How Protests Over Police Violence Are Changing A City Where Officers Kill With Near-Impunity
As protests against racism and police violence were sweeping the country, a Vallejo, California detective shot and killed Sean Monterrosa. His death has galvanized a community.
John Glidden Sep 21, 2020
The Pervasive Violence of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department
Several recent killings have put the spotlight on the largest sheriff’s department in the U.S., but many of the LASD’s abuses go unseen, advocates say.
Piper French Sep 15, 2020
The Struggle Against A Stadium’s Construction Became A Battle for the Soul Of Los Angeles
Sports venues like the new SoFi Stadium have been crushing poor communities around the country for over a century.
Jonny Coleman Sep 10, 2020
A Life Sentence Couldn’t Defeat Their Love. Now They’re Working To Change The System That Kept Them Apart.
Taewon Wilson and Candace Chavez-Wilson are part of a growing movement to end life without possibility of parole and other harsh sentences.
Mara Kardas-Nelson Aug 24, 2020
Santa Cruz County Grand Jury Homelessness Report Calls for Defunding of Police
A June report from the county’s independent judicial arm urges local government to reallocate law enforcement resources to social services.
Ella Fassler Jul 31, 2020
Seattle Mayor Known As ‘Tear Gas Jenny’ For Police Treatment Of Protesters Has Troubled History As A Federal Prosecutor
As U.S. attorney in Seattle, Durkan prosecuted a severely mentally ill man in a terrorism case using an informant convicted of child sex abuse—and claimed to have reformed the same Seattle Police Department that has tear-gassed peaceful protesters for weeks.
Jerry Iannelli Jul 29, 2020
People Are About To Be Pushed Into Homelessness On A Large Scale. Hotels Are Key To Keeping Them Off The Streets.
Tens of thousands of people in Los Angeles County are at high risk for becoming homeless after the temporary halt on evictions is lifted—one of the largest mass displacements the region has ever seen.
LAPD Officer Who Killed Man in Mental Health Crisis Is a Gun-Toting Social Media Star
In late April, officer Toni McBride shot Daniel Hernandez to death after a suicide call. His attorney and grieving family say videos posted on social media of McBride gleefully firing high-powered weapons show that she’s a trigger-happy officer.
Jerry Iannelli Jul 02, 2020
San Quentin Prisoners Go On Hunger Strike Amid Massive COVID-19 Outbreak
About 20 people in the prison’s Badger section have been on hunger strike for the past few days, three people incarcerated there say.
Kira Lerner Jul 01, 2020
In the Middle of a Pandemic, Prisoners at San Quentin Are Punished for Being Sick
Prisoners are reluctant to report when they’re feeling sick, because they know they’ll be sent to solitary confinement.
Juan Moreno Haines Jun 23, 2020
Family of Man Who Died at California Jail After Shouting ‘I Can’t Breathe’ Demands Answers From Sheriff
In October 2018, Marshall Miles died at the Sacramento County jail after struggling with deputies. His lawyers say a deposition scheduled for next month will force the sheriff to answer for the in-custody death.
Jerry Iannelli Jun 18, 2020
Portland City Council Votes to Cut $15 Million From Police Budget
The cuts will defund a controversial gang policing unit and end the city’s policing partnership with TriMet, the regional transit agency.
Jay Willis Jun 17, 2020
Probation Conditions Relaxed During the Pandemic. Some Say They Should Stay That Way.
Public safety is not improved by stricter probation and parole rules, researchers have found.
Lauren Lee White Jun 08, 2020
L.A. Mayor’s Reaction to Protests Proves He’s Unfit to Govern
This weekend’s string of errors is just the latest in his career of cruelty.
Jonny Coleman Jun 04, 2020
California D.A.s Call For Ban on Police Union Money and Endorsements in Prosecutorial Elections
San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin and others say the money creates ethical conflicts when police are prosecuted for misconduct.
Eliyahu Kamisher Jun 03, 2020
Two of His Sons Are Incarcerated During the Pandemic. A Third Is Fighting to Get Them Out.
