides, especially in communities of color, cannot be reinvestment in institutions that wage violence against them.
William C. Anderson Jun 19, 2018
Eric Holder May Be Considering a Presidential Run. But Has His Time Passed?
As voters begin to realize that prosecutors in the world's most incarcerated nation may not be the best people to run the government, the era of the prosecutor politician could be on its way out.
The Appeal Podcast Episode 4: How Prison Reform Was Co-Opted to Sell More Prisons
With journalists Raven Rakia and Ashoka Jegroo.
Adam H. Johnson Jun 15, 2018
Alice Marie Johnson is free. Now it’s time to free thousands more prisoners with unjustly long sentences.
Kim Kardashian's successful campaign to free a 63-year-old grandmother serving a life sentence in a drug case is a reminder that we need to go big on clemency. A 52-year-old grandfather named Euka Wadlington, also doing life in a drug case, would be a great place to start.
Wolves in Progressive Clothing
Many Democratic big city mayors claim to be anti-Trump, but their policies mirror the racism and violence of the president.
Kelly Hayes Jun 13, 2018
Louisiana’s Love Affair With Locking Up Kids For Life
Years after two landmark Supreme Court rulings, prosecutors in Louisiana are still overwhelmingly seeking life sentences for children.
Santa Clara County Public Defender Explains What Judge Persky’s Recall Means For His Clients
The judge who sentenced Brock Turner brought much-needed compassion to the bench, says public defender Sajid Khan.
Paul DeBenedetto Jun 11, 2018
A Melee Broke Out On The Subway—and then the Bronx DA Prosecuted One Of Its Victims
Walliris Velez thought the worst was behind her after she was slashed in a subway car, but then came an arrest and an attempted murder charge by the Bronx DA.
Criminal Justice Reformers Get A Chilly Reception In California
Across the state, most incumbents successfully fended off progressive challengers during the June 5 primary.
Max Rivlin-Nadler Jun 06, 2018
The Appeal Podcast Episode 1: District Attorneys Are The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of
With Josie Duffy Rice, senior staff reporter at The Appeal.
Adam H. Johnson May 31, 2018
The Power of Prosecutors
Shaun King Apr 24, 2018
Do Conviction Integrity Units Work?
Josie Duffy Rice Mar 22, 2018
Eyewitness to Bronx Murder Alleges Prosecutorial Misconduct, Makes Eleventh-Hour Recantation
But the witness may have flipped again, leaving the future of the conviction up in the air.
NYC Transgender Activist Says She Was Criminalized For Defending Herself Against Abuser
Her former partner assaulted her in her home. When the police arrived, she was arrested and he walked free.
Emma Whitford Feb 26, 2018
Defund The Baltimore Police
A former Baltimore cop questions how a department with a nearly half-billion-dollar budget that is riven by rampant corruption and brutality, bloated overtime spending, and unaccounted for patrol officers can continue to justify its existence
Larry Smith Aug 15, 2018
Proposed Pennsylvania Bill Would Force Patients With Chronic Pain Into A Treatment Agreement
A bill introduced in the state would require all chronic pain patients to enter into a treatment agreement with their doctor before being prescribed opioid medication for the first time.
Joshua Vaughn Aug 17, 2018
An Inside Look At An Ohio Police Force’s Race Problem
A white cop joked about bringing explosives to a Black Lives Matter protest in Columbus with no consequences. A black cop joked about ‘black on black’ crime and may be fired.
George Joseph Aug 13, 2018
In New York, A Harm-Reduction Organization Is Leveraging Participatory Defense To Empower Its Clients
Grassroots group VOCAL-NY is teaching people with substance use disorder how to avoid getting ensnared in the criminal justice system.
Christopher Moraff Aug 09, 2018
Meet ‘Bob Smith,’ The Fake Facebook Profile Memphis Police Allegedly Used To Spy On Black Activists
New records obtained by the Appeal show the account seems to have been monitoring Black Lives Matter activists for years.
