Women Say Pennsylvania Cop Committed Sexual Assaults, Recorded Them on Body Camera
Their claims are part of a federal lawsuit; other women say they, too, were assaulted and the officer now faces a raft of criminal charges.
Joshua Vaughn Mar 19, 2019
Miami Police Arrest Thousands of Homeless But Leave Rapes, Robberies Unsolved
In 2017, over 2,000 homeless people were arrested on charges including drinking in public and panhandling. That same year, roughly 1,400 people were arrested in Miami-Dade County for rape, murder, and robbery.
Meg O'Connor Mar 18, 2019
What Happens Before Police Press ‘Record’?
Critics say New York’s new interrogation recording law falls short.
Curtis Stephen 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
Party Guests Suing Over Mass Arrest for Less Than An Ounce of Marijuana
Attorneys representing the arrestees in Cartersville, Georgia, say they were mistreated in jail, lost jobs, and endured public humiliation.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Mar 11, 2019
Texas Sheriffs Stand Against Marijuana Policy Reform
New bills would expand access to medical marijuana, but the state's sheriffs' association promises to fight even such modest legislation.
Michael Arria Mar 04, 2019
Police Unions Fight To Rescind Parole For Former Black Panther
In April 2018, Herman Bell was paroled after spending 45 years in prison in a case involving the shooting deaths of two police officers. Now, New York police unions and the widow of one of the slain officers are challenging the decision in court.
Victoria Law Feb 26, 2019
Chicago Cop’s Sentence For Killing A Black Teenager Is ‘Exceptionally Short’
Jason Van Dyke’s sentence for the 2014 murder of Laquan McDonald is approximately half the average sentence for a person convicted of second-degree murder in Cook County, Illinois.
Rob Arthur Feb 25, 2019
‘The Police Act Like We Are Nothing’
A new coalition of people in the sex trades wants New York to become the first state to fully decriminalize their work.
Inside ‘The Stop-And-Frisk Capital of America’
Claims including sexual assault of a woman with mental illness to lying in reports haunt the Miami Gardens police; payouts in federal lawsuits have cost the city's taxpayers at least $3.5 million.
Meg O'Connor Feb 21, 2019
The Mayor of Jackson Wants to Hold Its Police Accountable. Easier Said Than Done.
Since Chokwe Antar Lumumba’s 2017 election, at least five people have died at the hands of the law enforcement in Mississippi’s capital city.
Ko Bragg Feb 20, 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.
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 Arrested A Man On Marijuana Charges. Then He Took His Own Life.
A former Baltimore Police officer says it’s time for the department to stop wasteful, harmful marijuana arrests, especially after Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s announcement that her office would not prosecute cases of possession.
Larry Smith Feb 11, 2019
How A No-Knock Raid in Austin Turned Into a Lethal Shootout
‘There were explosions everywhere ... I had no idea who was in the house.’
Jessica Pishko Feb 05, 2019
Family of Donna Dalton, Who Was Shot By a Columbus Police Officer During Arrest, Demands Independent Inquiry
Advocates say the case hasn’t been handled fairly and there’s little hope for justice.
Melissa Gira Grant Feb 01, 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
New Study Finds Body Cameras Aren’t Objective Witnesses
People who view body cam footage of an incident are less likely to attribute blame to a police officer than those who see the same incident through the lens of a dashboard camera.
Nicole Wetsman Jan 29, 2019
New York Agency Declines to Help Trans Woman Allegedly Harassed by Law Enforcement
She is suing the Division of Human Rights for saying it’s not authorized to investigate her complaint.
Emma Whitford Jan 22, 2019
Battle Over Fare Evasion Decriminalization Boils Over in D.C.
Mayor Muriel Bowser vetoed decriminalization legislation that advocates say would curb the discriminatory policing tactics associated with fare evasion enforcement. Today, the D.C. City Council will decide if it will override her veto.
St. Louis County Is Profiting Off the ‘Muni Shuffle’ Long After Ferguson Protests
A new proposal to abolish small police forces seeks to end the cycle of debt and incarceration.
Teresa Mathew Jan 18, 2019
Years After Protests, NYPD Retains Photos of Black Lives Matter Activists
The records raise questions about the department’s compliance with its protest monitoring rules.
George Joseph Jan 17, 2019
Cannabis Alarmism Hinders Smart Regulations
Alex Berenson says he’s concerned there’s not enough research into cannabis risks, but his misleading arguments set scientists back.
‘A Convenient Scapegoat’
Cherie Townsend is suing the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after she says they falsely imprisoned her for murder and destroyed her reputation.
Raven Rakia Jan 11, 2019
Judge Attacks NYPD Practice of Seizing Teens’ DNA Without Parental Consent
The decision also held that the city’s routine storage of DNA profiles from nonconvicted people in a permanent database violates state law.
George Joseph Jan 10, 2019
Trump Has Turned the War on Trafficking Into a War on Immigrants
The president is drawing on two decades of bipartisan support for crackdowns on traffickers to secure support for his agenda at the border.
ICE Is Using Driver’s License Applications To Arrest Immigrants
More states are giving undocumented immigrants driver’s licenses, but many DMVs are sharing their information with ICE.
Debbie Nathan Dec 21, 2018
Louisiana Strip Club Dancers Fear More Crackdowns as ‘Anti-Trafficking’ Law Goes Into Effect
A ban on dancers under 21 raises questions on the growing role of the state's Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control in policing clubs.
Video Shows Baton Rouge Police Pinning Man To The Ground and Beating Him
The officers were part of the department's Street Crimes Unit, known among residents for its aggressive patrols.
New Jersey Cop Sued Over Shooting Ranks First in His Department for Use of Force
Officer Sheehan Miles of the Trenton Police Department had 43 force encounters between 2012 and 2016, according to a new database.
George Joseph Dec 19, 2018
Is The NYPD’s Special Victims Division Prematurely Closing Sexual Assault Cases?
Advocates say victims are being pressured to sign ‘withdrawal’ forms to quickly close investigations and protect the department from legal liability.
