All Law & Courts
Fort Hood trial: Odd legal dance as both sides appear to seek death penaltyNidal Hasan鈥檚 lawyers now say the alleged Fort Hood shooter isn't interested in defending himself. The Army is seeking an iron-clad capital verdict by coaxing Hasan to mount the best defense possible.
Fort Hood suspect tells court he 'switched sides' in America's warMaj. Nidal Hasan, accused of killing 13 soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009, said the evidence will show 'I am the shooter.' The trial will be important, even if the verdict seems certain.
FocusRacial bias and 'stand your ground' laws: what the data showData from states with 'stand your ground' laws raise questions about how notions of self-defense are evolving and whether, under such laws, race-based fears are more likely to influence juries. 聽
Whitey Bulger's last stand: attacks on 'evil' witnesses, FBI corruptionIn closing arguments, Whitey Bulger's lawyers made little attempt to suggest he wasn't a criminal, instead accusing the prosecution of covering up for the FBI and of using 'despicable' men as witnesses.
Too mentally ill for death? Florida executes man who lost Supreme Court appeal.The case of John Errol Ferguson, executed Monday in Florida, raised the thorny question of how much mental illness is too much for someone facing execution. But the US Supreme Court declined to intervene.
Whitey Bulger prosecution sums up case against one of Boston's 'most vicious'Almost 19 years after Whitey Bulger was first indicted, the prosecution summed up its case, calling him 'one of the most vicious, violent, and calculating criminals ever to walk the streets of Boston.'
Gina DeJesus gets six-foot fence 鈥� and lots of love 鈥� to protect the heartGina DeJesus now has a privacy fence to let her go into her yard in peace. But it was her statement at the sentencing of Ariel Castro that showed how the three Cleveland victims are recovering.
Supreme Court: 'Baby Veronica' to return to adoptive parentsThe Supreme Court's refusal to take up the case opens the door for Veronica, now 3, to transfer from her birth father, a member of the Cherokee nation, back to her adoptive parents.
Sex offenders awarded $1 in liability suit over N.Y. illegal 'civil commitments'Six sex offenders got no damage awards from former New York Gov. George Pataki and other officials who had confined to mental institutions after they served their sentences. One official is liable for $1 to each, a federal jury decided in a case that tested attitudes toward social outcasts.
Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro blames porn addiction. Credible?Research is sparse on whether there's a link between addiction to pornography and violent sexual behavior, and defense lawyers usually shy away from asserting one. But it does crop up in criminal trials, as it did this week during sentencing for Ariel Castro.- Same-sex couples file suit challenging Virginia gay marriage banClass-action lawsuit filed Thursday asks a federal judge to declare unconstitutional Virginia's ban on gay marriage. It is the latest such suit to be filed since the US Supreme Court struck down part of DOMA in late June.
Michelle Knight confronts Ariel Castro in court as emotional case endsAt the sentencing hearing Thursday in Cleveland, Ariel Castro made a rambling statement, and Michelle Knight delivered a victim impact statement. Amanda Berry was represented in court by her sister.
Secret documents on NSA surveillance released: Is there anything new?The Obama administration unveiled three secret documents Wednesday that appear to confirm details of surveillance programs leaked by Edward Snowden, who worked for the NSA.
O.J. Simpson decision: How did he get parole but can't go free?O.J. Simpson is in jail for several crimes committed in confronting sports memorabilia collectors in 2007. Because of model behavior, Simpson got parole for some of the crimes, but not for others.
Sentencing Bradley Manning: He could get 100 years, he could get noneThe sentencing hearing, beginning Wednesday, gives Pfc. Bradley Manning the ability to present more mitigating evidence. But his sentence could quickly add up 鈥� or later be set aside completely.
Ex-Penn State officials to stand trial on Sandusky coverup chargesA judge ruled Tuesday that there's enough evidence for a full trial of three top former Penn State officials on charges that they covered up the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.
Not just Bradley Manning: His case spurs broader crackdown on leaksSeven current or previous government officials or contractors, including Pfc. Bradley Manning, have been charged with espionage for leaking secrets since President Obama took office.
FBI rescues 105 victims of child sex-trafficking in nationwide operationThe FBI crackdown targets Internet sites, truck stops, casinos, and the streets to identify children forced into sex trafficking. Since 2003, the FBI has recovered 2,700 juveniles and arrested 1,350 adults.
Bradley Manning trial: Leakers Julian Assange and Daniel Ellsberg weigh inBradley Manning is a patriot responsible for 'the most influential leak in history,' WikiLeaks' Assange argues. Ellsberg warns the trial has grave consequences for democracy and journalism.
Whitey Bulger prosecution rests: What does case add up to?The prosecution's case features testimony of three former associates who say they witnessed Bulger planning or participating in killings, but it also ties Bulger to other crimes that could send him away for life.
