WBUR News quotes an opinion from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: "We do not eliminate flight as a factor in the reasonable suspicion analysis whenever a black male is the subject of an investigatory stop. However, in such circumstances, flight is not necessarily probative of a
Although rarely recognized, Justice Scalia often safeguarded the Fourth Amendment rights of criminal defendants. He did so in an era where, through our email accounts, the government could learn more about us than if it searched our cars or homes. So how does a court
On March 14, 2016, the City of Los Angeles was hit with yet another lawsuit regarding its treatment of homeless residents. The lawsuit, Mitchell v. City of Los Angeles, contends that the city is dealing with its homelessness problem by criminalizing rather than housing its homeless
The Department of Justice recently reminded state chief justices and state court administrators that jailing poor people just because they can’t pay fines is unconstitutional. In a March 14 Dear Colleague letter, the Civil Rights Division warned states to ensure their local courts reform or refrain
A procedural issue may allow the Supreme Court to avoid confronting an egregious instance of racism in a death penalty case. Last November, the Court heard oral arguments in Foster v. Chatman. The question in Foster is whether racial bias motivated prosecutors’ peremptory strikes, violating Batson.
Earlier this month, the Maryland General Assembly expanded voting rights to around 44,000 people with felony convictions, overriding six vetoes by Republican Governor Larry Hogan. The vote means that Maryland will soon join the ranks of thirteen states and the District of Columbia where those with
Arriving relatively quietly in December, Netflix’s true crime documentary, Making a Murderer, consumed television sets, becoming both a critical hit and a cultural phenomenon over the holidays. Describing the show as an almost “Dickensian account of the tragedy of the Averys,” the New York Times praised
Over 150,000 non-violent ex-felons now have the right to vote in Kentucky, thanks to an executive order signed by Governor Steve Beshear on Tuesday. The Democratic Governor’s term ends in only two weeks, but believes this order is an important legacy to leave behind. In
Developments at Spring Valley High School A federal civil rights investigation has been opened by the Department of Justice following the violent arrest of a student caught on video at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, South Carolina. Deputy Ben Fields, the officer seen violently pulling the student