Meg O'Connor Dec 17, 2018
NYPD Commander’s Text Messages Show How the Quota System Persists
Officers say the language used now is more subtle but still encourages numbers-driven policing.
George Joseph Dec 12, 2018
‘Things Have Changed’: A New Texas Anti-Immigration Measure Feeds Fear of the Police
SB 4 encourages officers to ask for the status of anyone they detain.
Debbie Nathan Dec 10, 2018
Black Lives Matter DC’s Battle to End Stop-and-Frisk In The Nation’s Capital
Advocates say the city has dragged its feet on legislation meant to ensure transparency on the police practice, and that data released so far—from 2010 to 2016, nearly 82 percent of stops involved Black people—signals that it’s time to end stop-and-frisk entirely.
Ella Fassler Dec 03, 2018
Immigrant Who Fled Gangs and Torture Challenges ICE Detainers
Attorneys for a Honduran woman are suing over the widespread jailhouse practice of honoring ICE requests to hold incarcerated immigrants for pickup.
Georgia Woman Endured Arrest, Million-Dollar Bond, and Months of Jail Over ‘Meth’ That Was Actually Cotton Candy
A notoriously unreliable roadside drug test administered by Monroe County sheriff's deputies led to Dasha Fincher being charged with methamphetamine trafficking.
Lauren Gill Nov 27, 2018
A Year After Police Shot Calvin Toney, His Family Still Doesn’t Know What Happened
Baton Rouge residents say little has changed after Alton Sterling.
Black Men Disproportionately Represented On Sex Offender Registries
Even though it’s unlikely that they commit sexual assault at higher rates than other ethnic or racial groups, nearly one of every 100 Black men is on a sex offender registry, a rate double that of white men.
Debbie Nathan Nov 15, 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.
Is A Philadelphia Agency’s Seizure Of Vehicles A New Form of Civil Asset Forfeiture?
The city’s experiment with civil asset forfeiture was supposed to end, but the practices of its parking agency and some in state law enforcement suggest that police may be turning to other forms of property confiscation.
Ryan Briggs Nov 14, 2018
Lawsuit Accuses A Louisiana Police Chief Of Punching a Man and Throwing His Wife to the Ground
Then he ordered another officer to arrest the man.
George Joseph Nov 13, 2018
New Evidence Reveals Columbus Police Filed Misleading Reports on Stormy Daniels Arrest
In internal documents obtained by The Appeal, the vice unit’s supervisor admits no specific complaints were lodged against Daniels or the club before the police took action.
George Joseph Nov 12, 2018
A Suit on Behalf of 6,000 Women Decries Law Enforcement’s Handling of Sexual Assault Cases
In Travis County, detectives refused training that would have helped them interview victims of trauma.
Kira Lerner Nov 09, 2018
States Are Enacting Their Own Bans Against ‘Sanctuary City’ Policies
In response, a new ‘Freedom Cities’ movement is rising to defend immigrants’ rights.
How Tuesday’s Sheriff Elections Dealt a Blow to ICE
Local allies of the Trump administration fought challengers over immigration policy.
Daniel Nichanian Nov 08, 2018
North Carolina Sheriff Criticized For Unleashing K-9 Dogs On Black People Faces Re-Election
Advocates say that Sheriff Donnie Harrison is unfit for a fifth term because of such abusive practices as well as his office's cooperation with ICE.
George Joseph Nov 02, 2018
In Allegheny County, People Arrested With Cell Phones Can Be Charged With ‘Possessing Instruments of Crime’
Advocates say these charges endanger sex workers and urge the police to stop using them.
Melissa Gira Grant Oct 31, 2018
A Trump Favorite For His Hardline Anti-Immigration Stance, Maryland Sheriff Now Faces Re-Election
Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins seeks a fourth term as critics blast him for a record that includes poor jail conditions, in-custody suicides, and the deaths of two young people at the hands of his deputies.
Rural Oregon Sheriffs Lead Charge to Repeal State’s Sanctuary Law
More than one dozen sheriffs support Measure 105 that would allow for cooperation with federal authorities even when an immigrant suspect has not been apprehended for any crime.
Mike Faulk Oct 30, 2018
Baltimore’s ‘Eye in the Sky’ Plane Is Back With A New Pitch: Surveil The Police
Dismal police accountability has made communities vulnerable to private vendors.
This Florida County’s Sheriff Is Controversial. But His Election Won’t Be Close.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office stands accused of violating immigrants’ rights and dismissing a shocking number of jail deaths.
George Joseph Oct 23, 2018
Program Meant To Fight Terrorism and Narcotrafficking Is Being Used to Target The Undocumented Community
Opposition to Operation Stonegarden, however, is spreading; one Arizona county just rejected over $1 million of its funds.
Debbie Nathan Oct 22, 2018
U.S. Marshals Exaggerated A Recent ‘Child Recovery’ Sweep in Michigan. Here’s Why That Matters.
Experts say playing up the risk of sex trafficking fuels anxiety and criminalization.
Melissa Gira Grant Oct 19, 2018
NYPD Unit That Monitored Proud Boys Event Has Troubled History
The Strategic Response Group was created for counter-terrorism but it's involved in everything from Broken Windows policing to suppressing protest.
In Alabama, Black People Are 4 Times More Likely Than White People To Be Arrested For Marijuana Possession
A new report details Alabama’s “War on Marijuana” ahead of a key DA election.
George Joseph Oct 18, 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
Secretive Campus Cops Patrol Already Overpoliced Neighborhoods
Campus police forces have become more professionalized, but critics say they operate behind a veil of secrecy and often exceed their jurisdiction.
Ryan Briggs Oct 15, 2018
The Appeal Podcast: How Activists Brought Down the Most Powerful Man in Chicago
With writer Kelly Hayes.
Adam H. Johnson Oct 11, 2018
Baltimore’s Gun Offender Registry Is A Misfire
Established to track anyone convicted of a gun-related offense, the registry has proved to be both racist and ineffective in reducing gun violence.
