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Criminal Justice News This Week (week of 06-01-20)
Protests of Police Brutality Met With More Violence. "In Columbus, Ohio, a congresswoman and the City Council president were both pepper-sprayed by police. Both are black."
Family Lawyers, Criminal Law Attorneys Are Hurting Worse Than Others in COVID-19 Economy. "In a national survey of attorneys, 91% of family law attorneys and 80% of criminal law attorneys reported that their income has decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of respondents had lost upward of 80% of their earnings."
A prison system tops in virus deaths starts reopening anyway. "Ohio has lost more inmates to COVID-19 than any other state, but its prisons nonetheless must begin reopening to accommodate a slow return to business — and to crime, the prisons director said."
How To Hide a COVID-19 Hotspot? Pretend Prisoners Don’t Exist. "A county trying to reopen its economy wrestles with a virus outbreak in prison."
Ransomware Attacks in the Legal Profession. "Here are the most essential actions to take to protect your organization from the effects of a ransomware attack."
Judges Proceed With Caution in Restarting Jury Trials. "Federal courts in some parts of the country are preparing for a cautious reboot of jury trials in civil lawsuits—equipped with disinfectant, measuring tapes, and extra jurors.")
Remote Jury Trials Are Possible, but Maybe Not the Best Idea. While remote jury trials are technically feasible and legally plausible, the twin risks of procedural injustice and rampant retrials reduce their appeal."
Before George Floyd’s Death, Minneapolis Police Failed to Adopt Reforms, Remove Bad Officers. "The department allows officers to use choke holds barred in other cities."
Judge's connection to ankle monitoring company center of federal lawsuit. "A New Orleans judge has been accused of improperly steering defendants to purchase ankle monitors from a private company owned and operated by longtime campaign donors.")
Senators Urge Roberts to Make SCOTUS Livestreams Permanent. "'[T]here is no reason why pro-transparency measures should end when the court returns to its normal functions,' the senators said."
Prolonged Traffic Stop, Seizure Not Unlawful, Third Circuit Says. "Two men arrested for cocaine and heroin possession during an extended traffic stop failed to convince the Third Circuit that evidence seized during the stop shouldn’t be considered, because they were seized in violation of Fourth Amendment rights."
Pseudoscience goes on trial. "Yesterday’s ‘science’ and today’s exonerations cry out for a serious look at what evidence jurors should hear and see."