Both incarcerated brothers are at an increased risk of complications from COVID-19—and one has tested positive.
Chris Gelardi May 27, 2020
Still in Solitary
Five years after statewide hunger strikes and a landmark settlement, men incarcerated in a California prison say they’re still isolated for up to 22 hours a day.
Joshua Manson May 21, 2020
The L.A. Mayor’s ‘Unacceptable’ Budget Would Deprive Those In Need And Accelerate The City’s Slide Toward A Police State
The City Council must not let Mayor Eric Garcetti’s unconscionable priorities dictate how Los Angeles responds to the COVID-19 crisis.
After More Than 25 Years Behind Bars, He’s At High Risk For Coronavirus. Now He’s Going Home
John Wesley Parratt Jr. was scheduled to appear before the parole board in July. After the novel coronavirus arrived in San Quentin State Prison, he feared for his health.
Juan Moreno Haines May 14, 2020
A Woman’s Fight to Get Her Terminally Ill Sister Out of Prison During the Pandemic
California Governor Gavin Newsom said he’s releasing thousands of prisoners. But that doesn’t necessarily include some of the state’s sickest patients.
Mara Kardas-Nelson May 11, 2020
‘We Are Scared’: Stuck Inside ICE Detention’s Coronavirus Epicenter
People incarcerated in the Otay Mesa Detention Center decry crowded units and substandard medical care as COVID-19 tears through the facility.
Chris Gelardi May 06, 2020
Sluggish LA County Courts Are Leaving Young People Locked Up During the Pandemic
While adults in the county have been granted expedited release in groups, the juvenile court continues to review cases individually.
California Tenants Will Go on a Rent Strike if the State Falls Short of Cancelling Rent
Laid-off workers say they face insurmountable debt and homelessness if they have to pay back months of rent after the pandemic.
Supriya Yelimeli Apr 30, 2020
The Battle to Convert California Hotels into Housing Has Begun
Elected officials need to stop making excuses for not getting unhoused people into hotel rooms.
Jonny Coleman Apr 24, 2020
Bay Area Residents Are Forming Tenants’ Unions in Response to COVID-19
As millions file for unemployment, tenants are banding together to support their neighbors who can't pay the rent.
Zack Haber Apr 23, 2020
His Immune System Is Compromised and He Spent Two Months in Jail Unable to Afford Bail
A man describes his ordeal in medical isolation while awaiting trial.
Eliyahu Kamisher Apr 16, 2020
In Overcrowded San Quentin, Coronavirus Shelter-In-Place Measures Mean Decreased Quality of Life
With programming paused and prison jobs reduced, people inside will not be able to earn good-time credits and are cut off from a means of supporting themselves.
Working-Class Tenants Are Seizing Vacant State-Owned Property in LA
On the intersection of two public health crises: housing and COVID-19.
Jonny Coleman Apr 09, 2020
California Makes Major Bail Change To Slow the Spread of Coronavirus In Jails
Bail will be set at $0 for most misdemeanors and low-level felony offenses.
Kira Lerner Apr 06, 2020
Closing California Courts Won’t Prevent A COVID-19 Crisis in Jails
Los Angeles County judges must move quickly to release a broad group of people in custody.
Alicia Virani Apr 02, 2020
The Last Trial In California
As the novel coronavirus spread in the state, a Solano County judge denied numerous motions to continue a troubled double kidnapping and rape case marred by allegations that a Vallejo police detective withheld exculpatory evidence.
In California, Coronavirus Threatens Due Process
Delaying trials will mean more people stay in jail while a life-threatening disease spreads throughout the state.
Kyle C. Barry Apr 01, 2020
Tenants in Oakland Are Going on a Rent Strike Tomorrow
Residents have been told to stay in their homes to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus—but little has been done to ensure they can afford to stay there, activists say.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Mar 31, 2020
A Plea to Governor Newsom: Don’t Abandon Elderly Incarcerated People to Die From COVID-19
We can’t allow “violent criminal” rhetoric to justify leaving some of the most vulnerable people in dangerous conditions.