Larry Smith Oct 09, 2018
Suit Filed by Strip Club Workers in Columbus Sheds Light on Troubled Vice Squad
The women, who were arrested alongside Stormy Daniels in July, allege that they were smeared by arresting officers, but they’re just the latest to raise concerns.
Melissa Gira Grant Oct 05, 2018
After Pittsburgh Decriminalizes Pot, Black People Are Still Disproportionately Charged With Possession
About 51 percent of the people charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana in Allegheny County are Black.
Joshua Vaughn Oct 03, 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
Claims of Racism and Brutality Dog Los Angeles County Sheriff ‘Deputy Gangs’
A lawsuit brought by a Compton resident detailing an alleged beating by deputies is just one of nearly three dozen federal civil rights lawsuits alleging brutality and racial bias at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Inside NY Courts Where Sex Workers are ‘Painted as Victims and Treated as Criminals’
Two new reports challenge the efficacy and ethics of prostitution diversion programs in New York City and nationwide.
Melissa Gira Grant Sep 21, 2018
In Washington State, It’s Nearly Impossible To Prosecute Police Killings
This fall, however, an initiative goes to voters that would change the law on deadly force by the police, which has led to no officer there being convicted of wrongfully killing someone in the line of duty in more than 30 years.
Mike Faulk Sep 20, 2018
Public Defenders Say New York’s New Policy To Reduce Marijuana Arrests Doesn’t Go Far Enough
The exceptions to the policy change could actually worsen the racial disparities in marijuana-related arrests, defense attorneys told The Appeal.
Raven Rakia Sep 17, 2018
Ohio State Rep: If Police Tase or Shoot a Child, She Probably Acted ‘Stupid’ or Was ‘a Punk’
Rep. John Becker doubles down on his recent comments about the tasing of an 11-year-old for allegedly shoplifting.
Melissa Gira Grant Sep 14, 2018
Just 6% of Columbus Police Officers Account for Half of All Force Reports
Between 2001 and 2017, the department justified officers in 99 percent of use-of-force cases, according to data released through a public records request.
A Grand Jury Indicted An Alabama Police Officer For Murder. Then A Mayor Came To His Defense.
Jeffery Parker was shot to death by a police officer in his Huntsville home. A grand jury handed up an indictment for murder, but the mayor and City Council appear to be throwing their support behind the officer.
Lauren Gill Sep 10, 2018
How decriminalizing sex work became a campaign issue in 2018
State Senate candidate Julia Salazar explains how sex workers’ rights is a key part of reforming criminal justice in New York.
Melissa Gira Grant Sep 07, 2018
Columbus Officer Was Under Investigation When He Shot and Killed Donna Dalton
Community outrage mounts over Officer Andrew Mitchell’s killing of Dalton during an attempted prostitution arrest.
Melissa Gira Grant Aug 30, 2018
Two Cops Said They Saw A Man Grope Women. The Women Disagreed. The DA Charged Him Anyway
An 11-month prosecution of a ‘forcible touching’ case in Manhattan sharply diverges from the office’s treatment of Harvey Weinstein, defense attorneys say.
Louisiana Law Enforcement Officers Are Moonlighting For A Controversial Pipeline Company
Off-duty law enforcement officers are using state resources to work side jobs for the pipeline company.
Karen Savage Aug 28, 2018
Doxxed By Berkeley Police
Critics say the Berkeley Police Department’s unusual practice of posting anti-fascist protesters’ mugshots on Twitter endangers activists and violates free speech rights.
Scott Morris Aug 24, 2018
Notoriously Brutal, Racist Plainclothes Policing Makes A Return In Baltimore
After the Gun Trace Task Force scandal rocked the police department, plainclothes policing was spurned. But a recently resigned commissioner championed plainclothes units, a decision the department seems to be sticking with.
Larry Smith Aug 22, 2018
It Is Now Even Harder for Trafficking Survivors to Get Visas
Local advocates are struggling with a new immigration memo that makes it more difficult to support these survivors.
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 an agreement with their doctor before being prescribed opioid medication for the first time.
Joshua Vaughn Aug 17, 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
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
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
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 Criticizes 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.
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.
Women Say Pennsylvania Cop Committed Sexual Assaults, Recorded Them on Body Camera
Their claims are part of a federal lawsuit; other women say they, too, were assaulted and the officer now faces a raft of criminal charges.
Joshua Vaughn Mar 19, 2019
Miami Police Arrest Thousands of Homeless But Leave Rapes, Robberies Unsolved
In 2017, over 2,000 homeless people were arrested on charges including drinking in public and panhandling. That same year, roughly 1,400 people were arrested in Miami-Dade County for rape, murder, and robbery.
Meg O'Connor Mar 18, 2019
What Happens Before Police Press ‘Record’?
Critics say New York’s new interrogation recording law falls short.
Curtis Stephen 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
Party Guests Suing Over Mass Arrest for Less Than An Ounce of Marijuana
Attorneys representing the arrestees in Cartersville, Georgia, say they were mistreated in jail, lost jobs, and endured public humiliation.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Mar 11, 2019
Texas Sheriffs Stand Against Marijuana Policy Reform
New bills would expand access to medical marijuana, but the state's sheriffs' association promises to fight even such modest legislation.
Michael Arria Mar 04, 2019
Police Unions Fight To Rescind Parole For Former Black Panther
In April 2018, Herman Bell was paroled after spending 45 years in prison in a case involving the shooting deaths of two police officers. Now, New York police unions and the widow of one of the slain officers are challenging the decision in court.
Victoria Law Feb 26, 2019
Chicago Cop’s Sentence For Killing A Black Teenager Is ‘Exceptionally Short’
Jason Van Dyke’s sentence for the 2014 murder of Laquan McDonald is approximately half the average sentence for a person convicted of second-degree murder in Cook County, Illinois.
Rob Arthur Feb 25, 2019
‘The Police Act Like We Are Nothing’
A new coalition of people in the sex trades wants New York to become the first state to fully decriminalize their work.
Inside ‘The Stop-And-Frisk Capital of America’
Claims including sexual assault of a woman with mental illness to lying in reports haunt the Miami Gardens police; payouts in federal lawsuits have cost the city's taxpayers at least $3.5 million.
