Criminal Justice
Trump's Word Games Can't Conceal the Murderous Reality of His Anti-Drug Strategy
Calling suspected cocaine smugglers "combatants" does not justify summarily executing them.
Trump Is Still Claiming He Saves '25,000 American Lives' When He Blows Up a Suspected Drug Boat
So far, by the president's reckoning, he has prevented 650,000 U.S. drug deaths—eight times the number recorded last year.
The Government Wants To Punish Orgasmic Meditation Defendants for Crimes They Weren't Charged With
The prosecutors argue that sentencing based on unconvicted—or even uncharged—conduct doesn't violate due process.
Hegseth Mulls Releasing a Video That Illustrates the Brutality of Trump's Murderous Anti-Drug Strategy
The footage shows what happened to the survivors of the September 2 attack that inaugurated the president's deadly campaign against suspected drug boats.
The 'Threat' That Supposedly Justified Killing 2 Boat Attack Survivors Was Entirely Speculative
The commander who ordered a second missile strike worried that the helpless men he killed might be able to salvage cocaine from the smoldering wreck.
Tim Walz Called Out After Rampant Welfare Fraud
Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi bring you the debut episode of Freed Up—technically not the first they’ve recorded, just the first our editors would let us publish.
Boat Attack Commander Says He Had To Kill 2 Survivors Because They Were Still Trying To Smuggle Cocaine
Adm. Frank M. Murphy reportedly told lawmakers a controversial second strike was necessary because drugs on the burning vessel remained a threat.
New Legal Trouble for a Father Still Mourning His Son
Months after his 7-year-old was struck and killed, prosecutors are still treating a tragedy as a crime—holding a bereaved father under surveillance and keeping the grieving family apart.
Federal Judge Confirms What We Already Knew: DHS Is Breaking Its Own Rules in D.C. Immigration Arrests
United States District Judge Beryl A. Howell said the Department of Homeland Security’s own statements about its policy and practice reveal an “abandonment of the probable cause standard.”
Hegseth's 'Fog of War' Is No Excuse for Summarily Executing Suspected Drug Smugglers
Regardless of what the defense secretary knew or said about the September 2 boat attack, the forces he commands are routinely committing murder in the guise of self-defense.
DHS Continues Airport Cash Seizures, a Year After the Justice Department Ended Them Due to Constitutional Concerns
A year ago the Justice Department suspended the DEA's airport interdiction program because of significant legal risks. The DHS is still using the same tactics.
The Law of War Was Not Designed for Trump's Bogus 'Armed Conflict' With Drug Smugglers
Instead of asking whether a particular boat attack went too far, Congress should ask how the summary execution of criminal suspects became the new normal.
Hegseth's Alleged Order To 'Kill Everybody' Complicates Trump's Defense of His Murderous Anti-Drug Campaign
Even if you accept the president's assertion of an "armed conflict" with drug smugglers, blowing apart survivors of a boat strike would be a war crime.
Trump Pardoned Gobble and Waddle. He Should Pardon More Deserving People, Too.
The president loves freeing people. His controversial clemency grants should not obscure the fact that the pardon power is incredibly important.
2 National Guardsmen Shot in D.C., Suspect in Custody
President Trump has already announced plans to deploy 500 more troops to the nation's capital.
The Pentagon and the FBI Are Investigating 6 Legislators for Exercising Their First Amendment Rights
The Trump administration is desperately trying to criminalize a video noting that service members have no obligation to follow unlawful orders.
How ICE Is Watching Your Thanksgiving Drive
ICE and Border Patrol are using license plate cameras for extensive domestic surveillance.
Trump's Habitual Charges of 'Treason' Reflect His Authoritarian Impulses
The president’s reaction to a supposedly "seditious" video illustrates his tendency to portray criticism of him as a crime.
Federal Judge Dismisses Comey and James Indictments, Saying Trump's U.S. Attorney Appointment Was Illegal
The charges were dismissed without prejudice, so the Justice Department can try again.
Mass Surveillance Is Powering a New Era of Pretextual Traffic Stops
An extensive network of automatic license plate readers is being used to develop predictive intelligence to stop vehicles, violating Americans’ rights.
New Jersey Becomes First State To Bar 'Shaken Baby Syndrome' Testimony at Trial
Dozens of "shaken baby syndrome" convictions have been overturned over the years, but until now, no state court system has limited its use in criminal prosecutions.
Trump Says Legislators Committed Treason by Noting That Soldiers Are Not Obligated To Obey Unlawful Orders
The president's authoritarian response to a video posted by six members of Congress, who he says "should be arrested and put on trial," validates their concerns.
A Rookie Procedural Mistake by James Comey's Prosecutor Could Doom the Case Against Him
Interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan concedes that the grand jury never saw the "edited" version of the indictment.
Congress Votes To Open Up the Epstein Files
There probably is no “client list,” but the files could help answer some pressing questions—and open the door to more revelations.
Misconduct in the James Comey Case Stemmed From a Reckless Rush To Indict Him
A magistrate judge says the government’s missteps may warrant dismissal of the charges against the former FBI director.
Declassified Documents Detail the FBI's Surveillance of a Libertarian Sci-Fi Author
Vernor Vinge, who mocked the surveillance state in his writing, was investigated for alleged connections to socialist Sandinistas in Nicaragua.
Victims' Families Ask the Fifth Circuit to Overturn the Dismissal of the Criminal Case Against Boeing
My two petitions for writs of mandamus challenge the Justice Department's violation of the Crime Victims' Rights Act and argue for substantive "public interest" review of prosecutors' dismissal motions.
Missouri Town Will Pay $500K To Settle Lawsuit Over Deputy Shooting Blind and Deaf Dog
The Animal Legal Defense Fund says it's one of the largest settlements for the police killing of a dog.
Heat Index Inside a South Florida Prison Hit 119 Degrees, Report Says
A lawsuit challenging extreme heat in a Florida prison collected temperature readings during the summer. It found brutal heat persisted day and night.
Less Indictable Than a Ham Sandwich
They say a grand jury would indict a ham sandwich. But failing to get indictments has been a hallmark of the second Trump administration.
Cigarette Taxes Are Costing States Billions in Lost Revenue
Punitive levies drive black markets, fuel criminal enterprises, and—perhaps counterintuitively—help people evade the tax man.
Border Patrol Chief Behind Chicago Crackdown Prepares New Operation in Charlotte
The Trump administration’s urban enforcement push is blurring the line between border control and domestic policing.
Federal Judge Orders Over 600 ICE Detainees To Be Released From Custody
The order was made after finding that these individuals were arrested without a warrant or probable cause, and in violation of a consent decree.
Oregon Woman Says ICE Broke Out Her Car Windows and Detained Her for Filming Them
The First Amendment protects filming the police, but Berenice Garcia-Hernandez says she was dragged out of her car and detained for nearly seven hours for snapping photos of ICE agents.
Jeffrey Epstein: Trump 'Spent Hours At My House' With Victim
Congressional investigators released emails from the late sex trafficker discussing how to leverage his relationship with the future president.
