Police
Matthew Shepard's Murder Was Almost Certainly Not an Anti-Gay Hate Crime
President Biden commemorated the 25th anniversary of his tragic death by celebrating legislation passed in Shepard's name. But it was based on a major falsehood.
An Iowa Man Published Body Camera Footage From His Arrest. The Cops Are Suing Him for Defamation.
Tayvin Galanakis was arrested last year on suspicion of intoxication, even after a Breathalyzer showed he was sober.
Sex Crime Victim Denied $69,000 Settlement Because Cops Seized Her Abuser's Cash Through Civil Forfeiture
The outrageous case has led to calls from Congress to pass legislation curbing civil asset forfeiture.
Weed Is Legal in Illinois. Police Searched His Car Anyway.
An officer conducted the search of Prentiss Jackson's vehicle after claiming he could smell "a little bit of weed." It ultimately resulted in a lengthy prison term.
Alabama Cops Who Arrested Mechanic for Not Giving Them His ID Denied Qualified Immunity
"The police are free to ask questions, and the public is free to ignore them," wrote a federal judge.
Cops and Reporters Are Still Hyping the Halloween Threat Posed by Strangers With Cannabis Candy
A 2022 Canadian case involving what looks like a stoned mistake seems to be the closest real-world example of this purported danger.
Tony Timpa Wrongful Death Trial Ends With 2 Out of 3 Cops Getting Qualified Immunity
The trial—and, in some sense, Timpa's life—was about transparency.
Houston Police Arrested an Animal Rights Protester and Detained Him for 16 Hours, Lawsuit Says
Daraius Dubash was arrested for peacefully protesting in a public park.
The Tony Timpa Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Police Shows Why Jury Trials Are So Important
Trials are incredibly valuable fact-finding tools—particularly when the defendants are public employees.
Tamale Police Lose Their Excuse To Restrict Homemade Meals
States that allow home chefs to sell perishable foods report no confirmed cases of relevant foodborne illness.
Police Threaten To Arrest 11-Year-Old Victim of Child Porn
"Doesn't matter," says the officer. "She's still making porn."
Seven Years Since He Died Under a Cop's Knee, His Mom Is Getting Her Day in Court
Tony Timpa's story shows how far the government goes to prevent victims of abuse from seeking recourse.
Family of 6-Year-Old Florida Girl Handcuffed at Orlando School Files Lawsuit
Kaia Rolle's ordeal led Florida to raise its minimum age of arrest to 7 years old, but her family and activists say that's not nearly high enough.
A Cop Jailed Her for 2 Years on Fake Charges. Will She Ever Get Justice?
St. Paul police officer Heather Weyker has thus far managed to get immunity for upending Hamdi Mohamud's life.
Georgia Charges 'Cop City' Protesters Under RICO Law Used To Indict Trump
Among the indicted are a Southern Poverty Law Center attorney acting as a legal observer and three people who run a bail fund.
Police Tore Up His Protest Sign. Now They Owe Him $50,000
Police also wrongly cited him for "improper hand signal" after the man flipped them off.
Stop Publishing Mug Shots—Even Donald Trump's
Mug shots are not taken to humiliate a defendant before they've been convicted. But that's the purpose they widely serve now.
Court Rules in Favor of Pro-Life Protesters Arrested for Chalk Messages
While chalking on D.C. sidewalks and streets is illegal, the protesters say they were targeted for their beliefs.
Let's Sue Bad Cops: Puzzle #3
"Doctrine that lets government officials get away with way too much"
Denver Cop Kills Man Holding a Marker
Plus: The Atlantic says anti-racists are overcorrecting, NYC targets landlords of unlicensed cannabis growers, and more...
Cops Invented a Reason To Cite Man Who Flipped Them Off
Body camera footage shows that Delaware police cited Jonathan Guessford for flipping them off, even though they later agreed it was his right to do so
Owner of Kansas Newspaper Dies Amid 'Shock and Grief' After Police Raid
Plus: New Zealand libertarianism, Barbie economics, and more...
A Louisiana Man Was Jailed for Criticizing Police. A Federal Court Wasn't Having It.
The decision supports the notion that victims are entitled to recourse when the state retaliates against people for their words. But that recourse is still not guaranteed.
Police Reform and Police Recruitment Don't Have To Be at Odds
Better policing could solve the police-recruiting crisis.
Indiana Law Lets Cops Push Bystanders Back 25 Feet. A New Lawsuit Says It's Unconstitutional.
The law makes it harder to record and observe police activity.
Police Watched as a Man Drowned and Discouraged Bystanders From Helping, Lawsuit Claims
When a bystander offered to give the officers flotation devices and a small boat, they refused.
Another Takings Case in Which Law Enforcement Severely Damaged an Innocent Person's Property
In this case, an LA SWAT team destroyed an innocent store owner's shop in the process of trying to catch a suspect.
A SWAT Team Destroyed an Innocent Man's Shop. Then the City Left Him With the Bill.
Carlos Pena's livelihood has been crippled. It remains to be seen if he'll have any right to compensation.