Meg O'Connor Feb 21, 2019
The Mayor of Jackson Wants to Hold Its Police Accountable. Easier Said Than Done.
Since Chokwe Antar Lumumba’s 2017 election, at least five people have died at the hands of the law enforcement in Mississippi’s capital city.
Ko Bragg Feb 20, 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.
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 Arrested A Man On Marijuana Charges. Then He Took His Own Life.
A former Baltimore Police officer says it’s time for the department to stop wasteful, harmful marijuana arrests, especially after Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s announcement that her office would not prosecute cases of possession.
Larry Smith Feb 11, 2019
How A No-Knock Raid in Austin Turned Into a Lethal Shootout
‘There were explosions everywhere ... I had no idea who was in the house.’
Jessica Pishko Feb 05, 2019
Family of Donna Dalton, Who Was Shot By a Columbus Police Officer During Arrest, Demands Independent Inquiry
Advocates say the case hasn’t been handled fairly and there’s little hope for justice.
Melissa Gira Grant Feb 01, 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
New Study Finds Body Cameras Aren’t Objective Witnesses
People who view body cam footage of an incident are less likely to attribute blame to a police officer than those who see the same incident through the lens of a dashboard camera.
Nicole Wetsman Jan 29, 2019
New York Agency Declines to Help Trans Woman Allegedly Harassed by Law Enforcement
She is suing the Division of Human Rights for saying it’s not authorized to investigate her complaint.
Emma Whitford Jan 22, 2019
Battle Over Fare Evasion Decriminalization Boils Over in D.C.
Mayor Muriel Bowser vetoed decriminalization legislation that advocates say would curb the discriminatory policing tactics associated with fare evasion enforcement. Today, the D.C. City Council will decide if it will override her veto.
St. Louis County Is Profiting Off the ‘Muni Shuffle’ Long After Ferguson Protests
A new proposal to abolish small police forces seeks to end the cycle of debt and incarceration.
Teresa Mathew Jan 18, 2019
Years After Protests, NYPD Retains Photos of Black Lives Matter Activists
The records raise questions about the department’s compliance with its protest monitoring rules.
George Joseph Jan 17, 2019
Cannabis Alarmism Hinders Smart Regulations
Alex Berenson says he’s concerned there’s not enough research into cannabis risks, but his misleading arguments set scientists back.
‘A Convenient Scapegoat’
Cherie Townsend is suing the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after she says they falsely imprisoned her for murder and destroyed her reputation.
Raven Rakia Jan 11, 2019
Judge Attacks NYPD Practice of Seizing Teens’ DNA Without Parental Consent
The decision also held that the city’s routine storage of DNA profiles from nonconvicted people in a permanent database violates state law.
George Joseph Jan 10, 2019
Trump Has Turned the War on Trafficking Into a War on Immigrants
The president is drawing on two decades of bipartisan support for crackdowns on traffickers to secure support for his agenda at the border.
ICE Is Using Driver’s License Applications To Arrest Immigrants
More states are giving undocumented immigrants driver’s licenses, but many DMVs are sharing their information with ICE.
Debbie Nathan Dec 21, 2018
Louisiana Strip Club Dancers Fear More Crackdowns as ‘Anti-Trafficking’ Law Goes Into Effect
A ban on dancers under 21 raises questions on the growing role of the state's Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control in policing clubs.
Video Shows Baton Rouge Police Pinning Man To The Ground and Beating Him
The officers were part of the department's Street Crimes Unit, known among residents for its aggressive patrols.
New Jersey Cop Sued Over Shooting Ranks First in His Department for Use of Force
Officer Sheehan Miles of the Trenton Police Department had 43 force encounters between 2012 and 2016, according to a new database.
George Joseph Dec 19, 2018
Is The NYPD’s Special Victims Division Prematurely Closing Sexual Assault Cases?
Advocates say victims are being pressured to sign ‘withdrawal’ forms to quickly close investigations and protect the department from legal liability.
Meg O'Connor Dec 17, 2018
NYPD Commander’s Text Messages Show How the Quota System Persists
Officers say the language used now is more subtle but still encourages numbers-driven policing.
George Joseph Dec 12, 2018
‘Things Have Changed’: A New Texas Anti-Immigration Measure Feeds Fear of the Police
SB 4 encourages officers to ask for the status of anyone they detain.
Debbie Nathan Dec 10, 2018
Black Lives Matter DC’s Battle to End Stop-and-Frisk In The Nation’s Capital
Advocates say the city has dragged its feet on legislation meant to ensure transparency on the police practice, and that data released so far—from 2010 to 2016, nearly 82 percent of stops involved Black people—signals that it’s time to end stop-and-frisk entirely.
Ella Fassler Dec 03, 2018
Immigrant Who Fled Gangs and Torture Challenges ICE Detainers
Attorneys for a Honduran woman are suing over the widespread jailhouse practice of honoring ICE requests to hold incarcerated immigrants for pickup.
Georgia Woman Endured Arrest, Million-Dollar Bond, and Months of Jail Over ‘Meth’ That Was Actually Cotton Candy
A notoriously unreliable roadside drug test administered by Monroe County sheriff's deputies led to Dasha Fincher being charged with methamphetamine trafficking.
Lauren Gill Nov 27, 2018
A Year After Police Shot Calvin Toney, His Family Still Doesn’t Know What Happened
Baton Rouge residents say little has changed after Alton Sterling.
Black Men Disproportionately Represented On Sex Offender Registries
Even though it’s unlikely that they commit sexual assault at higher rates than other ethnic or racial groups, nearly one of every 100 Black men is on a sex offender registry, a rate double that of white men.
Debbie Nathan Nov 15, 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.
Is A Philadelphia Agency’s Seizure Of Vehicles A New Form of Civil Asset Forfeiture?
The city’s experiment with civil asset forfeiture was supposed to end, but the practices of its parking agency and some in state law enforcement suggest that police may be turning to other forms of property confiscation.
