On Wednesday, April 24, 2024, President Biden pardoned 11 individuals and commuted the sentence of 5 additional individuals detained in federal prison. In total, 16 detainees were granted clemency in honor of Second Chance Month.
A jury has awarded $16 million to a Philadelphia man whose murder conviction was overturned after he spent 25 years on death row — the largest wrongful conviction payout in city history. (view full article).
James Dennis, 53, always insisted he was innocent and had been sentenced to death for a 1991 murder he did not commit.
The relentless pursuit of “non-stop executions” by a rump of death penalty states is exposing prison staff to extreme levels of psychological and physical stress, according to traumatized corrections officers who are appealing for help (view full article).
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey issued sweeping pardons forgiving possession of marijuana convictions, following the directive of President Joe Biden, who urged state executives to follow his lead in pardoning low-level marijuana offenses.
It would apply to any adult convictions in Massachusetts state court for simple possession of marijuana. It would not apply to charges of distribution, trafficking or driving under the influence.
Attorney Generals from across the country are urging the Supreme Court to give the “utmost” deference to Oklahoma’s admission and confession of prosecutorial misconduct in the case of Glossip v. Oklahoma, Case No. 22-7477, which resulted in Richard Eugene Glossip’s death sentence. In their amicus brief, the attorney generals are asking the Court to overturn Mr. Glossip’s conviction and death sentence noting “‘confessing error is a momentous step, one that attorneys general never take lightly. . .
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals announced Wednesday that U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez “engaged in abusive or harassing behavior” constituting a rare finding of judicial misconduct when he ordered a U.S.
Wisconsin man is convicted of murder in 1996 and sentenced to life imprisonment. Contrary to his instructions, his lawyer fails to file his appeal. Yikes! He spends the next two decades trying to get the state courts to let him get his appeal. In 2016, they finally give him the thumbs-up. Huzzah! To appeal, he needs a transcript of his trial. Which he tried to get in 1997 but couldn't because he lacked the money. And the court reporter's notes have since been destroyed. Yikes again! State trial court: Given the absence of a transcript, it's only fair he gets a new trial. Huzzah!
Former presidential advisor Steve Bannon refused to comply with a subpoena from the January 6 House select committee, for which he was convicted of contempt of Congress. Bannon: Ah, but the statute requires "willful" disobedience. I may have disobeyed intentionally, but not willfully because my attorney told me not to comply. D.C.
In three and a half years, President Biden has already installed more non-White federal judges than any president in history. His slate of judges is also majority female — another first (article available here).
Pride Month is a celebration of generations of LGBTQI+ people, who have fought bravely to live openly and authentically.
As we celebrate Pride Month, the Training Division recognizes and honors the invaluable contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals within Defender Nation. This month, and every month, we acknowledge the importance of diversity, inclusion, and the profound impact that each person has on our collective mission of justice and equity for all.