Recent Blog Posts
Florida Jury Finds That Officers Cannot Seize Accident Bystanders’ Cell Phones for Evidence
An important decision to come out of Martin County, Florida in early October could have statewide implications for establishing limitations on law enforcement’s ability to collect smart phones in roadside contexts. The jury decided that a deputy violated a resident’s civil rights when he grabbed a bystander’s cell phone and told him that any… Read More »
LGBTQ Advocates Are Concerned about the Administration’s New Civil Rights Probe
LGBTQ advocates are understandably concerned after the administration recently released an announcement indicating that it would be conducting a federal investigation into whether a school district’s transgender bathroom policy contributed to the sexual assault of a five-year-old girl in Georgia. According to reports, the school district adopted a policy allowing transgender students to use… Read More »
Administration Files Position Opposing Inclusion of Transgender Rights in Title VII of Civil Rights Act
In late October, the Trump administration took a huge step back in making progress in affording civil rights for everyone by filing a position with the U.S. Supreme Court arguing against the protection of transgender people against sex bias on the job under Title VII of the 1964 civil rights law. The case stems… Read More »
Florida Suspect Charged With Attempted Bombings
The hearing for the Florida man accused of sending explosive packages (pipe bombs) to several prominent members of the Democratic Party and media outlets, including CNN, was held on October 29 in federal court. Cesar Sayoc has been accused of a number of federal crimes, including assaulting federal officers, and faces more than 50… Read More »
U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Case on Appeal Waivers in Plea Agreements
We’ve previously discussed the issue of the rise in the number of plea bargains versus jury trials over time, all over the country, and the impact this arguably has on ensuring that justice is done, in general, in our criminal justice system. In fact, the U.S. Supreme Court itself estimated that 97 percent of… Read More »
Florida City Commissioner Charged with Murder: Second Spotlight on Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law
Florida’s “stand your ground” law is once again under the spotlight as a Lakeland, Florida city commissioner (Michael Dunn) is now facing second-degree murder charges after shooting an alleged shoplifter at his store earlier this month (October). According to the footage obtained by police, the victim hid a hatchet from the store under his… Read More »
U.S. Appeals Court Points out That Sting Operations Primarily Target Blacks and Latinos
On October 15, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals made it easier for defendants snagged in reverse sting operations to seek evidence indicating that the government engaged in serious civil rights concerns by specifically targeting blacks and Latinos in these operations. In doing so, the court painted a disturbing portrait of law enforcement… Read More »
Florida Judge Points Out How Repeated Prosecution of Innocent Man Shows That System Is Flawed
No state in the U.S. has had more death-penalty convictions overturned than Florida; most of them involving convictions where defendants arguably did not have the financial resources to properly defend themselves. One particular death penalty case here in Florida has drawn significant coverage this month (October) because of the arguably abhorrent levels of injustice… Read More »
A Closer Look at Sex Crime Allegations against Justice Kavanaugh & What May Be On “Shaky” Legal Grounds
Hearings concerning whether or notice Justice Kavanaugh will be confirmed for placement onto the U.S. Supreme Court have dominated news headlines of late, especially since several accusers have come forward, alleging that Kavanaugh is guilty of committing sex crimes against them. Both of the allegations brought thus far date back to incidents that allegedly… Read More »
Criminal Defense Lawyers Conference Highlights Basic Changes Needed For Prison Reform
In late August, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) met in Atlanta, Georgia to discuss the dire need for prison reform in each state, including Florida. According to key speaker Georgia’s Governor Nathan Deal, aside from prison reform interests, states that want to cut costs and decrease the number of repeat offenders… Read More »