Ryan Briggs Nov 14, 2018
Lawsuit Accuses A Louisiana Police Chief Of Punching a Man and Throwing His Wife to the Ground
Then he ordered another officer to arrest the man.
George Joseph Nov 13, 2018
New Evidence Reveals Columbus Police Filed Misleading Reports on Stormy Daniels Arrest
In internal documents obtained by The Appeal, the vice unit’s supervisor admits no specific complaints were lodged against Daniels or the club before the police took action.
George Joseph Nov 12, 2018
A Suit on Behalf of 6,000 Women Decries Law Enforcement’s Handling of Sexual Assault Cases
In Travis County, detectives refused training that would have helped them interview victims of trauma.
Kira Lerner Nov 09, 2018
States Are Enacting Their Own Bans Against ‘Sanctuary City’ Policies
In response, a new ‘Freedom Cities’ movement is rising to defend immigrants’ rights.
How Tuesday’s Sheriff Elections Dealt a Blow to ICE
Local allies of the Trump administration fought challengers over immigration policy.
Daniel Nichanian Nov 08, 2018
North Carolina Sheriff Criticized For Unleashing K-9 Dogs On Black People Faces Re-Election
Advocates say that Sheriff Donnie Harrison is unfit for a fifth term because of such abusive practices as well as his office's cooperation with ICE.
George Joseph Nov 02, 2018
In Allegheny County, People Arrested With Cell Phones Can Be Charged With ‘Possessing Instruments of Crime’
Advocates say these charges endanger sex workers and urge the police to stop using them.
Melissa Gira Grant Oct 31, 2018
A Trump Favorite For His Hardline Anti-Immigration Stance, Maryland Sheriff Now Faces Re-Election
Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins seeks a fourth term as critics blast him for a record that includes poor jail conditions, in-custody suicides, and the deaths of two young people at the hands of his deputies.
Rural Oregon Sheriffs Lead Charge to Repeal State’s Sanctuary Law
More than one dozen sheriffs support Measure 105 that would allow for cooperation with federal authorities even when an immigrant suspect has not been apprehended for any crime.
Mike Faulk Oct 30, 2018
Baltimore’s ‘Eye in the Sky’ Plane Is Back With A New Pitch: Surveil The Police
Dismal police accountability has made communities vulnerable to private vendors.
This Florida County’s Sheriff Is Controversial. But His Election Won’t Be Close.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office stands accused of violating immigrants’ rights and dismissing a shocking number of jail deaths.
George Joseph Oct 23, 2018
Program Meant To Fight Terrorism and Narcotrafficking Is Being Used to Target The Undocumented Community
Opposition to Operation Stonegarden, however, is spreading; one Arizona county just rejected over $1 million of its funds.
Debbie Nathan Oct 22, 2018
U.S. Marshals Exaggerated A Recent ‘Child Recovery’ Sweep in Michigan. Here’s Why That Matters.
Experts say playing up the risk of sex trafficking fuels anxiety and criminalization.
Melissa Gira Grant Oct 19, 2018
NYPD Unit That Monitored Proud Boys Event Has Troubled History
The Strategic Response Group was created for counter-terrorism but it's involved in everything from Broken Windows policing to suppressing protest.
In Alabama, Black People Are 4 Times More Likely Than White People To Be Arrested For Marijuana Possession
A new report details Alabama’s “War on Marijuana” ahead of a key DA election.
George Joseph Oct 18, 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
Secretive Campus Cops Patrol Already Overpoliced Neighborhoods
Campus police forces have become more professionalized, but critics say they operate behind a veil of secrecy and often exceed their jurisdiction.
Ryan Briggs Oct 15, 2018
The Appeal Podcast: How Activists Brought Down the Most Powerful Man in Chicago
With writer Kelly Hayes.
Adam H. Johnson Oct 11, 2018
Baltimore’s Gun Offender Registry Is A Misfire
Established to track anyone convicted of a gun-related offense, the registry has proved to be both racist and ineffective in reducing gun violence.
Larry Smith Oct 09, 2018
Suit Filed by Strip Club Workers in Columbus Sheds Light on Troubled Vice Squad
The women, who were arrested alongside Stormy Daniels in July, allege that they were smeared by arresting officers, but they’re just the latest to raise concerns.
Melissa Gira Grant Oct 05, 2018
After Pittsburgh Decriminalizes Pot, Black People Are Still Disproportionately Charged With Possession
About 51 percent of the people charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana in Allegheny County are Black.
Joshua Vaughn Oct 03, 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
Claims of Racism and Brutality Dog Los Angeles County Sheriff ‘Deputy Gangs’
A lawsuit brought by a Compton resident detailing an alleged beating by deputies is just one of nearly three dozen federal civil rights lawsuits alleging brutality and racial bias at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Inside NY Courts Where Sex Workers are ‘Painted as Victims and Treated as Criminals’
Two new reports challenge the efficacy and ethics of prostitution diversion programs in New York City and nationwide.
Melissa Gira Grant Sep 21, 2018
In Washington State, It’s Nearly Impossible To Prosecute Police Killings
This fall, however, an initiative goes to voters that would change the law on deadly force by the police, which has led to no officer there being convicted of wrongfully killing someone in the line of duty in more than 30 years.
Mike Faulk Sep 20, 2018
Public Defenders Say New York’s New Policy To Reduce Marijuana Arrests Doesn’t Go Far Enough
The exceptions to the policy change could actually worsen the racial disparities in marijuana-related arrests, defense attorneys told The Appeal.
Raven Rakia Sep 17, 2018
Ohio State Rep: If Police Tase or Shoot a Child, She Probably Acted ‘Stupid’ or Was ‘a Punk’
Rep. John Becker doubles down on his recent comments about the tasing of an 11-year-old for allegedly shoplifting.
Melissa Gira Grant Sep 14, 2018
Just 6% of Columbus Police Officers Account for Half of All Force Reports
Between 2001 and 2017, the department justified officers in 99 percent of use-of-force cases, according to data released through a public records request.
A Grand Jury Indicted An Alabama Police Officer For Murder. Then A Mayor Came To His Defense.
