More in Prosecution
The Persistent History of Excluding Black Jurors in North Carolina
A statewide pattern of discrimination in jury selection has gone largely uncorrected, while lives remain in the balance, advocates say.
A Michigan Prosecutor’s ‘Mistake’ Becomes A Family’s ‘Nightmare’
A 10-year-old was charged with assault for throwing a ball at a classmate. The case was dropped, but its effect is still felt.
Man Accused Of Shooting 6 Philadelphia Police Officers Was Federal Informant
A federal prosecutor in Pennsylvania blamed DA Larry Krasner for a bloody standoff, but the suspect has a long relationship with the government that includes a sentence reduction because of his cooperation.
Defending The Conviction Integrity Unit In St. Louis
Forty-three elected local prosecutors filed an amicus brief last week in support of the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s office’s Conviction Integrity Unit’s work in the case of Lamar Johnson.
Painting a Distorted Picture of Crime ‘Spikes’ in New York City
Murder rates are at an all-time low in Brooklyn, but one would hardly know it reading the New York Times.
Prosecutor Sends Staff to Prison, U.S. Attorney General Attacks Reform DAs
Also today: Colorado organizers prepare for the 2020 legislative session
A No-Holds-Barred Assault on Prosecutors
Attorney General William Barr pushed back against reforms by progressive prosecutors—but perhaps his greatest vitriol was reserved for the Boston DA’s attempt to rein in police.
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Last year, lawmakers repealed the felony murder rule, which allowed prosecutors to charge defendants with murders they didn‘t commit.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.
Pennsylvania’s Top Cop Says He Supports Criminal Justice Reform. His Record Suggests Otherwise.
When it comes to criminal justice, advocates say, Attorney General Josh Shapiro seems intent on maintaining the status quo.
In Queens D.A. Race, Criminal Justice Reform Is The Real Winner
Establishment candidate Melinda Katz declared a narrow victory in the New York City borough’s district attorney primary, but progressive Tiffany Cabán pushed the race to the left on issues like marijuana and sex work.
The First Step Act Freed People. Now Prosecutors Are Trying To Lock Some Of Them Up Again.
Prosecutors are pushing back against First Step Act reforms.
When Cops Lie, Should Prosecutors Rely Upon Their Testimony At Trial?
In California, Texas and Florida, advocates sent letters to district attorneys, demanding that they refuse to work with officers with histories of misconduct.
A Night in Jail Over $2.75
In 2017, the Manhattan district attorney pledged not to pursue criminal charges for subway fare evasion. Now the MTA is increasing the system’s police presence.
The Government’s Arguments for Restoring the Death Penalty All Fail
The death penalty in the U.S. is dying, and yet Attorney General William Barr announced that the federal government would begin executing people for the first time since 2003.
Pennsylvania Democrats Had a Chance to Reject Law Limiting Philly D.A.’s Authority
Lawmakers say Republicans used deceptive tactics to pass the controversial bill. The legislative record tells a different story.
Miami Officials: Most People Who Owe Fines and Fees Can Vote
Lawyers and advocates in Miami-Dade County will roll out a new plan to counter the disenfranchisement of people with felony convictions.
In Alabama, Decades-Delayed Justice In A Double Homicide—Or A Brand New Injustice?
Police in Ozark said they solved the 1999 murders of two teenage girls using a genealogy database. But Coley McCraney‘s attorneys say that the case against their client is far from certain.
Decarceration Activist Janos Marton Launches Run For Manhattan D.A.
An organizer in the effort to close New York City’s Rikers Island jails is challenging Cyrus Vance Jr., whom he calls ‘the city’s leading jailer.’
Media Frame: 5 Common Tactics Used to Discredit Reform D.A.s
The backlash is underway against a recent wave of prosecutors who champion criminal justice reform. Here are some methods of attack.
The Power of Peremptory Strikes
As public servants, prosecutors should be willing to put their cases before anyone in the communities they serve.
Spotlight: Ice Cream Licking, Corporate Negligence, And What Constitutes A Crime
Blue Bell listeria outbreak killed three people, but only the teenage prankster accused of licking a carton will face charges.
Philadelphia D.A. Asks Court to Declare Death Penalty System Unconstitutional
Larry Krasner says the punishment is ‘really about poverty’ and race.
Boston Globe Accused of ‘Willie Horton’-Style Fearmongering
Nineteen academics published a letter to the newspaper over its coverage of the Suffolk County DA.
Alaska Passed Sweeping Criminal Justice Reforms. Its New Governor Just Unraveled Them.
Republican Mike Dunleavy was elected on a platform to ‘Make Alaska Safe Again’ and has rolled back recent changes.
Law Enforcement Is Urged to ‘Think Like a Parent, Not a Prosecutor’
A new DA in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, is treating the overdose crisis as a criminal matter rather than a community health issue.
In Rare Motion, Atlanta’s D.A. Reversed Tough-On-Crime Stance
The office of Paul Howard supported early release for a woman convicted of armed robbery. But a judge and advocates questioned the move since thousands of others don’t get that consideration.
San Francisco Is Paying For Jamal Trulove’s Wrongful Conviction. Will Kamala Harris?
Police and prosecutors framed a father of four in a 2007 murder case with local and national political implications.
New Law Forces Dozens on Tennessee’s Sex Offender Registry From Their Homes
The legislation also makes it illegal for many ex-offenders to be alone with their own children.
Spotlight: The Supreme Court on Curtis Flowers—Right for the Wrong Reasons
Last week, the Supreme Court surprised many liberals when it overturned the conviction of a Black man on death row, Curtis Flowers, for racial bias in jury selection.
New Orleans Youth Crime: The Epidemic That Wasn’t
In rhetoric reminiscent of the ‘superpredator‘ scare of the 1990s, the New Orleans District Attorney warned of ‘a brazen population of delinquent teens.‘ But advocates and crime analysts alike say the data doesn’t support his fearmongering claims about kids and crime.
Progressive Philly D.A. Larry Krasner’s Bail Reform Plans Seem Stalled, Advocates Say
Krasner’s office acknowledges ‘there’s room to move forward and do more.’
In A North Florida County, Prosecutors Drop Nearly 50 Percent of Sexual Battery Cases
Over a three-year period, Alachua County prosecutors closed 236 sexual battery cases: 115 were dropped, 92 were offered plea deals, and seven went to trial.
In Louisiana, a Messenger of Change Disregards His Message
James Stewart, Caddo Parish’s DA, continues to defend controversial death sentences that originated with his predecessors.
A Case That Pushed Tiffany Cabán To Run For Queens D.A.
The public defender has garnered big-name endorsements and gained momentum heading into Tuesday’s primary.
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.
The Carceral Feminism Of Linda Fairstein
A nearly 30-year-old New York Times Magazine profile of the infamous prosecutor may reveal as much about Linda Fairstein as Ava DuVernay‘s acclaimed new Netflix series.