Criminal Justice
Michigan Judge Handcuffed and Jailed a Teen for Falling Asleep During a Field Trip
Judge Kenneth King is facing a lawsuit for punishing a 15-year-old who visited his courtroom with his "own version of Scared Straight.''
Neither Harris Nor Her Party Perceives Any Constitutional Constraints on Gun Control
The 2024 Democratic platform devotes five paragraphs to firearm restrictions but does not even allude to the Second Amendment.
Feds Seek 20-Year Sentence for Backpage Co-Founder Michael Lacey
It's an insane ask for someone convicted of just one nonviolent offense.
Trump's New, More Sophisticated Take on Crime Still Does Not Show 'Homicides Are Skyrocketing'
Although his campaign rejects the FBI's numbers as "garbage," they are broadly consistent with evidence from other sources.
The Feds Are Skirting the Fourth Amendment by Buying Data
The government needs a warrant to spy on you. So agencies are paying tech companies to do it instead.
A Day Care Worker Who Says She Was Documenting Diaper Rashes Got 126 Years for Taking 8 Photos
The Maryland Supreme Court deemed the evidence sufficient to convict the defendant on sexual abuse and child pornography charges.
Don't Blame Dealers for Fentanyl Deaths. Blame Drug Warriors.
Prosecutors' attempts to convert accidental overdoses into homicides are dangerous and morally dubious.
Police Cannot Seize Property Indefinitely After an Arrest, Federal Court Rules
Many circuit courts have said that law enforcement can hold your property for as long as they want. D.C.’s high court decided last week that’s unconstitutional.
Uvalde Police Timid, Bungling During School Shooting, New Records Reveal
If you want something done right, do it yourself. That includes protecting family, friends, and neighbors.
Trump Falsely Claims That 'Homicides Are Skyrocketing,' an Imaginary Trend He Blames on Kamala Harris
Trump's campaign dismisses recent crime data while glossing over the fact that he was president during the huge homicide spike in 2020.
Lawsuit Claims Indiana Unconstitutionally Seizes Millions in Cash From FedEx Packages Every Year
The Institute for Justice says Indianapolis police and prosecutors are exploiting one of the biggest FedEx hubs in the U.S. to seize cash for alleged crimes they never explain.
5 Years of Chicago Police Misconduct Cost Taxpayers Almost $400 Million
Repeat offenders accounted for over 40 percent of the hefty cost.
Texas Might Soon Become the First State To Execute Someone Based on Disputed 'Shaken Baby Syndrome' Evidence
Texas has set an October 17 execution date for Robert Roberson, convicted in 2003 of murdering his 2-year-old daughter.
At State Legislatures Summit, Groups Lobby for Changes to Sex Work Laws
"The conversations are overwhelmingly productive and positive," says a representative from Decriminalize Sex Work.
A 'Reformist' Legal Expert Calls for a Surveillance State
A lawyer who should know better wants to ignore the history of snooping cops to fight guns and crime.
Venezuela's Repression Is Modeled on Horror Movies
The Maduro regime is broadcasting disturbing videos of its crackdown on dissent, featuring clips from Saw and music from A Nightmare on Elm Street.
Pit Stop Policing Transforms Traffic Violations Into High-Stakes Drug Hunts
South Carolina's Operation Rolling Thunder targets cash and contraband but harasses guilty and innocent travelers alike.
The FBI Raided This Innocent Woman's House. Will She Ever Get Justice?
Thus far, the courts have barred Curtrina Martin from asking a jury for damages. She is appealing to the Supreme Court.
Rebel Ridge Is an Upcoming Action Movie About Civil Asset Forfeiture Abuse
The explosions may be fake, but the nightmare scenario is ripped from the headlines.
South Carolina Cops and Courts Rig the Game Against Drivers
An uneven playing field allows the aggressive tactics and legal loopholes that turn traffic stops into cash grabs.
Inside the Unchecked Bus Searches by South Carolina Police
Routine searches of commercial buses violate privacy, target low-income passengers, and result in widespread violations.