Jeffery Parker was shot to death by a police officer in his Huntsville home. A grand jury handed up an indictment for murder, but the mayor and City Council appear to be throwing their support behind the officer.
Lauren Gill Sep 10, 2018
How decriminalizing sex work became a campaign issue in 2018
State Senate candidate Julia Salazar explains how sex workers’ rights is a key part of reforming criminal justice in New York.
Melissa Gira Grant Sep 07, 2018
Columbus Officer Was Under Investigation When He Shot and Killed Donna Dalton
Community outrage mounts over Officer Andrew Mitchell’s killing of Dalton during an attempted prostitution arrest.
Melissa Gira Grant Aug 30, 2018
Two Cops Said They Saw A Man Grope Women. The Women Disagreed. The DA Charged Him Anyway
An 11-month prosecution of a ‘forcible touching’ case in Manhattan sharply diverges from the office’s treatment of Harvey Weinstein, defense attorneys say.
Louisiana Law Enforcement Officers Are Moonlighting For A Controversial Pipeline Company
Off-duty law enforcement officers are using state resources to work side jobs for the pipeline company.
Karen Savage Aug 28, 2018
Doxxed By Berkeley Police
Critics say the Berkeley Police Department’s unusual practice of posting anti-fascist protesters’ mugshots on Twitter endangers activists and violates free speech rights.
Scott Morris Aug 24, 2018
Notoriously Brutal, Racist Plainclothes Policing Makes A Return In Baltimore
After the Gun Trace Task Force scandal rocked the police department, plainclothes policing was spurned. But a recently resigned commissioner championed plainclothes units, a decision the department seems to be sticking with.
Larry Smith Aug 22, 2018
It Is Now Even Harder for Trafficking Survivors to Get Visas
Local advocates are struggling with a new immigration memo that makes it more difficult to support these survivors.
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 an agreement with their doctor before being prescribed opioid medication for the first time.
Joshua Vaughn Aug 17, 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
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
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
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 Criticizes 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.
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.
Women Say Pennsylvania Cop Committed Sexual Assaults, Recorded Them on Body Camera
Their claims are part of a federal lawsuit; other women say they, too, were assaulted and the officer now faces a raft of criminal charges.
Joshua Vaughn Mar 19, 2019
Miami Police Arrest Thousands of Homeless But Leave Rapes, Robberies Unsolved
In 2017, over 2,000 homeless people were arrested on charges including drinking in public and panhandling. That same year, roughly 1,400 people were arrested in Miami-Dade County for rape, murder, and robbery.
Meg O'Connor Mar 18, 2019
What Happens Before Police Press ‘Record’?
Critics say New York’s new interrogation recording law falls short.
Curtis Stephen 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
Party Guests Suing Over Mass Arrest for Less Than An Ounce of Marijuana
Attorneys representing the arrestees in Cartersville, Georgia, say they were mistreated in jail, lost jobs, and endured public humiliation.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Mar 11, 2019
Texas Sheriffs Stand Against Marijuana Policy Reform
New bills would expand access to medical marijuana, but the state's sheriffs' association promises to fight even such modest legislation.
Michael Arria Mar 04, 2019
Police Unions Fight To Rescind Parole For Former Black Panther
In April 2018, Herman Bell was paroled after spending 45 years in prison in a case involving the shooting deaths of two police officers. Now, New York police unions and the widow of one of the slain officers are challenging the decision in court.
Victoria Law Feb 26, 2019
Chicago Cop’s Sentence For Killing A Black Teenager Is ‘Exceptionally Short’
Jason Van Dyke’s sentence for the 2014 murder of Laquan McDonald is approximately half the average sentence for a person convicted of second-degree murder in Cook County, Illinois.
Rob Arthur Feb 25, 2019
‘The Police Act Like We Are Nothing’
A new coalition of people in the sex trades wants New York to become the first state to fully decriminalize their work.
Inside ‘The Stop-And-Frisk Capital of America’
Claims including sexual assault of a woman with mental illness to lying in reports haunt the Miami Gardens police; payouts in federal lawsuits have cost the city's taxpayers at least $3.5 million.
Meg O'Connor Feb 21, 2019
The Mayor of Jackson Wants to Hold Its Police Accountable. Easier Said Than Done.
Since Chokwe Antar Lumumba’s 2017 election, at least five people have died at the hands of the law enforcement in Mississippi’s capital city.
Ko Bragg Feb 20, 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.
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 Arrested A Man On Marijuana Charges. Then He Took His Own Life.
A former Baltimore Police officer says it’s time for the department to stop wasteful, harmful marijuana arrests, especially after Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s announcement that her office would not prosecute cases of possession.
Larry Smith Feb 11, 2019
How A No-Knock Raid in Austin Turned Into a Lethal Shootout
‘There were explosions everywhere ... I had no idea who was in the house.’
Jessica Pishko Feb 05, 2019
Family of Donna Dalton, Who Was Shot By a Columbus Police Officer During Arrest, Demands Independent Inquiry
Advocates say the case hasn’t been handled fairly and there’s little hope for justice.
Melissa Gira Grant Feb 01, 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
New Study Finds Body Cameras Aren’t Objective Witnesses
People who view body cam footage of an incident are less likely to attribute blame to a police officer than those who see the same incident through the lens of a dashboard camera.
Nicole Wetsman Jan 29, 2019
New York Agency Declines to Help Trans Woman Allegedly Harassed by Law Enforcement
She is suing the Division of Human Rights for saying it’s not authorized to investigate her complaint.
Emma Whitford Jan 22, 2019
Battle Over Fare Evasion Decriminalization Boils Over in D.C.
Mayor Muriel Bowser vetoed decriminalization legislation that advocates say would curb the discriminatory policing tactics associated with fare evasion enforcement. Today, the D.C. City Council will decide if it will override her veto.
St. Louis County Is Profiting Off the ‘Muni Shuffle’ Long After Ferguson Protests
A new proposal to abolish small police forces seeks to end the cycle of debt and incarceration.
