All articles tagged with #law and justice
A U.S. military judge set June 5, 2028 for the trial of four Guantánamo detainees—Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid bin Attash, Ammar al-Baluchi, and Mustafa al-Hawsawi—over their alleged roles in the 9/11 attacks, a case long stalled by pretrial disputes, evidentiary battles, and debates over torture and national security privileges; the defendants face potential death sentences.
North Carolina prosecutors argue that James Comey’s Instagram photo of seashells forming “8647” alongside references to his crime novel FDR Drive shows a “true threat” against President Trump. Comey, indicted on two felony counts, has pleaded not guilty; prosecutors say the context and the novel’s villainy support their case, while Comey contends the charges are not warranted and discusses potential misunderstandings around slang like “86.” The filing also emphasizes that the decision to prosecute rests with the U.S. attorney, not the President.
The Justice Department filed 25 complaints seeking to revoke the U.S. citizenship of naturalised Americans in what it says is the largest coordinated denaturalisation effort in U.S. history, including Narinder Singh who allegedly used fraudulent identities to obtain citizenship in 2008. The cases accuse fraud, concealment of criminal histories, and false statements during naturalisation, potentially stripping citizenship and triggering deportation if courts rule in the government's favor. The filings span 17 countries and bring the total denaturalisation actions to 123, with the DOJ stressing that citizenship must be earned honestly and that more actions could follow.
The U.S. Department of Justice moved to dismiss charges against California union leader David Huerta, president of SEIU United Service Workers West, stemming from a June 2025 protest against an ICE operation in Los Angeles. Prosecutors had downgraded the charges from conspiracy to impede an officer to a misdemeanor, and now seek dismissal with prejudice by the end of August, effectively ending the case. Huerta and his lawyers say the charges were baseless and an attempt to intimidate dissent, while DOJ officials have argued it does not arrest people for peaceful protest. The case highlighted ongoing tensions over arrests of protesters at immigration operations.
Texas’ prison system faces new wrongful death litigation and a pending federal case over deadly heat in unair-conditioned cells, as about 85,000 of its 141,000 inmates are housed without AC and interior temps can exceed 115F; advocates urge AC in all prisons within three years, a fix estimated at $1.3 billion funded via the state’s economic stabilization fund, while understaffing, water outages and alleged deliberate indifference are cited in the Coffield death of Jason Wilson and other heat-related concerns, with a court ruling in Austin anticipated in coming months.
Attorneys for Karmelo Anthony filed an appeal seeking a new trial, alleging trial-access restrictions, an unwritten agreement to exclude certain evidence, and bias from a judge’s post-trial comments; they also request the judge’s recusal. The case concerns a 2025 fatal stabbing at a Frisco, Texas track meet, with Anthony (19 at filing; 17 at the time) convicted of murder after admitting to the stabbing but claiming self-defense, while prosecutors maintain the verdict was fair. The defense team is a high-profile pro bono group amid national attention tied to race.
Doug Martin’s parents filed a federal wrongful-death lawsuit in Oakland accusing police officers of restraining him face-down during a mental-health crisis and alleging delayed medical care by paramedics contributed to his death; autopsies are pending and investigations continue.
An investigation into the Prairieland case in Texas shows eight anti-ICE protesters were convicted of terrorism-related offenses after a July Fourth demonstration, with sentences ranging from 30 to 100 years. Prosecutors argued that possession of left-wing zines, a printing press, and involvement in an Emma Goldman book club amounted to material support for terrorists, a rare use of counterterrorism law against protesters. Critics say the rulings reflect a broader Trump-era crackdown on dissent and could chill free speech and organizing, while highlighting troubling jail conditions for some defendants and ongoing implications for protest security and digital privacy.
The Justice Department filed a federal suit in the Eastern District of New York against New York's Department of Health, Medicaid Director Amir Bassiri, and Public Partnerships LLC, alleging a sham bidding process and misleading representations that allowed the vendor to collect millions in unauthorized profits from the state’s $10 billion CDPAP Medicaid home-care program. The suit seeks to halt further misrepresentations and unlawful charges and to safeguard federal funds, noting that the transition to a single intermediary disrupted patient care and inflated profits; CDPAP provides home care via lay caregivers to Medicaid patients with disabilities, with New York centralizing management in 2024.
A federal appeals court ruled Alabama’s nitrogen gas executions unconstitutional as cruel and unusual punishment, halting Jeffery Lee’s planned execution and sending the case back for review. The state is likely to appeal, potentially to the Supreme Court, while alternatives like lethal injection or a firing squad could be reconsidered depending on court outcomes.
Tony Carruthers' scheduled Tennessee execution was halted when corrections could not establish a backup IV line for lethal injection, despite a primary line being in place; the delay prompted emergency stays and ongoing appeals amid concerns about expired drugs and requests for DNA testing, while Carruthers maintains his innocence.
A federal jury awarded Isaac Castellanos $11.8 million after he was blinded in one eye when LAPD officers fired a projectile into a crowd during the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series celebration in downtown Los Angeles; Castellanos argued excessive force and policy violations, and his lawyers have sought to triple the award under California law; the verdict—likely to be appealed—highlights concerns about the use of less-lethal weapons and accountability in crowd-control incidents.
Six immigration judges were terminated by the Department of Justice, including Roopal Patel and Nina Froes who had blocked deportations of pro-Palestinian students Rümeysa Öztürk and Mohsen Mahdawi. The DOJ touted routine evaluations for impartiality and professionalism, while critics warn the firings could erode due process and reduce experienced immigrant-defense expertise on the bench.
Charles “Sonny” Burton, 75, on Alabama’s death row for capital felony murder tied to a 1991 AutoZone robbery in which the shooter killed a man, argues he did not kill anyone and is seeking clemency or a stay; advocates note the disparity of punishing a non-shooter and urge the governor or the Supreme Court to intervene, while Gov. Ivey has said there are no plans to grant clemency and several jurors and the victim’s daughter support mercy.
The Rhode Island Attorney General and State Police released a comprehensive report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence, summarizing an investigation of more than 250,000 pages dating back to 1950, identifying 72 credibly accused clergy, and outlining resources for victims and recommendations for ongoing reforms by the Church, government, and public.