He Heckled a District Attorney on TV. Now He Faces 10 Years Behind Bars.
On Wednesday, a Massachusetts judge will decide whether Joao DePina will face the possibility of a decade behind bars for publicly criticizing a district attorney.
Prosecutors
He Was Sentenced to Death After Law Enforcement Fabricated Evidence. A Federal Court Says He Can Sue.
A conservative judge expressed skepticism at the panel's conclusion before issuing a strong rebuke of prosecutorial immunity.
Local Lawyers Think 'Gross Negligence' Explains an Unlawful Murder Charge Based on a 'Self-Induced Abortion'
Starr County District Attorney Gocha Allen Ramirez has yet to explain how this egregious error escaped his notice.
Imagine Having a Decade of Your Life Erased. It Happened to 161 People Exonerated from Prison in 2021.
A new report shows wrongfully convicted people serving 1,849 years behind bars across the United States before being released last year.
For 20 Years, This Prosecutor Had a Secret Job Working For the Judges Who'd Decide His Cases
One of Ralph Petty's victims is trying to hold him accountable, but she will have to overcome prosecutorial immunity.
Texas Prosecutors Blatantly Ignored the Law When They Charged a Woman With Murder 'by a Self-Induced Abortion'
As Starr County District Attorney Gocha Allen Ramirez belatedly conceded, that charge is explicitly prohibited by the Texas Penal Code.
Conservatives Say They Care About the Constitution. Until They Talk About Criminal Justice.
Ketanji Brown Jackson will be the nation's first Supreme Court justice to have served as a public defender, and the first since Thurgood Marshall to have experience as a defense attorney. That's good.
The Supreme Court Says You Can Sue Cops Who Frame You on False Charges
The previous standard barring such lawsuits made “little sense," wrote Justice Brett Kavanaugh for the majority.
Prosecutor Extorts $300,000 Out of Alleged Drug Dealer by Threatening His Entire Family With Charges
Patrick Card's story is a case study in how the state uses civil forfeiture to try to coerce plea bargains.
States Investigate TikTok Over Alleged Harms to Kids and Young Adults
Plus: Texas can't investigate family of transgender teen, SCOTUS considers case on doctor drug trafficking, and more...
The FBI Seized Almost $1 Million From This Family—and Never Charged Them With a Crime
"It's completely changed my belief in fairness," says Amy Sterner Nelson.
New Virginia Attorney General Fires Entire Conviction Integrity Unit
Miyares' office says the conviction integrity unit is being expanded. Time will tell if it will have the independence and resources to succeed.
Rogel Aguilera-Mederos Rejected a Plea Deal. So He Got 110 Years in Prison.
Colorado First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King said she pursued the punishment after Aguilera-Mederos insisted on his right to trial.
Why Didn't Alice Sebold Realize Her Mistake?
How a bestselling author accused the wrong man of rape
Best-Selling Author Alice Sebold Apologizes to Innocent Man Who Served 16 Years for Her Rape
Her publisher will stop distributing her memoir Lucky, which detailed the attack and aftermath.
Ahmaud Arbery Case Highlights Problem of Insider Favoritism in Law Enforcement
The perpetrators almost escaped prosecution because one of them was a former employer of the prosecutor's office.
Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William 'Roddie' Bryan Found Guilty of Murdering Ahmaud Arbery
The men were almost never charged, thanks to misconduct from the first prosecutor, who is now under a criminal indictment.
Ahmaud Arbery's Alleged Murderers Almost Escaped Charges, Thanks to Prosecutorial Misconduct
As the trial wraps up, it's important to remember that the first prosecutor on the case, Jackie Johnson, has been indicted for violating her oath of office.
Jury Deliberations Begin in Kyle Rittenhouse Trial After Judge Tosses Gun Charge
Plus: Yale University faces an interesting lawsuit, the ACLU takes a stance on student loan debt, and more...
Kyle Rittenhouse's Call of Duty Habit and Post-Arrest Silence Aren't Evidence of His Guilt
Judge Bruce Schroeder rightly reprimanded Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger for what he called a "grave constitutional violation."
Judge: Police Can't Blame a Bystander for a Cop Killing Another Cop
It was unconstitutional to charge Jenna Holm with manslaughter. But the state wanted to protect its own.
A Louisiana Prosecutor Escapes Responsibility After Allegedly Covering Up Rape Allegations Against a Prison Official
No accountability for government corruption.
