All Law & Courts
Why James Holmes insanity case is so unusual for ColoradoOn Monday, James Holmes went on trial for killing 11 people and injuring 70. It may be the first time a Colorado jury has ever had to weigh the insanity defense in a death penalty case, say legal experts.
- Tsarnaev to get death or life in prison? Defense opening statements
A lawyer for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev opened the penalty phase of the trial, saying there is no punishment Tsarnaev can get that would be equal to the suffering of the victims.
- James Holmes trial: Why insanity defense is a long shot
James Holmes acknowledges killing 12 people and wounding 70 more inside a packed Colorado theater in 2012, but has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. His trial begins Monday.
Stun gun used 8 times on mentally disabled woman. A one-year sentence for police?Federal prosecutors want at least one year in prison for two South Carolina police officers who used a Taser eight times on a mentally disabled woman. A sentencing hearing will be held Monday.
Freddie Gray protests show how much America has changedThe protesters rallying for Freddie Gray, the young black man who died in Baltimore police custody, say they want police reforms. But the protests themselves hint at a deeper societal change.
At last, Supreme Court hears same-sex marriage cases. Will history be made?The US Supreme Court on Tuesday will hear arguments on whether the Constitution requires state governments to license and recognize same-sex marriages. A landmark decision is expected by late June.
Baltimore is not Ferguson: Police violence and its aftermathLike Ferguson, Mo., Baltimore is dealing with the death of a young black man stopped by police for a minor infraction. But unlike Ferguson, officials in Baltimore have been quick to question police conduct, and protests have been generally peaceful.
Protesters' vow: 'Shut down' Baltimore over Freddie Gray killingFreddie Gray protest: The unrest in Baltimore comes amid a string of incidents nationwide where police have been videotaped physically abusing prone or handcuffed subjects, not to mention a series of controversial police killings of unarmed black men.
- Alabama death row inmate: Another innocent man?
Donnis George Musgrove has been on death row for 27 years but says he is innocent. Botched ballistics evidence and a questionable eyewitness identification may help him get a new trial.
Freddie Gray protests in Baltimore: Why so big?Protesters angry over the mysterious death of Freddie Gray, a black man in police custody, vowed to "shut down" Baltimore Saturday by marching through the streets and snarling traffic.
Tulsa volunteer deputy, who shot a man, had history of performance complaintsSeveral in the Oklahoma sheriff's department raised serious concerns about the performance of Robert Bates. Bates says he mistakenly used his pistol, thinking it was a stun gun, when he fatally shot Eric Harris.
Colorado theater shooting trial tests mental health networkThe state has invested $20 million to expand its mental health services. They included a 24-hour hotline and a dozen new drop-in crisis centers.
Michael Brown shooting: why civil lawsuit may be an important stepThe family of Michael Brown announced a wrongful-death lawsuit Thursday against the city of Ferguson, Mo. The plaintiffs aim to present evidence that they say has not been properly considered.
Prosecution rests in penalty phase of Tsarnaev trial with emotional crescendoThe prosecution in the Dzhokhar Tsarnaev trial raced through its witnesses, resting its case today after just 15 witnesses and three days of testimony.
Baltimore police union's 'lynch mob' comment exacerbates Freddie Gray protestsThe sharpening rhetorical divide between protesters and police supporters in Baltimore – fueled by a police union comment that likened demonstrators to a ‘lynch mob’ – reflects Americans’ stumbling efforts to see eye to eye on the issue of race.
- Freddie Gray death: Should it really be illegal to carry a knife in the city?
A young black Baltimore man named Freddie Gray ended up dead after being arrested for carrying a small, spring-assisted pocket knife. The Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into his death.
US judge allows 'Killing Jews' ad on NYC buses: free speech or defamation?City officials say that the message displayed by the American Freedom Defense Initiative ad is hateful and divisive, but First Amendment lawyers say it cannot be legally banned.
Justice Dept. opens Baltimore police probe after mysterious deathMore than 1,000 protesters rallied at at the site of Freddie Gray's arrest on Tuesday after the announcement. Mr. Gray suffered a fatal spinal-cord injury after he was arrested earlier this month.
Borderland protests: Do Border Patrol checkpoints go too far?On Tuesday, a federal court in Tucson is hearing residents’ complaints that the Border Patrol violated the Constitution. In an earlier ruling, the Supreme Court granted the agency permission to establish checkpoints up to 100 miles north of the US-Mexico border.
Supreme Court says police can't prolong traffic stops to allow for a dog sniffThe US Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that prolonging a traffic stop to allow for a sniff of the vehicle by a drug-detecting dog 'violates the Constitution’s shield against unreasonable seizures.'
