Idaho is set to begin executing inmates by firing squad in cases where the state is unable to obtain lethal injection drugs. The move will make Idaho the fifth state to reauthorize executions by firing squad. As fewer and fewer pharmacies are willing to sell execution drugs to states, increasing numbers have opted to pivot—at […]
The New York Times’ Adam Liptak has an interesting “Sidebar” column on a case raising the question of whether a court’s decision to allow a witness to testify over Zoom violated a criminal defendant’s rights under the Confrontation Clause. In March 2021, a year into the coronavirus pandemic, a key witness in a criminal case […]
In this week’s The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman consider the recent announcement from former President Donald Trump that he expects to be arrested this week in New York City. 0:32: Impending Trump indictment 17:05: The continued fallout from the banking system bailout 31:16: Weekly Listener Question 43:58: […]
Earlier this month, a Virginia man was killed when police officers and hospital employees “smothered” him to death. Now, the officers and medical workers involved in the killing have been charged with second-degree murder. Seven Henrico County sheriffs’ deputies face charges for their involvement in the man’s death. “The family is truly grief-stricken after learning […]
The expected criminal charges against former President Donald Trump in New York reportedly hinge on a violation of federal election law with which Trump was never charged. That fact in itself suggests how dubious the case against Trump is: To convert a state misdemeanor involving falsification of business records into a felony, Manhattan District Attorney […]
Many observers expect New York authorities to arrest former President Donald Trump this week. It’s hard to imagine this being anything but a boon for Trump, who is running for president again. Decisions about whether to bring criminal charges against a politician or authority figure certainly shouldn’t hinge on whether it will help or hurt […]
Nicholas Chappelle spent almost a year in an Oregon prison after he was wrongfully convicted of driving with a suspended license. The reason for his incarceration? A shoddy DMV database. And the worst part is he’s not alone. While it’s unclear just how many Oregonians have been wrongfully arrested or convicted due to errors in […]
State lawmakers in at least six states have recently introduced bills related to sex work. Some of these measures would decriminalize prostitution, while others would stipulate stronger criminal penalties for prostitution. States considering the former have the right idea. Decriminalizing prostitution has been linked to an array of positive outcomes, from lower rates of sexual […]
Abortion “death penalty” bill doesn’t mention the death penalty. More than 20 South Carolina lawmakers are proposing the death penalty for women who get abortions, according to a slew of major media reports making the rounds this week. But the truth—while still very bad—is not quite as disturbing as these articles suggest. The proposal in […]
The form that Louisville, Kentucky, police officers use when they seek search warrants includes a list of possible justifications, such as the expectation that stolen property, tools of crime, or other evidence of illegal activity will be discovered. In one case recently highlighted by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), an officer checked “other” but […]