Here's a Rarity: A Former Prosecutor Is Facing Criminal Charges for Violating Her Oath of Office
Former District Attorney Jackie Johnson may face accountability for her official actions in the Ahmaud Arbery investigation.
Cop Kills Cop; Nearby Lady Gets Charged With Manslaughter
Jenna Holm was incapacitated when one cop accidentally killed another. She's now being charged with his death.
Some Prosecutors Are Daring To Challenge the 'Tough on Crime' Status Quo
They're mostly progressives, but their ideas about limiting government power and respecting individual rights sound almost conservative.
Supreme Court Places Limits on What Actions Violate Federal Hacking Law
Prosecutors like to use the law against people who clearly weren't engaged in hacking. The Court is trying to rein them in.
Baltimore's Top Prosecutor Attempts To Send FCC Against Local Fox Affiliate
Don’t call yourself a supporter of the First Amendment while attempting to punish a media outlet for criticizing you.
Texas Medical Board Clears Houston Doctor Accused of 'Stealing' COVID Vaccine Doses He Wouldn't Let Go to Waste
Hasan Gokal tracked down people to receive doses that were about to expire. For that, he was fired and threatened with prosecution.
This D.A. Is Trying To Prosecute a Doctor for Vaccinating Unauthorized People Instead of Letting Supplies Expire
Kim Ogg ran for district attorney as a criminal justice reformer. Maybe she should think about what that entails.
Another problem with self-pardons
A "self-pardon" might bring about exactly the prosecution it seeks to avoid.
Voters Demanded More Accountability From Prosecutors and Police on Election Night
A reformer ousted the incumbent district attorney of L.A. County, and several major cities voted to create police oversight boards.
Half of All False Convictions in the U.S. Involved Police or Prosecutor Misconduct, Finds New Report
If you’re looking for accountability, we’ve got some bad news for you.
Once Again, Kamala Harris' Record as a Prosecutor Was Less Than Progressive
There is no need to excuse Kamala Harris' law enforcement record just because it has outlived its usefulness for her political ambitions.
Kamala Harris: Drug Warrior, Vice Cop, Draconian Prosecutor
Biden picked a V.P. candidate whose record on police and criminal justice reform is as terrible as his own.
The D.C. Circuit Will Rehear the Flynn Case En Banc
Look for the full appellate court to send the case back to the trial court - which is where it belongs.
The Missouri A.G. Is Advocating for the McCloskeys' Civil Liberties. What About Lamar Johnson's?
What is the state's position when an innocent man spends 25 years in prison?
Crime Victims Rights Amendment
The D.C. Circuit's Dubious Decision Ordering the Flynn Case Dismissed
A 2-1 ruling concludes that the district court cannot even hold a hearing on the subject.
'Where Are Libertarians on Police Reform?' Right Where We've Always Been.
Real changes will require fewer laws and less violent enforcement.
How Should Judge Sullivan Determine if the Government's Motion to Dismiss the Michael Flynn Case is Appropriate?
This "victimless" crime is a curious one for close judicial scrutiny of a Government motion to dismiss--closer scrutiny should be reserved for cases in which crime victims have a clear interest.
Federal Judge Calls Plea Bargain Deals That Limit Compassionate Release 'Appallingly Cruel'
Congress expanded compassionate release to allow inmates to petition judges, but federal prosecutors tried to use plea bargain agreements to subvert reforms, the judge says.
Much of the FBI's Treatment of Mike Flynn Was Business as Usual, and That's the Scandal
Agents regularly attempt to catch suspects in lies to threaten them with prosecution, even when they can’t prove underlying crimes.
Husband of Embattled Los Angeles D.A. Pulls Gun on Protesters at Their Door
District Attorney Jackie Lacey faces re-election today against a tough field calling for more criminal justice reforms.
Can the Criminal Justice System Be Fixed? The Jury's Still Out.
Under the law, prosecutors are supposed to pursue justice and not only seek convictions.
45 Prosecutors Ask Missouri's Supreme Court To Give Lamar Johnson a New Trial
Lamar Johnson, who is serving his 25th year in prison, has been absolved of responsibility for a 1994 murder. A circuit judge says it's too late to give him a new trial.
Louisiana Prosecutors Say They Can't Be Sued Over the Fake Subpoenas They Used To Pressure Witnesses Into Testifying
In several cases, victims received higher bonds than criminal defendants and were forced to serve jail time.
