Gay And Trans ‘Panic’ Is Still Being Used To Justify Anti-LGBTQ Attacks Some states have banned the controversial legal defense, but other efforts, including at the federal level, are facing challenges. Adam M. Rhodes
L.A. County Jails Are Locking People Up For Longer During the Pandemic The percentage of people held pretrial for six months or longer is up six percent from January of last year, according to a UCLA School of Law report. Amy Munro
New York City Public Defenders Oppose Resuming In-Person Court Appearances The advocates describe the reopening as unsafe and unnecessary amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Chris Gelardi
The NYPD ‘Cancelled’ Police Court Appearances, Leaving People to Sit in Jail Memos obtained by The Appeal and anecdotes from public defenders reveal how, for a week during protests over police brutality, the NYPD stalled cases by directing officers not to testify in court. Chris Gelardi
Palm Beach County Sheriff Opposes Prisoner Release Amid Coronavirus Outbreak Public defenders are working with the courts to secure release for people incarcerated in the Florida county, many of whom are jailed for low-level offenses. Victoria Law
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
‘Is My Life Not As Valuable As Yours?’ Immigration Judges Want All Courts Shut Down As Coronavirus Cases Soar The Trump administration’s hardline immigration policies are intersecting with a highly contagious disease at a time when cities across the country are shutting down. Liz Robbins
New York City Courts Still Dangerous For Spread of Coronavirus, Public Defenders Say While those facing charges appear by video at arraignments, all others—attorneys, officers, the judge—are in the courtroom in close quarters, defense attorneys say. Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg
A Federal District Court in Ohio Delays All Trials Because of Coronavirus Judicial responses to the pandemic have varied and are changing rapidly. Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg
Criminal Justice Group Drops Support For Pretrial Risk Assessment Tools As Ohio Justices Seek To Block Their Use Reform advocates say the risk assessments are racially biased and are not effective at their key tasks: predicting the likelihood someone will return to court. Dawn R. Wolfe
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp Wants to Slash Public Defender Funding By $3 Million Advocates warn that the cuts could push an already overburdened system to the breaking point. Jay Willis
How Dubious Science Helped Put A New Jersey Woman In Prison For Killing A Baby In Her Care The state said Michelle Heale shook the baby to death, but some experts say her conviction was based on debunked science. Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg
The Appeal Podcast: Imagining A Post-Incarceration World With Danielle Sered of Common Justice Adam H. Johnson
Rep. Ayanna Pressley Unveils Sweeping Plan To Reshape American Criminal Legal System Under the proposal, localities would be incentivized to significantly decrease prison populations. Kira Lerner
Thousands of New Yorkers Face Arrest Each Year For Not Paying Fines and Fees, Report Finds The city comptroller, state lawmakers, and advocates call on the state to end its use of fines and fees in the legal system. Raven Rakia
New York Law Removes ‘Unnecessary’ Step for Children Charged With Felonies 16-year-olds won’t have to reappear in adult criminal court if they’re arrested when youth court isn’t in session. Lauren Gill
Curtis Brooks Didn’t Kill Anyone. So Why Is He Labeled A Murderer For Life? A man sentenced to die in prison is inciting debate over ‘felony murder’ rules in Colorado. Katie Rose Quandt
Internal Documents Reveal How Bronx Prosecutors Are Taught to Slow Down Cases The tactics outlined encourage courtroom ‘dishonesty’ and ‘gamesmanship,’ legal experts argue. George Joseph, Simon Davis-Cohen