George Joseph Aug 02, 2018
After Hearing Concerns about ICE, Texas Sheriff Ran Apparent Traffic Sting That Led to Deportation Proceedings
A community group met with the Bastrop County sheriff in an effort to build trust between the sheriff’s office and the immigrant community. Then, the sheriff ran a sting that led to more than one dozen arrestees being handed over to ICE.
Michael Arria Jul 31, 2018
Multiple Police Cars Summoned to Arrest Selma Civil Rights Activist for Allegedly Stealing a Campaign Sign
Faya Rose Touré, a 73-year-old former judge, says she’s determined to fight the charges against her.
Lauren Gill Jul 30, 2018
Memphis Police Collected Black Lives Matter Activists’ Private Facebook Posts
Police appear to have used a fake Facebook account to 'friend' activists and archive who 'liked' their posts.
George Joseph Jul 27, 2018
Drug Testing Organizations Save Lives, So Why Haven’t Rave and Concert Organizers Embraced Them?
Groups like the Loop and DanceSafe test drugs like Ecstasy and warn users of high dosages and adulterants, but federal legislation from the early 2000s has live music promoters wary of their brand of harm reduction.
Zachary A. Siegel Jul 25, 2018
NYPD Detective With a Shady Past Helped Lock Up a Pot Dealer For Federal Conspiracy
Jurors were barred from hearing about the eight civil rights lawsuits against Detective Jeremiah Williams.
George Joseph Jul 24, 2018
Former Baltimore Police Officer Unloads On The Department’s Gang Database
A onetime gang liaison for the Baltimore Police Department writes that its database is racist and error-ridden.
Larry Smith Jul 23, 2018
A Distressed Man Came to a Police Station Looking for Help. Hours Later, He Was In a Coma.
Earl McNeil’s family is demanding answers from the National City, California, police department.
Max Rivlin-Nadler Jul 19, 2018
Buffalo Lawsuit Challenges ‘Racial Profiling’ in Traffic Stops
Advocacy group demands an end to traffic checkpoints concentrated in Black and Latinx areas.
Prince Shakur Jul 18, 2018
Immigrants Share Horror Stories From Inside Massachusetts’s ‘Worst’ Jail
“Jail is not a country club,” the Bristol County sheriff said. “That’s why once you’ve done time in the Bristol County House of Corrections, you won’t want to come back.”
Eoin Higgins Jul 17, 2018
California County Law Enforcement Puts Kids On Probation for Bad Grades
A new lawsuit says Riverside County’s probation officers threaten to prosecute kids for ‘pre-delinquent’ behavior.
Carimah Townes Jul 10, 2018
Austin Cops Said They Shot A Man Who Fired On Them–But It Turns Out He Didn’t Fire A Shot
Lawrence Parrish faces charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and remains jailed on $500,000 bond even though the Austin police admitted he never shot at them.
Michael Arria Jul 02, 2018
The Baltimore Police’s ‘Summer Surge’ Scam
A former Baltimore Police officer says that a plan to flood the streets with local and federal law enforcement is likely to yield more of the same ineffective 'broken windows'-style arrests.
Larry Smith Jun 29, 2018
A Black Man Called The Cops Nazis–And Was Charged With A Hate Crime
A Pennsylvania hate crime statute is being used by law enforcement to punish angry arrestees.
Joshua Vaughn Jun 28, 2018
Responses to Violence Must Move Beyond Policing
The solution to problems like unsolved homicides, especially in communities of color, cannot be reinvestment in institutions that wage violence against them.
William C. Anderson Jun 19, 2018
The Family Of An Unarmed High Schooler Shot By Police Begs For ‘Real Change’
The King County Sheriff's Office told reporters Tommy Le had a knife. He was actually holding a pen.
Levi Pulkkinen Jun 18, 2018
New Evidence in the Death of a Queens Massage Worker
Surveillance video sheds some light on the police raid that killed Yang Song last year while, advocates say, the raids continue.
Wolves in Progressive Clothing
Many Democratic big city mayors claim to be anti-Trump, but their policies mirror the racism and violence of the president.
Kelly Hayes Jun 13, 2018
The New Orleans Police Raid That Launched A Dancer Resistance
From local charities, to the editorial pages, to city politicians, New Orleans strip clubs were blamed for human trafficking, leading to abusive police raids – harming the dancers they claimed they were protecting, and pushing the dancers to fight back.