Teresa Mathew Jan 18, 2019
Years After Protests, NYPD Retains Photos of Black Lives Matter Activists
The records raise questions about the department’s compliance with its protest monitoring rules.
George Joseph Jan 17, 2019
Cannabis Alarmism Hinders Smart Regulations
Alex Berenson says he’s concerned there’s not enough research into cannabis risks, but his misleading arguments set scientists back.
‘A Convenient Scapegoat’
Cherie Townsend is suing the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after she says they falsely imprisoned her for murder and destroyed her reputation.
Raven Rakia Jan 11, 2019
Judge Attacks NYPD Practice of Seizing Teens’ DNA Without Parental Consent
The decision also held that the city’s routine storage of DNA profiles from nonconvicted people in a permanent database violates state law.
George Joseph Jan 10, 2019
Trump Has Turned the War on Trafficking Into a War on Immigrants
The president is drawing on two decades of bipartisan support for crackdowns on traffickers to secure support for his agenda at the border.
ICE Is Using Driver’s License Applications To Arrest Immigrants
More states are giving undocumented immigrants driver’s licenses, but many DMVs are sharing their information with ICE.
Debbie Nathan Dec 21, 2018
Louisiana Strip Club Dancers Fear More Crackdowns as ‘Anti-Trafficking’ Law Goes Into Effect
A ban on dancers under 21 raises questions on the growing role of the state's Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control in policing clubs.
Video Shows Baton Rouge Police Pinning Man To The Ground and Beating Him
The officers were part of the department's Street Crimes Unit, known among residents for its aggressive patrols.
New Jersey Cop Sued Over Shooting Ranks First in His Department for Use of Force
Officer Sheehan Miles of the Trenton Police Department had 43 force encounters between 2012 and 2016, according to a new database.
George Joseph Dec 19, 2018
Is The NYPD’s Special Victims Division Prematurely Closing Sexual Assault Cases?
Advocates say victims are being pressured to sign ‘withdrawal’ forms to quickly close investigations and protect the department from legal liability.
Meg O'Connor Dec 17, 2018
NYPD Commander’s Text Messages Show How the Quota System Persists
Officers say the language used now is more subtle but still encourages numbers-driven policing.
George Joseph Dec 12, 2018
‘Things Have Changed’: A New Texas Anti-Immigration Measure Feeds Fear of the Police
SB 4 encourages officers to ask for the status of anyone they detain.
Debbie Nathan Dec 10, 2018
Black Lives Matter DC’s Battle to End Stop-and-Frisk In The Nation’s Capital
Advocates say the city has dragged its feet on legislation meant to ensure transparency on the police practice, and that data released so far—from 2010 to 2016, nearly 82 percent of stops involved Black people—signals that it’s time to end stop-and-frisk entirely.
Ella Fassler Dec 03, 2018
Immigrant Who Fled Gangs and Torture Challenges ICE Detainers
Attorneys for a Honduran woman are suing over the widespread jailhouse practice of honoring ICE requests to hold incarcerated immigrants for pickup.
Georgia Woman Endured Arrest, Million-Dollar Bond, and Months of Jail Over ‘Meth’ That Was Actually Cotton Candy
A notoriously unreliable roadside drug test administered by Monroe County sheriff's deputies led to Dasha Fincher being charged with methamphetamine trafficking.
Lauren Gill Nov 27, 2018
A Year After Police Shot Calvin Toney, His Family Still Doesn’t Know What Happened
Baton Rouge residents say little has changed after Alton Sterling.
Black Men Disproportionately Represented On Sex Offender Registries
Even though it’s unlikely that they commit sexual assault at higher rates than other ethnic or racial groups, nearly one of every 100 Black men is on a sex offender registry, a rate double that of white men.
Debbie Nathan Nov 15, 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.
Is A Philadelphia Agency’s Seizure Of Vehicles A New Form of Civil Asset Forfeiture?
The city’s experiment with civil asset forfeiture was supposed to end, but the practices of its parking agency and some in state law enforcement suggest that police may be turning to other forms of property confiscation.
Ryan Briggs Nov 14, 2018
Lawsuit Accuses A Louisiana Police Chief Of Punching a Man and Throwing His Wife to the Ground
Then he ordered another officer to arrest the man.
George Joseph Nov 13, 2018
New Evidence Reveals Columbus Police Filed Misleading Reports on Stormy Daniels Arrest
In internal documents obtained by The Appeal, the vice unit’s supervisor admits no specific complaints were lodged against Daniels or the club before the police took action.
George Joseph Nov 12, 2018
A Suit on Behalf of 6,000 Women Decries Law Enforcement’s Handling of Sexual Assault Cases
In Travis County, detectives refused training that would have helped them interview victims of trauma.
Kira Lerner Nov 09, 2018
States Are Enacting Their Own Bans Against ‘Sanctuary City’ Policies
In response, a new ‘Freedom Cities’ movement is rising to defend immigrants’ rights.
How Tuesday’s Sheriff Elections Dealt a Blow to ICE
Local allies of the Trump administration fought challengers over immigration policy.
Daniel Nichanian Nov 08, 2018
North Carolina Sheriff Criticized For Unleashing K-9 Dogs On Black People Faces Re-Election
Advocates say that Sheriff Donnie Harrison is unfit for a fifth term because of such abusive practices as well as his office's cooperation with ICE.
George Joseph Nov 02, 2018
In Allegheny County, People Arrested With Cell Phones Can Be Charged With ‘Possessing Instruments of Crime’
Advocates say these charges endanger sex workers and urge the police to stop using them.
Melissa Gira Grant Oct 31, 2018
A Trump Favorite For His Hardline Anti-Immigration Stance, Maryland Sheriff Now Faces Re-Election
Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins seeks a fourth term as critics blast him for a record that includes poor jail conditions, in-custody suicides, and the deaths of two young people at the hands of his deputies.
Rural Oregon Sheriffs Lead Charge to Repeal State’s Sanctuary Law
More than one dozen sheriffs support Measure 105 that would allow for cooperation with federal authorities even when an immigrant suspect has not been apprehended for any crime.
