All Law & Courts
This year, US imposed fewest death sentences in four decadesThe decline in the use of the death penalty stems from a combination of factors, including a large drop in violent crime and the fact that all states with the death penalty now offer the alternative of life in prison without parole.
Boston Marathon bombing: Can Tsarnaev get a fair trial in Boston?The trial for accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is slated to take place some three miles away from the finish line of the race. The final hearing before the trial is scheduled for Thursday.
Supreme Court allows injunction in Arizona abortion case to standThe US Supreme Court declined to hear arguments from Arizona officials seeking to reverse an appeals court injunction temporarily blocking implementation of a state law that sought to restrict drug-induced abortions.
Supreme Court: Should ban on juvenile life sentences be retroactive?The Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that mandatory life sentences for juveniles constituted 'cruel and unusual punishment.' On Friday, it agreed to take up a case that will decide whether that earlier decision should be applied retroactively, thereby giving 'hundreds' of prisoners a shot at parole.
Amid Garner and Brown outrage, bill would reform federal grand juriesThis week, Rep. Hank Johnson (D) of Georgia unveiled a bill that prohibits the use of out-of-public-view grand jury hearings when it comes to cases where a police officer has killed a citizen. The bill also would require an outside prosecutor to investigate officers in such cases.
College-age sexual assault: Students less likely to report rapes to policeA new report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics covers almost two decades and offers a wealth of statistics about rapes and sexual assaults among young women.
In wake of Garner case, new plan to investigate cops who kill takes shapeAs a growing chorus of bipartisan critics urges the appointment of special prosecutors to investigate killings of citizens by police, New York's attorney general has asked for statewide control of investigations involving actions of police.
The ExplainerEric Garner case 101: Why grand juries rarely indict police officersIn the wake of the Eric Garner and Michael Brown cases, questions have arisen regarding the grand-jury system and whether working relationships between prosecutors and law enforcement complicate the process when it comes to cases involving officers.
Supreme Court declines dispute about BP oil spill compensation fundBP had petitioned the court to rule on a broad interpretation of who should be compensated in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Why impact of Eric Garner case might be much bigger than FergusonMichael Brown's death largely divided Americans along racial lines and political lines. The early reactions to the Eric Garner death suggest that Americans are far more united in their response.
Obama鈥檚 black cabinet heads spar over racial profiling banPresident Obama鈥檚 top African-American lieutenants 鈥� Eric Holder and Jeh Johnson 鈥� have had to balance civil rights ideals with national defense as new profiling rules for federal agents faced scrutiny from America鈥檚 first black President.
Eric Garner: Chokehold his own doing, or 'death by economic regulation'?Eric Garner鈥檚 enough-is-enough stand when police stopped him for illegally selling cigarettes points to political and economic policies that seem to protect the powerful at the expense of the marginalized.
In wake of Eric Garner case, should grand jury system be reformed?Protests show that perceived injustices such as the Eric Garner case create a brand of ill will that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday called 'corrosive to society.' But reforms to the grand jury system could lead to unintended consequences.
Can states refuse to issue Confederate flag license plates?聽The Supreme Court agreed Friday to take up a case challenging the state of Texas's right to refuse a petition for vanity license plates bearing the Confederate battle flag.
With death of unarmed Phoenix man, has national debate reached critical mass?Protesters marched overnight in Phoenix after a police officer shot Rumain Brisbon, an unarmed black man. To the police 鈥� and Brisbon鈥檚 mother 鈥� the case was not racially motivated. The picture police paint of him is starkly different from the one his family and attorney put forward.
Justice Department cites Cleveland police for excessive use of forceFollowing a US Justice Department investigation reporting a pattern of police shootings and other unnecessary use of force, officials in Cleveland have agreed to an independently monitored聽overhaul of the police department.
Progress WatchWhy 20 year drop in crime is more impressive than it seemsThe decline is occurring at the same time as two factors long believed to lead to an increase in crime: The US prison population is dropping and the number of young adults has risen.
Amid anger over Eric Garner, a unique moment for change in NYPDTo some extent, the New York Police Department has already implemented some changes, the mayor and others note. But the Eric Garner case, as well as Ferguson, point to the challenges ahead.
Does Eric Garner chokehold case show limits of body cameras for police?As the video tool gets a fast track nationally, many observers say the lack of an indictment in the Eric Garner case points out the fact that the full range of pluses and minuses聽of the technology still need deeper consideration.
Why 17 states are suing Obama administration over immigration actionTexas and 16 other states filed suit on Wednesday, charging that the president's executive action on immigration is unconstitutional.
