All Law & Courts
NYPD work slowdown winds down, but New York may be changed for goodA work slowdown by police in New York, orchestrated as a protest against Mayor Bill de Blasio, has had unintended consequences. One of them could be profound for US policing: Fewer arrests didn't result in more crime.
US Supreme Court poised to take up same-sex marriageBoth sides in the same-sex marriage debate want the US Supreme Court to act definitively. Differences in federal appeals court rulings could prompt the high court's consideration of gay marriage, now legal in 36 states and the District of Columbia.
Can Texas force hair-braiders to jump through hoops? Nope, says judge.Texas had required Isis Brantley to take hundreds of hours of classes and buy expensive equipment that she said had no real bearing on her desired hair-braiding school.
The view from the courthouse in the Dzokhar Tsarnaev trialThe initial phase of jury selection in the Boston Marathon bombing trial, which saw 1,200 potential jurors descend on the US district courthouse in South Boston, concluded Wednesday afternoon.
New York mayor vs. NYPD: a new chapter in decades-old riftThe rocky relationship between the NYPD and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio echoes past tensions, but there might be paths out of the impasse, experts say.
Anti-police violence as hate crime: Do officers need more legal cover?The National Fraternal Order of Police has requested federal hate-crime protections for police officers. But some legal experts question whether such protections are necessary.
After police turn back on mayor again, where does New York go from here?Some New York police turned their backs on Mayor Bill de Blasio at the funeral for Officer Wenjian Liu. But to repair the rift and institute positive police reforms, what happens now will matter most.
NYPD told not to turn backs on mayor again: Will ‘cold, steely silence’ prevail?After hundreds of NYPD officers turned their backs on Mayor Bill de Blasio during the funeral of Officer Rafael Ramos last weekend, Police Commissioner William Bratton on Saturday urged officers to refrain from a similar tactic at Sunday’s funeral for Officer Wenjian Liu.
Boston Marathon bombings: a timelineHere's a recounting of what happened, beginning with the Boston Marathon bombings in April 2013.
An ‘all-star team’ to defend accused Boston bomber TsarnaevProsecutors have pursued an aggressive case against Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, so the opposition will have to be formidable, experts say.
FocusDeath penalty for Tsarnaev? Why Bostonians don't favor that possibility.Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is charged with one of the worst acts of domestic terrorism in US history, yet in the city where the bombings occurred, a unique mix of factors means that most residents don’t want to put him to death.
Judge rules that Boston Marathon bombing trial will begin MondayOn New Year’s Eve, Judge George O’Toole denied motions by lawyers for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to change the venue and to delay the start of the trial. Jury selection is set to begin Monday at the district courthouse in South Boston.
Maryland governor commutes 4 death sentences: Could mercy resonate beyond state?Outgoing Gov. Martin O'Malley on Wednesday commuted the sentences of all four of Maryland's death-row inmates to life in prison without parole.
Ambush killings of police spiked in 2014, but still remain rareAccording to a new report, 15 of the 126 police fatalities in 2014 were of the ambush type that grabbed national attention this month after the slaying of two New York City officers.
Ezell Ford autopsy report: Four questions that remain unansweredAutopsy reports show that Ezell Ford, who was killed by police in August, was shot three times, including once in the back, prompting outrage from protesters. The investigation into Ford's death is still ongoing.
Florida argues judge's gay marriage ruling only applies to one coupleA federal judge struck down Florida's ban on same-sex marriages, but lawyers for the state argued Monday that the judge's ruling, as written, only applies to one same-sex couple in Washington County.
Calls for calm, restraint after attack on Los Angeles police officersOn Sunday, two police officers were fired on in what the LAPD called an unprovoked attack. The officers were unharmed. Observeres are divided on whether the attack was motivated by several high-profile deaths of black men at the hands of police.
Mayor de Blasio booed at police academy graduation: Can rift be bridged?New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has called for reforms to improve relations between police and racial minorities. However, many NYPD officers say the mayor's public views are making their jobs more dangerous.
NYPD Officer Rafael Ramos: 'He loved God and he loved humanity'Thousands of police officers from around the country joined family members and officials in New York Saturday for the funeral of NYPD Officer Rafael Ramos, killed with his partner Officer Wenjian Liu last week.
Protesters ignore New York mayor, but he could be their best hopeNew York Mayor Bill de Blasio angered many protesters by calling for a pause in demonstrations. But the move has ushered in a shift in tone from the mayor, which might help repair a fractured relationship with the NYPD.