James King Mar 30, 2020
How Coronavirus is Changing Life Inside San Quentin State Prison
“They are treating it like any epidemic in prison—that is to isolate, treat and then release back to the population.”
Juan Moreno Haines Mar 27, 2020
First Two Coronavirus Cases Confirmed at California Prisons
The state Department of Corrections confirmed two staff cases of COVID-19. No prisoners have been confirmed to have the virus, the department said.
Kira Lerner Mar 20, 2020
How Coronavirus Is Making the Fight for Homeless Communities in LA More Difficult
Cascading crises have significantly increased the stakes for the city’s most vulnerable residents.
Jonny Coleman Mar 19, 2020
As Coronavirus Spreads, the Crisis LA’s Homeless Community Is Facing Has Been Decades in the Making
It should not take a global pandemic for our elected officials to acknowledge that we are all safer if everyone can shower and wash their hands.
As the Coronavirus Pandemic Continues, Homeless Communities Are Particularly Vulnerable
How California, which is home to more than half of the country’s unsheltered homeless population, is addressing the needs of the unhoused.
Kira Lerner Mar 18, 2020
To Stop Coronavirus, Places Where People Gather are Shutting Down Across California. What About Its Jails?
Activists are calling on the governor, district attorneys, sheriffs, and judges to take action to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Mar 16, 2020
To Stop the Spread of Coronavirus, California Officials and Attorneys Call for Eviction Bans
Experts say evictions cause a ‘downward spiral’ of health problems for renters, and that housing security is necessary to slow the spread of the pandemic.
Darwin BondGraham Mar 13, 2020
San Francisco Officials Push to Reduce Jail Population to Prevent Coronavirus Outbreak
The public defender and district attorney both directed their staffs to keep individuals who are more vulnerable to the virus out of jail.
Darwin BondGraham Mar 11, 2020
‘What Will It Take For You To Call This A Homicide?’
In California, a Vallejo detective and a Solano County prosecutor concealed exculpatory evidence from a man facing murder charges. They went on to face accusations of misconduct in other high-profile cases.
In Los Angeles, Police-Backed Street Cleanings are Upending the Lives of Homeless People
The city is ramping up a cleanup program that activists fear will worsen the criminalization of homelessness.
Eliyahu Kamisher Mar 03, 2020
San Francisco D.A. To Announce Sweeping Changes On Sentencing Policy and Police Stops
As a candidate, Chesa Boudin condemned gang enhancements as racist. Now as DA he plans to significantly limit, if not eliminate, their use.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Feb 28, 2020
A California County’s Sheriff’s Deputies Are Accused Of Mishandling Evidence On a Staggering Scale
Deputies in Orange County wrote false reports about their collection and booking of evidence, according to internal audits kept secret for months.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Feb 27, 2020
Why Has Jackie Lacey’s Conviction Review Unit Exonerated So Few People?
Critics say there may be systemic problems with how the unit is run within the Los Angeles County DA’s office.
Jamal Trulove: The Enduring Trauma of Stop-and-Frisk
As a Black child in San Francisco, I learned early that mine and others’ bodies meant nothing to those supposedly tasked with our protection.
Jamal Trulove Feb 19, 2020
A Black California Man Says a White Ex-Employee Assaulted Him. He Was the One Detained.
Erick Wallace’s federal civil rights lawsuit joins a long line of litigation and misconduct allegations against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Jerry Iannelli Feb 11, 2020
Pretrial Reform Must Go Beyond Ending Cash Bail
As a society, we can’t continue to subject hundreds of thousands of people to the trauma of incarceration before they face a jury of their peers.
Andy Philipson Jan 29, 2020
Jackie Lacey’s Culture Of Fear
Lack of evidence does not stop opponents of former San Francisco DA George Gascón from making the claim that the city’s criminal justice reforms unleashed a crime wave.
Alex Sherman Jan 27, 2020
Family Separation And ‘A Longer View Of Public Safety’: A Conversation With San Francisco D.A. Chesa Boudin
Vaidya Gullapalli Jan 24, 2020
LA Police Union Contributes $1 Million To Anti-George Gascón PAC
The influx of cash shows the police union’s determination to stop the reform-minded district attorney candidate.