'Too Much Law' Gives Prosecutors Enormous Power To Ruin People's Lives
In a new book, Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch describes the "human toll" of proliferating criminal penalties.
South Carolina Cops Target Out-of-State Drivers for Highway Robbery
No arrest necessary as South Carolina police hunt for cash
America Criminalizes Too Much and Punishes Too Much
When those on parole or probation are included, one out of every 47 adults is under “some form of correctional supervision.”
Oklahoma Cops Under Investigation for Slamming Innocent Dad to the Ground for 'Suspicious' Walk With Son
A father says his 6-year-old autistic son is traumatized after two police officers tackled the father for refusing to give his ID during an early morning walk in Watonga.
Prostitution Surveillance Tower Goes Up in San Diego
Warrantless surveillance, Comic Con "sex trafficking," and the persistence of trafficking myths
Operation Rolling Thunder: The Shocking Truth Behind Spartanburg's Traffic Stops
A 21-month legal battle unveils the dark side of South Carolina's annual traffic crackdown.
Nobody Owes Trump Their Vote. Not Even Kyle Rittenhouse.
After announcing he would vote for Ron Paul, an onslaught of criticism ensued. Those critiques missed the mark, even though the gun rights advocate ultimately caved.
Prosecutor of Anti-Trump Protesters Allegedly Withheld Exculpatory Evidence and Lied About It
According to disciplinary charges against Jennifer Kerkhoff Muyskens, she suppressed video evidence that would have helped DisruptJ20 defendants.
New Bill Would Revive the Right To Sue Federal Cops for Constitutional Violations
The Supreme Court created, then gutted, a right to sue federal agents for civil rights violations.
The 9/11 Plotters Should Have Been Found Guilty in a Real Court
War on Terror fears and the CIA’s torture program kept Khalid Sheikh Mohammed out of civilian courts—and prevented true justice from being served.
A Federal Judge Reluctantly Concludes That New Jersey's AR-15 Ban Is Unconstitutional
The decision shows that the Supreme Court has forced judges who like gun control to respect the Second Amendment anyway.
Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich Released From Russian Captivity
Gershkovich was released Thursday in an elaborate prisoner swap involving two dozen prisoners from at least six countries.
Texas Prisoners Are Being 'Cooked Alive' by High Temperatures, Investigation Says
Last year, one prison's temperatures stayed above 100 degrees for 11 days.
A Fetus Doesn't Need Its Own Medical Marijuana License, Oklahoma Court Says
The ruling means it's not child neglect for a pregnant woman prescribed medical marijuana to use it. But some judges say it should be.
Trump's Favorite Justice Was One of Those 'Stupid People' Who Think Flag Burning Is Protected Speech
Antonin Scalia twice joined Supreme Court decisions rejecting bans on that particular form of political expression.
Trump Wants Police To Be Above the Law
Donald Trump pledged to give cops "immunity from prosecution." The idea is both legally illiterate and dangerous.
She 'Came at Me With Boiling Water,' a Cop Charged With Murder Claims, Contradicting What Video Shows
An Illinois sheriff's deputy with a spotty employment history shot Sonya Massey in the face after responding to her report of a prowler.
HIV-Positive Sex Workers No Longer Required To Register As Violent Sex Offenders In Tennessee
Selling sex while HIV-positive will still be a felony.
Unlike Biden and Trump, Kamala Harris Has Repeatedly Supported Pot Legalization
The presumptive Democratic nominee has a more liberal drug policy record than both the president and the Republican presidential nominee.
Promising To Restore 'Law and Order,' Trump Falsely Claims Crime Is Rising
The most notable recent increase happened on the former president's watch, when homicides spiked.
Michigan Supreme Court Rules Against Detroit's Asset Forfeiture Racket
The ruling is the second recent court decision that has curbed Detroit's aggressive vehicle forfeiture program.
Faulty Facial Recognition Tech Got Him Arrested. Now He's Getting a $300,000 Payout.
Robert Williams was arrested in 2020 after facial recognition software incorrectly identified him as the person responsible for a Detroit-area shoplifting incident.
