All Law & Courts
- Denver police department becomes the latest to rethink use-of-force policies
The Denver police department is rewriting its use-of-force policies to encourage officers to use the minimal amount of force necessary, the department chief said Wednesday.
- Standing Rock protests escalate, as tribe calls for DOJ to investigate
Following the arrest of 127 demonstrators on Saturday, leaders of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe called on the US Department of Justice to investigate police 'strong-arming' of peaceful protesters.
- Should Montana justice be impeached for sentencing on incest case?
Judge John McKeon is a month away from retirement, but critics say that his decision to give a man convicted of raping his 12-year-old daughter just 60 days in jail is grounds for impeachment.
- Two years after Laquan McDonald's death, a proposal to recall elected officials
Amid criticism of how Mayor Emanuel handled the situation, the Laquan McDonald Act underscores some Chicagoans' sense that officials' 'renewed commitment' toward improving relations with community members has not gone far enough.
- NSA contractor to face espionage charges for alleged data theft
Harold Thomas Martin spent over two decades pilfering classified information from multiple government agencies, federal prosecutors said.
- First LookJury deliberates in Malheur standoff case, as land use questions linger
Some activists argue that the federal government should cede control of forests and grazing pastures back to the states, an idea embraced by the armed occupiers who took over the Malheur refuge.
- First LookMontana judge under fire for giving 60-day sentence to child rapist
Montana District Judge John McKeon is facing a petition for impeachment after handing down a short sentence to a man who pleaded guilty in a child incest case.
- Jury clears NBA's Derrick Rose in rape lawsuit
Defense lawyers called the lawsuit "a hoax and a joke," while the accuser's lawyer describing Rose and his friends as "sexual deviants."
- Police chief group apologizes to minorities for 'historical mistreatment'
The president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police offered an apology on Monday for the role that law enforcement has played in 'society's historical mistreatment of communities of color,' a move that some say marks significant progress in repairing police-community relations.
- First LookEpidemic of police shootings? FBI director says public needs better data
Better information on fatal police shootings could promote understanding between communities that feel targeted by police, and officers who feel public outrage has unleashed a "war on cops."
- Why Florida Supreme Court ruled death penalty juries unconstitutional
Florida’s historical reliance on justice by death in capital cases is now facing certain change.
- First LookKansas terrorists target refugees with 1-ton arsenal of guns and bombs
Three Kansas men were arrested on Friday after the FBI conducted an eight-month investigation into an anti-immigrant militia group.
- First LookFlorida's death penalty struck down – again
The state's high court ruled Friday that Florida's capital punishment laws – even as amended following a US Supreme Court ruling – are unconstitutional.
- First LookTo address police shootings, DOJ aims to quantify use of force
Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced a pilot program to gather more complete use-of-force data on Thursday. Officials hope that more complete data will help them assess and address the problem.
- Police and protesters clash at Portland city hall over law enforcement contract
Portland demonstrators sought to stall a new police contract that increased pay for officers and raised questions about body camera policy.
- First LookWhy Blue Lives Matter is boycotting Ben and Jerry's ice cream
The law enforcement group says that Ben and Jerry's support for Black Lives Matter paints law enforcement figures as villains.
- First LookDOJ report: How San Francisco police can restore trust
The US Department of Justice published a report with 272 recommendations for the San Francisco Police Department, which has been rocked by a series of racist text message revelations and fatal shootings.
- First LookWhy US Supreme Court will consider lawsuits from post-9/11 Arab detainees
The post-9/11 claims stem from a 2002 class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of hundreds detained on immigration violations.
- First LookRuth Bader Ginsburg's slam on Colin Kaepernick: Is it out of character?
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal icon on the Supreme Court, shocked many by criticizing Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protest. But her personal opinion doesn't necessarily influence how she'd look at the issue legally.
- How legalizing marijuana in Arizona could lead to stronger drug cartels
Law enforcement leaders say the pot legalization in Arizona will strengthen cartels, allowing them to infiltrate the legal pot market and driving them to sell more hard drugs.