Mike Faulk Oct 30, 2018
Baltimore’s ‘Eye in the Sky’ Plane Is Back With A New Pitch: Surveil The Police
Dismal police accountability has made communities vulnerable to private vendors.
This Florida County’s Sheriff Is Controversial. But His Election Won’t Be Close.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office stands accused of violating immigrants’ rights and dismissing a shocking number of jail deaths.
George Joseph Oct 23, 2018
Program Meant To Fight Terrorism and Narcotrafficking Is Being Used to Target The Undocumented Community
Opposition to Operation Stonegarden, however, is spreading; one Arizona county just rejected over $1 million of its funds.
Debbie Nathan Oct 22, 2018
U.S. Marshals Exaggerated A Recent ‘Child Recovery’ Sweep in Michigan. Here’s Why That Matters.
Experts say playing up the risk of sex trafficking fuels anxiety and criminalization.
Melissa Gira Grant Oct 19, 2018
NYPD Unit That Monitored Proud Boys Event Has Troubled History
The Strategic Response Group was created for counter-terrorism but it's involved in everything from Broken Windows policing to suppressing protest.
In Alabama, Black People Are 4 Times More Likely Than White People To Be Arrested For Marijuana Possession
A new report details Alabama’s “War on Marijuana” ahead of a key DA election.
George Joseph Oct 18, 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
Secretive Campus Cops Patrol Already Overpoliced Neighborhoods
Campus police forces have become more professionalized, but critics say they operate behind a veil of secrecy and often exceed their jurisdiction.
Ryan Briggs Oct 15, 2018
The Appeal Podcast: How Activists Brought Down the Most Powerful Man in Chicago
With writer Kelly Hayes.
Adam H. Johnson Oct 11, 2018
Baltimore’s Gun Offender Registry Is A Misfire
Established to track anyone convicted of a gun-related offense, the registry has proved to be both racist and ineffective in reducing gun violence.
Larry Smith Oct 09, 2018
Suit Filed by Strip Club Workers in Columbus Sheds Light on Troubled Vice Squad
The women, who were arrested alongside Stormy Daniels in July, allege that they were smeared by arresting officers, but they’re just the latest to raise concerns.
Melissa Gira Grant Oct 05, 2018
After Pittsburgh Decriminalizes Pot, Black People Are Still Disproportionately Charged With Possession
About 51 percent of the people charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana in Allegheny County are Black.
Joshua Vaughn Oct 03, 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
Claims of Racism and Brutality Dog Los Angeles County Sheriff ‘Deputy Gangs’
A lawsuit brought by a Compton resident detailing an alleged beating by deputies is just one of nearly three dozen federal civil rights lawsuits alleging brutality and racial bias at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Inside NY Courts Where Sex Workers are ‘Painted as Victims and Treated as Criminals’
Two new reports challenge the efficacy and ethics of prostitution diversion programs in New York City and nationwide.
Melissa Gira Grant Sep 21, 2018
In Washington State, It’s Nearly Impossible To Prosecute Police Killings
This fall, however, an initiative goes to voters that would change the law on deadly force by the police, which has led to no officer there being convicted of wrongfully killing someone in the line of duty in more than 30 years.
Mike Faulk Sep 20, 2018
Public Defenders Say New York’s New Policy To Reduce Marijuana Arrests Doesn’t Go Far Enough
The exceptions to the policy change could actually worsen the racial disparities in marijuana-related arrests, defense attorneys told The Appeal.
Raven Rakia Sep 17, 2018
Ohio State Rep: If Police Tase or Shoot a Child, She Probably Acted ‘Stupid’ or Was ‘a Punk’
Rep. John Becker doubles down on his recent comments about the tasing of an 11-year-old for allegedly shoplifting.
Melissa Gira Grant Sep 14, 2018
Just 6% of Columbus Police Officers Account for Half of All Force Reports
Between 2001 and 2017, the department justified officers in 99 percent of use-of-force cases, according to data released through a public records request.
A Grand Jury Indicted An Alabama Police Officer For Murder. Then A Mayor Came To His Defense.
Jeffery Parker was shot to death by a police officer in his Huntsville home. A grand jury handed up an indictment for murder, but the mayor and City Council appear to be throwing their support behind the officer.
Lauren Gill Sep 10, 2018
How decriminalizing sex work became a campaign issue in 2018
State Senate candidate Julia Salazar explains how sex workers’ rights is a key part of reforming criminal justice in New York.
Melissa Gira Grant Sep 07, 2018
Columbus Officer Was Under Investigation When He Shot and Killed Donna Dalton
Community outrage mounts over Officer Andrew Mitchell’s killing of Dalton during an attempted prostitution arrest.
Melissa Gira Grant Aug 30, 2018
Two Cops Said They Saw A Man Grope Women. The Women Disagreed. The DA Charged Him Anyway
An 11-month prosecution of a ‘forcible touching’ case in Manhattan sharply diverges from the office’s treatment of Harvey Weinstein, defense attorneys say.
Louisiana Law Enforcement Officers Are Moonlighting For A Controversial Pipeline Company
Off-duty law enforcement officers are using state resources to work side jobs for the pipeline company.
Karen Savage Aug 28, 2018
Doxxed By Berkeley Police
Critics say the Berkeley Police Department’s unusual practice of posting anti-fascist protesters’ mugshots on Twitter endangers activists and violates free speech rights.
Scott Morris Aug 24, 2018
Notoriously Brutal, Racist Plainclothes Policing Makes A Return In Baltimore
After the Gun Trace Task Force scandal rocked the police department, plainclothes policing was spurned. But a recently resigned commissioner championed plainclothes units, a decision the department seems to be sticking with.
Larry Smith Aug 22, 2018
It Is Now Even Harder for Trafficking Survivors to Get Visas
Local advocates are struggling with a new immigration memo that makes it more difficult to support these survivors.
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 an agreement with their doctor before being prescribed opioid medication for the first time.
Joshua Vaughn Aug 17, 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
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
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
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 Criticizes 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.
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.