All Law & Courts
First Look鈥楢 long fight鈥�: Three men convicted of murder in Ahmaud Arbery trialAfter 10 hours of deliberation, all three men charged in the the death of Ahmaud Arbery were convicted of murder. These men face minimum sentences of life in prison, with the possibility of parole yet to be decided.
After Rittenhouse: What an era of armed protest means for AmericaArmed protests and Kyle Rittenhouse鈥檚 successful self-defense claims raise key safety concerns 鈥� with nuances spanning racial lines.
First LookChristmas parade hit-and-run renews questions around bailThe man who killed five people in a Wisconsin Christmas parade was recently released on bail. Some lawmakers underscore the need for higher bail amounts, while legal experts caution one extreme case shouldn鈥檛 keep poorer defendants in jail while they await trial.聽
鈥楻efund鈥� the police? With crime high, debate rises in Maryland.The rhetoric about police funding can slip into extremes. But as the state of Maryland shows, there鈥檚 more agreement than polarizing terms suggest.聽
First LookNot guilty: Kyle Rittenhouse cleared of homicide chargesThe jury鈥檚 verdict is in: Kyle Rittenhouse has been pronounced not guilty after pleading self-defense in a contentious trial over the men he shot during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last summer.聽
First LookWho killed Malcolm X? Men accused of his 1965 murder cleared.Muhammad Aziz and Khalil Islam were sentenced to life in prison for the 1965 murder of Malcom X. Fifty-six years later, on Nov. 18, 2021, a Manhattan judge dismissed their convictions, following decades of doubt surrounding their case.
Vigilance or vigilantism? Old laws鈥� legacy in modern US.The Rittenhouse trial, the trial of Ahmaud Arbery鈥檚 killers, and Texas鈥� abortion law all come amid more Americans demonstrating a willingness to police others鈥� behavior.
First Look'Public face' of Jan. 6 riot sentenced to 41 months in prisonJacob Chansley was one of the first rioters inside the Capitol building on Jan. 6.聽On Wednesday, he was sentenced to 41 months in prison after pleading guilty to a felony charge of obstructing an official proceeding.聽鈥淢y behavior is indefensible,鈥� he said.
First LookBritney Spears' conservatorship ends. What's next for this tool?California Judge Brenda Penny terminated the conservatorship that controlled pop singer Britney Spears' life choices and money聽for nearly 14 years.
Cover StoryWhy Albuquerque鈥檚 latest experiment in policing doesn鈥檛 involve officersAlbuquerque, New Mexico, sends out mental health specialists to deal with nonviolent 911 calls, freeing up police to handle other emergencies.
Is civics education a 鈥榬ight鈥�? Rhode Island case tests theory.An educated society is vital to democracy, but are schools obligated to teach students how government works? And who decides, states or the courts?
First Look'Not going to stop': How US Justice Department fights cybercrimeRansomware attacks, in which hackers lock and encrypt data then demand exorbitant sums of money for its release, have risen significantly in the past year. The U.S. Justice Department is committed to fighting back, using extraditions and monetary seizures.
In Texas abortion cases, hints of new Supreme Court transparencyAs it wades deeper into what鈥檚 poised to be a scrutinized term, the Supreme Court appears to be more responsive to a call for greater transparency.
First LookSupreme Court hearing on gun permit case could boost gun rightsThe U.S. Supreme Court plans to hear a case on a New York gun permit law on Wednesday that could expand the eligibility to carry firearms in public.聽The court last issued major gun rights decisions a decade ago, supporting the right to keep a gun at home for self-defense.聽
First LookCourts weigh if video and audio feeds count as 'public' trialsAs courts across the United States re-open with limited in-person capacity because of the pandemic, they鈥檙e grappling with how to guarantee the public鈥檚 right to an open trial. Is watching virtually the same as being in the courtroom?
First LookHow will jurors be chosen for the Ahmaud Arbery trial?In Georgia, 1,000 residents were mailed jury notices for the trial of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man who was fatally shot. The court needs 16 jurors who will be selected based on their knowledge about the case, news they consume, and social media platforms they use.
First LookTexas pauses abortion law. What's next for residents, clinics?On Wednesday, a federal judge temporarily blocked the Texas law that restricts abortions for women who are more than six weeks pregnant. But, access may still be limited as clinics await a more permanent decision. Here鈥檚 a look at the legal road ahead.
The one case that could define the Supreme Court鈥檚 term 鈥� and legacyIs the law really the law, if changes in personnel result in dramatic change? That鈥檚 the question Americans face amid a fraught Supreme Court term.
First LookCourt to lift all restrictions on John Hinckley, Reagan shooterOn Monday, a federal judge ruled that John Hinckley Jr., the man who attempted to kill President Ronald Reagan in 1981 but was found not guilty due to insanity, will be freed from all court-imposed restrictions by next year should his mental health remain stable.
To build trust, Racine police moved into the neighborhoodRacine鈥檚 community policing model, pioneered in the 1990s, isn鈥檛 a fast fix 鈥� it takes time, commitment, and investment.