Eliyahu Kamisher Jan 20, 2020
Chesa Boudin Sworn In as San Francisco’s New District Attorney
The former deputy public defender promised that his office would immediately end cash bail and stop seeking three-strikes sentencing enhancements.
Jay Willis Jan 08, 2020
In One California City, Police Kill With Near Impunity
Since 2010, no Vallejo officer has been disciplined for using deadly force, despite multiple shootings of unarmed people—including a man holding a can of beer. And active police union leaders have been involved in the shooting investigations.
Darwin BondGraham Dec 18, 2019
Los Angeles County D.A. Jackie Lacey Skipped The First Democratic Debate of the Race
After two terms at the helm of the nation’s largest prosecutor office, Lacey has drawn pointed criticism from community advocates who say she is standing in the way of criminal justice reform.
Aaron Morrison Dec 12, 2019
Los Angeles County Democratic Party Endorses George Gascón for District Attorney
The former San Francisco DA got the nod over incumbent Jackie Lacey, whose tenure advocates and activists have long criticized as lackluster.
Jessica Pishko Dec 10, 2019
What Happens When Prison ‘Lifers’ Get A Chance At Healing And Redemption?
In California, a prison program run by people once sentenced to life shows how even the most serious offenders are more than the worst things they’ve done.
In a Private Facebook Group, California Police Brag About Breaking State Law to Help ICE
Some officers have recently boasted about breaking state law and collaborating with ICE, according to messages posted in the group and obtained by The Appeal.
Darwin BondGraham Nov 22, 2019
Alameda County Sheriff, Aramark Are Forcing Prisoners Into ‘Involuntary Servitude,’ New Lawsuit Says
Some pretrial prisoners and immigration detainees are forced to work without pay in violation of the 13th Amendment, according to attorneys.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Nov 21, 2019
Orange County Judge Rules That Sheriff’s ‘Blanket’ Shackling Practice Violates Prisoners’ Rights
People held in courthouse cells were shackled for up to 15 hours a day, and some were unable to eat, change menstrual pads, or use the bathroom, advocates say.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Nov 19, 2019
How District Attorney Jackie Lacey Failed Los Angeles
On a host of issues—including police shootings, bail reform, marijuana legalization, and the death penalty—critics say Lacey, once seen as a reformer, has sought to preserve the status quo.
Jessica Pishko Nov 12, 2019
Public Defender Chesa Boudin Wins San Francisco D.A. Race In Major Victory For Progressive Prosecutor Movement
Son of incarcerated parents, backed by Black Lives Matter co-founders, Boudin will be the next DA of San Francisco.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Nov 09, 2019
Deadlocked San Francisco District Attorney Race Shows Strength of Progressive Prosecutor Movement
Chesa Boudin is just 240 votes behind Suzy Loftus, even after local law enforcement spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to defeat him.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Nov 06, 2019
People Behind the Girls Do Porn Website Were Just Charged With Sex Trafficking. But Complaints Were Filed About Them Years Ago.
At least three women made police reports about Girls Do Porn in 2015, but recruiters continued to exploit women until the FBI stepped in last month.
Meg O'Connor Nov 04, 2019
San Francisco Police Brutality Claim Puts Pressure on Next D.A. to Hold Cops Accountable
Ahead of the city’s district attorney election on Tuesday, the alleged baton beating last month of Dacari Spiers has renewed debate over police accountability.
Darwin BondGraham Nov 01, 2019
‘A Green Light For Abuse’: Despite Reforms, California Counties Still Conceal Records On Police Use Of Force
A lawsuit in Los Angeles and a motion in Orange County highlight battles to get key information.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Oct 31, 2019
California Court Destroys Files In Historic Police Corruption Case
Criminal case files from Oakland’s seminal Riders scandal were among documents shredded by the Alameda County Superior Court in 2015.
Five Oakland Police Officers Involved In Fatal Shooting Of Homeless Man Seek Reinstatement
The officers who killed Joshua Pawlik in 2018 are asking a state judge to block a federally appointed monitor’s decision that they violated policies on use of force.