Melissa Gira Grant May 30, 2018
A Florida Sheriff’s Dramatic Drug Raid Went Viral, But It Wasn’t What It Seemed
In the ‘fentanyl’ bust at a ‘narcotics house,’ no opioids were seized at all.
NYC Transgender Activist Says She Was Criminalized For Defending Herself Against Abuser
Her former partner assaulted her in her home. When the police arrived, she was arrested and he walked free.
Emma Whitford Feb 26, 2018
Philly’s Gang Violence Strategy Doesn’t Work. Here’s Why.
Philadelphia implemented the “focused deterrence” model of gang policing, which includes the promise of critical social services. The reality is much different.
Maura Ewing Dec 21, 2017
To End the Opioid Crisis, Skip the Handcuffs and Rethink Health Insurance, Report Says
A new report from The Sentencing Project offers a blueprint for putting an end to a deadly epidemic.
Rebecca McCray Dec 13, 2017
Baltimore’s Latest Plan To Clamp Down On Crime: Tricking And Trapping Youth
Once again, police are vilifying kids.
Carimah Townes Dec 08, 2017
More Than 50,000 Californians Can Get ‘Back on the Road’
Alameda County Superior Court reversed license suspensions for 54,000 people who were punished for their inability to pay fines.
Rebecca McCray Dec 04, 2017
For Victims of Corrupt Chicago Police, An Unusual Taste of Justice
Fifteen men had their tainted convictions vacated by State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office, but this isn’t the norm when it comes to prosecutors.
Rebecca McCray Nov 29, 2017
Tennessee Sheriff Launches ‘Busted Bingo’ To Round Up People With Warrants
“Kiss your boyfriend goodbye.”
Carimah Townes Nov 27, 2017
Free Meek Mill, Philly cops panic over their new DA, LAPD caught planting drugs, 14 year old boy killed on reservation
In Justice Roundup is my weekly debrief rounding up the justice news you need to know.
Shaun King Nov 14, 2017
Controversial District Attorney Charges California Officer For Stolen Handgun
The prosecutor rarely holds officers accountable.
Carimah Townes Nov 13, 2017
Los Angeles County To Pay $4 Million To Families Of Couple Killed In Car Crash Caused By Police Officer
District Attorney Jackie Lacey chose not to prosecute officer
Indianapolis Police Officers Will Not Be Criminally Charged for Shooting Unarmed Black Man
But the police chief recommends the officers’ dismissal
Larry Hannan Nov 09, 2017
New Jersey Governor-Elect Promising Bold Criminal Justice Reform Agenda
Phil Murphy has promised marijuana legalization, end of cash bail and will look at ending minimum mandatory sentences
Dispatch: The Torrid Love Affair Between Liberals and Bill “Broken Windows” Bratton
Dispatches is our series from organizers, attorneys, officials, and others working at the frontlines of local criminal justice reform.
Josmar Trujillo Nov 08, 2017
NYPD is one delete button away from losing its civil forfeiture records
Criminal charges are absent from 85 percent of all forfeiture cases in the city.
Carimah Townes Oct 20, 2017
What Happens To Cops Who Lie?
Max Rivlin-Nadler Oct 13, 2017
When Some People Are Below The Law
Roy L. Austin Sep 28, 2017
The arrest and charging of Karla Frye marks a pivotal moment for protest in St. Louis County
Her case says a lot about prosecutorial discretion.
The Appeal Podcast: When Electronic Cages Replace Steel and Cement
With journalist Kira Lerner.
Adam H. Johnson Aug 16, 2018
Against Innocence
In the wake of Nia Wilson’s murder, it’s critical that calls for justice in response to anti-Black violence are not contingent upon appeals to white-approved notions of innocence and respectability.
Zoé Samudzi Aug 08, 2018
Milwaukee Candidates Clash In Race to Succeed The Infamous Sheriff Clarke
Several candidates are vying to become Milwaukee Sheriff in the wake of Sheriff David Clarke's resignation last fall. But will they truly spurn his legacy of jail deaths and cooperation with ICE?
