New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Cooperman issues a statement explaining his verdict as he announced that he was acquitting three New York Police Department (NYPD) officers in the death of Sean Bell. To see that statement, click on the link below: Statement issued by Justice Arthur Cooperman explaining verdicts…
Every month I look forward to receiving the ABA Criminal Justice Section E-News. True to form, the April 2008 issue just received is filled with information to those involved with criminal justice issues. Here are some exampled highlighted in the April 2008 issue: Weekly Criminal Justice News Roundup. Legislative Update…
QUESTION: Law enforcement officers went to Castellanos’s residence after receiving information from a confidential informant that Castellanos was in this country illegally, was selling a large quantity of drugs from his residence, and had a cousin who had been kidnapped and killed. The officers arrived at 6:15 a.m. The door…
The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday (March 26) in a sweeping rejection of powers in the presidency ruled that neither the World Court nor President Bush can interfere with Texas regarding that states’ enforcement of its own criminal laws. The justices in their 6-3 decision, Medellin v. Texas (06-984), ruled that…
Justices: Racially Based Peremptory Challenges Reverse Murder Conviction SNYDER V. LOUISIANA (U.S. Supreme Ct., March 19, 2008) – A Louisiana conviction for first-degree murder and death sentence is reversed where the trial judge committed clear error in its ruling on an objection to the prosecution’s strike of a black juror…
The New York Law Journal has reported that Melvyn Weiss has agreed to plead guilty to a racketeering charge for participating in a scheme to pay kickbacks to lead plaintiffs in shareholder suits. Mr. Weiss, a famed securities class action lawyer, was one of the co-founders of the law firm…
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Virtual Law: Navigating the Legal Landscape of Virtual Worlds By Benjamin Tyson Duranske This book is an introduction to the emerging and intriguing world of virtual law. It examines current cases and legislation impacting virtual world providers and users, and makes predictions about the future application of…
“The Web has exploded as medium for commerce and communication, but it’s also become a favorite attack vector for criminals. And while the bad guys are motivated by money, the damage they wreak transcends the balance sheet: loss of reputation, lawsuits, loss of investor confidence and sometimes crippling liability.” “Click…
The American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section and The South Carolina Bar Present: Superior Direct and Cross-Examination: Demonstrations from Trial Masters of the ABA Criminal Justice Section and the S.C. Bar* 8:45 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Friday, April 4, 2008 Reception to Follow The Francis Marion Hotel Charleston, S.C. We…
Decision Date: February 20, 2008: DANFORTH v. MINNESOTA CERTIORARI TO THE SUPREME COURT OF MINNESOTA No. 06-8273. Argued October 31, 2007-Decided February 20, 2008 After this Court announced a “new rule” for evaluating the reliability of testimonial statements in criminal cases, see Crawford v. Washington, 541 U. S. 36, 68-69,…