Darwin BondGraham Oct 16, 2019
New Lawsuit Focuses On Alleged L.A. County Deputy ‘Gangs’
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva was elected on the promise of reforming the scandal-plagued sheriff’s department. But eight deputies now accuse Sheriff Villanueva of allowing a violent group, the Banditos, to thrive in his department's ranks.
Ali Winston Oct 10, 2019
California Gang Laws Are Normalized Racism
The gang database in the state gives police increased authority to approach and harass people for virtually no reason at all.
Emily Galvin-Almanza Oct 04, 2019
Interim San Francisco D.A. Suzy Loftus is Running for Office as a Reformer. But Critics Say She Didn’t Do Enough to Reform the SFPD.
Loftus led the San Francisco Police Commission through a bloody and turbulent era.
A California Sheriff And Prosecutor Want To Jail Homeless People. Their Plan Is Unlawful.
Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood and District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer intend to openly defy a 1975 state Supreme Court precedent that says law enforcement cannot intentionally discriminate against a person or group of people.
Kate Chatfield Oct 03, 2019
The Appeal Podcast: Chesa Boudin And The Meaning of ‘Reform’
With Chesa Boudin, candidate for San Francisco district attorney
Adam H. Johnson Sep 19, 2019
California Supreme Court Fails To Resolve ‘Constitutional Crisis’ Created By Police Privacy Laws
A narrow ruling on Brady lists ensures that protecting the police will continue to prevail over due process.
Kyle C. Barry Sep 18, 2019
‘I felt it was my responsibility’: Why A Probation Commissioner Spent 25 Hours in San Francisco’s Juvenile Hall
Vaidya Gullapalli Sep 13, 2019
Pepper Spray Is Toxic, Experts Say. So Why Is It Being Used on Children?
California is one of only six states that allow staff in juvenile facilities to carry pepper spray. But LA’s coming ban is still facing pushback.
Charlotte West Sep 10, 2019
New Lawsuit Claims a Sacramento Deputy Unlawfully Arrested Activist Who Protested Clearing Of Homeless Encampment
Advocates and homeless people are suing Sacramento County over its treatment of homeless—and the city responded by filing a lawsuit against seven men for being a ‘public nuisance.‘
Meg O'Connor Sep 04, 2019
San Francisco Deserves Restorative Justice
Our response to crime should focus on healing and accountability, not punishment and retribution.
Chesa Boudin Aug 30, 2019
‘You Don’t Own Me’
At 16, Larry Rosser was imprisoned for killing a woman who sexually and physically abused him. He served 22 years in the California prison system before being released in 2017, after parole commissioners became convinced he was a rehabilitated victim.
Aaron Morrison Aug 28, 2019
In Liberal California, A Crusader Against Criminal Justice Reform
Assemblymember Jim Cooper is pushing to roll back changes that have successfully reduced incarceration.
Jessica Pishko Aug 19, 2019
Rape Survivor Petitions Supreme Court Over How Police Handled Her Case
Heather Marlowe, now an activist, says neglected kits are a reflection of who and what police prioritize.
Raven Rakia Aug 15, 2019
A huge victory in L.A. represents a shift in thinking about public safety
Vaidya Gullapalli Aug 14, 2019
Oakland Police Have Been Systematically Underreporting Use Of Force
A new internal audit shows that officers disproportionately strike, tussle with, and draw guns on Black people but then fail to disclose the incidents in their reports.
Darwin BondGraham Aug 12, 2019
LA County Supervisors to Vote on Canceling Jail Contract
Black Lives Matter and other advocates have pushed county officials to abandon the $2.2 billion project with McCarthy Builders.
Lauren Gill Aug 08, 2019
‘See How Quickly They Behave Once We Put Our Foot Down?’
A federal lawsuit claims that Palo Alto, California, police falsely detained, arrested, and beat a gay Latinx man—then boasted about their brutality.