Raven Rakia Aug 10, 2018
St. Louis County Could Oust The Prosecutor Who Helped Ignite Ferguson Protests
His opponent in Tuesday’s primary helped establish new police accountability and court reforms in Ferguson after the police shooting of Michael Brown.
Amanda Sakuma Aug 06, 2018
Failure-to-Comply Arrests Reveal Flaws in Sex Offender Registries
In one Pennsylvania county, more than three times as many people on the registry were charged in 2016 with failing to follow registry requirements than were charged with a new sexual offense
Joshua Vaughn Aug 01, 2018
Multiple Police Cars Summoned to Arrest Selma Civil Rights Activist for Allegedly Stealing a Campaign Sign
Faya Rose Touré, a 73-year-old former judge, says she’s determined to fight the charges against her.
Lauren Gill Jul 30, 2018
New Orleans Woman Sentenced to Life In Prison For Killing Abusive Husband Is Granted New Trial
Catina Curley suffered physical abuse at the hands of her husband for more than a decade. When she turned a revolver on him, she was charged with murder and sentenced to life. Now, thanks to a court ruling, she has a chance at freedom.
Josie Duffy Rice Jul 27, 2018
Former Baltimore Police Officer Unloads On The Department’s Gang Database
A onetime gang liaison for the Baltimore Police Department writes that its database is racist and error-ridden.
Larry Smith Jul 23, 2018
Pretrial Detainees Are Being Billed For Their Stay in Jail
In jurisdictions across the country, people incarcerated before they've ever been convicted of a crime are charged a daily fee just for sitting in jail—and several courts have ruled that the practice is legal.
Steven Hale Jul 20, 2018
Prosecutors and Judges in Pennsylvania County Hammer Defendants in Low-Level Drug Cases
In overdose-wracked Franklin County, Pennsylvania, a small-time dealer is denied bail, while the number of drug induced homicide cases has skyrocketed.
Joshua Vaughn Jul 09, 2018
Austin Cops Said They Shot A Man Who Fired On Them–But It Turns Out He Didn’t Fire A Shot
Lawrence Parrish faces charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and remains jailed on $500,000 bond even though the Austin police admitted he never shot at them.
Michael Arria Jul 02, 2018
The Baltimore Police’s ‘Summer Surge’ Scam
A former Baltimore Police officer says that a plan to flood the streets with local and federal law enforcement is likely to yield more of the same ineffective 'broken windows'-style arrests.
Larry Smith Jun 29, 2018
Eric Holder May Be Considering a Presidential Run. But Has His Time Passed?
As voters begin to realize that prosecutors in the world's most incarcerated nation may not be the best people to run the government, the era of the prosecutor politician could be on its way out.
Chase Madar Jun 19, 2018
Alice Marie Johnson is free. Now it’s time to free thousands more prisoners with unjustly long sentences.
Kim Kardashian's successful campaign to free a 63-year-old grandmother serving a life sentence in a drug case is a reminder that we need to go big on clemency. A 52-year-old grandfather named Euka Wadlington, also doing life in a drug case, would be a great place to start.
Shaun King Jun 15, 2018
Wolves in Progressive Clothing
Many Democratic big city mayors claim to be anti-Trump, but their policies mirror the racism and violence of the president.
Kelly Hayes Jun 13, 2018
For New York Prisoners, a Package Policy that Effectively Pits TV Against Books
A little-known New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision policy has limited access to books in at least nine prisons for years.
Rebecca McCray Jan 11, 2018
Civil Rights and the White Manel
Lee Kovarsky Dec 20, 2017
Jail Policies Restrict Legal Representation in North Carolina
Public defenders in Charlotte say restrictions on communication hinder their ability to help jailed clients.
Jessica Brand Dec 14, 2017
More Than 50,000 Californians Can Get ‘Back on the Road’
Alameda County Superior Court reversed license suspensions for 54,000 people who were punished for their inability to pay fines.
Rebecca McCray Dec 04, 2017
Changing the Politics of Mass Incarceration
Udi Ofer Oct 10, 2017