California Man Charged With Murder Even Though He Didn’t Fire A Shot
Last year, lawmakers repealed the felony murder rule, which allowed prosecutors to charge defendants with murders they didn‘t commit. Prosecutors are trying to overturn the new law, but AG Xavier Becerra believes that the reform should stand.
Darwin BondGraham Aug 05, 2019
Oakland Police Conducted An Illegal Search And Then Lied About It. But They May Be Spared From Discipline.
A California Superior Court ruling gives officers accused of misconduct access to investigator notes and files while cases are in progress.
Darwin BondGraham Jul 17, 2019
When Someone Dies in An Orange County Jail, Who’s Culpable?
Advocates say Anthony Aceves’s death conforms with long-standing issues in the second-largest jail system in California.
Raven Rakia Jul 10, 2019
‘Do Not Record’
Phone calls between prisoners in Orange County and their lawyers were recorded and accessed. How wide the eavesdropping was remains an open question.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Jun 28, 2019
Spotlight: After Nipsey Hussle’s Killing, Gang Members Call For An End To Violence
Vaidya Gullapalli Jun 24, 2019
Fremont Police Said a Man Wielded a Deadly Weapon When They Shot Him. But Records Reveal He Waved a Tent Pole.
The police union’s newly elected vice president led the investigation into the shooting that cleared Officer William Gourley of any wrongdoing.
Darwin BondGraham Jun 21, 2019
Spotlight: Kevin Cooper’s Case Exemplifies Decades of Systemic Failures
Sarah Lustbader Jun 20, 2019
Jackie Lacey’s Legacy Is ‘Unfair and Discriminatory,’ Advocates Say
A new report charges the Los Angeles DA with seeking the death penalty in unjust and harsh ways.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Jun 19, 2019
Orange County’s ‘Standard Operating Procedure’
The California county has a thin blue line that appears to protect not just the police, but also the DA’s office, criminal justice advocates say.
L.A. Prosecutor Touts Her Mental Health Reforms, But Critics Say She’s Making The Crisis Worse
Advocates and attorneys say Jackie Lacey’s rhetoric doesn’t match her actions.
Raven Rakia Jun 07, 2019
‘I Was in Constant Fear’: Immigrant Faces Deportation After Prison for Domestic Dispute
Aylaliya Birru has served over four years in a California prison for assaulting her husband, who she said was physically abusive. A pardon from Governor Gavin Newsom is her last hope to stay in the U.S.
Aaron Morrison May 29, 2019
Commander Of Major California Narcotics Task Force Fired For A String Of Thefts And Lies
Newly released records show that task force members faced allegations of theft and questionable overtime, all under the watch of a commander later fired for lying as the misconduct was investigated.
Darwin BondGraham May 23, 2019
Simon Liu Isn’t A Sex Offender. But He’s Still on the Registry For Life.
California’s expansive registry law forces people to pay for crimes they didn’t personally commit.
Kyle C. Barry May 13, 2019
Police In California Are Killing Sleeping People
The fatal shooting by Oakland police of an unconscious man as he woke is putting pressure on the California department to rethink its deployment of force.
Darwin BondGraham May 02, 2019
Are Sheriffs Necessary?
Advocates are pushing to abolish the office in Los Angeles and elsewhere.
Jessica Pishko Apr 24, 2019
California Cities Have Shredded Decades of Police Misconduct Records
Police union lawsuits delayed many local governments from complying with a new transparency law. In the meantime, some cities have destroyed files.
Darwin BondGraham Apr 17, 2019
Hundreds Stuck in California Prisons as Prosecutors Seek to Block New Law
Senate Bill 1437 virtually eliminated the ‘felony-murder rule,’ but district attorneys aren’t ready to let it go.
Jessica Pishko Mar 25, 2019
One Simple Way To Hold Bad Prosecutors Accountable
State bar organizations have the power to discipline prosecutors, but they studiously ignore bad behavior.
The Appeal Podcast: Pushing For Police Accountability in Sacramento
With Appeal senior staff reporter Aaron Morrison
Adam H. Johnson Mar 14, 2019
‘I’m Not Going Anywhere Until They Stop Killing People’
In 2009, Anaheim police shot and killed Theresa Smith’s son. A new California law promises police transparency, but her quest for answers faces a substantial cost.
Aaron Morrison Mar 13, 2019
California Police Unions Fight New State Law Promising Transparency on Misconduct Records
Senate Bill 1421 requires law enforcement agencies to make public investigative records of officer-involved shootings and uses of force resulting in great bodily harm. But law enforcement unions argue that the law threatens the privacy of their members.
Darwin BondGraham Feb 20, 2019
Man Exonerated In Murder, But Diagnosed With Terminal Cancer As He Awaited Freedom
William J. Richards was cleared in the death of his wife. But he says he was the victim of medical neglect while he was behind bars, which led to a cancer diagnosis becoming terminal. Now he's suing.
Erika Stallings Feb 19, 2019
Over 200 People Went On Hunger Strike After Months In Lockdown At California Prison
Corcoran state prison has a history of abuse that includes forcing prisoners into ‘gladiator fights.’
Raven Rakia Feb 15, 2019
ICE-friendly Policies. A String of Jail Deaths. Why Does This Sheriff Keep Getting Elected?
Advocates say Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern is an odd fit for the Bay Area, but mounting a challenge has proved daunting.
Kyle C. Barry Feb 14, 2019
Police Policy for Sale
Lexipol, a private for-profit company, has quietly become one of the most powerful voices in law enforcement policymaking in the country.
Scott Morris Feb 13, 2019
‘I’ve Made My Share Of Wrongs, But I Haven’t Killed No One’
California amended its felony murder law, which holds accomplices responsible for murder. But reform won’t reach a man sentenced to death in a deadly robbery—even though he was never accused of firing a shot.
Maura Ewing Feb 04, 2019
‘I Feel The Oxygen Going Out Of My Mouth’
In October 2018, Marshall Miles was taken into custody by Sacramento County sheriff‘s deputies outside a convenience store. About 14 hours later, he was dead.
Aaron Morrison Jan 31, 2019
Incarcerated Transgender Women’s Lives Must Matter
As Kamala Harris begins her presidential run, her move to block gender affirming surgery for an incarcerated transgender woman deserves scrutiny, especially as new cases highlighting the struggle for the rights of imprisoned trans women emerge.
Zoé Samudzi Jan 28, 2019
San Francisco Deputy Public Defender Chesa Boudin Announces Run for District Attorney
In a wide-ranging interview, Boudin, a progressive reform candidate, told The Appeal he wants to redefine ‘public safety’ to encompass the rights of both victims and defendants.
Melissa Gira Grant Jan 15, 2019
San Francisco Officials Wanted to Close A Dilapidated Jail by 2019. So Why Is It Still Open?
Everyone agrees the jail at 850 Bryant should close, but it’s not yet clear what would happen to those locked inside.
Melissa Gira Grant Dec 14, 2018
Could New Cash to Fight Homelessness in San Francisco Mean Less Reliance on Police?
Supporters hope the passage of Prop C may herald a more compassionate—and effective—approach.
Melissa Gira Grant Nov 15, 2018
Solitary Confinement, Jail Deaths Rock Race For Sheriff in California
In Santa Clara County, incarcerated people, and a former undersheriff challenging six-term sheriff Laurie Smith, have turned conditions of confinement into a potent electoral issue.
Victoria Law Oct 29, 2018
Man Convicted Of Obstruction For Refusing To Open His Door For Police
If his conviction stands, it could criminalize people who refuse to do things like unlock their phones or garages at police request.
Levi Pulkkinen Oct 17, 2018
Is Orange County D.A. Candidate Sending Mixed Signals on Jail Phone Company’s Contract?
Todd Spitzer blasted Global Tel Link for recording attorney-client phone calls, but his campaign won’t call on a PAC supporting his candidacy to return the company’s lobbyist’s donation.
George Joseph Oct 16, 2018
When Handing Out Candy To Trick-or-Treaters Means Risking Arrest
Lawyer seeks end to Halloween restrictions that target people convicted of sex offenses.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Oct 01, 2018