The Cop Who Shot Rayshard Brooks Has Been Charged With Murder
Garrett Rolfe—the former Atlanta police officer who shot and killed Rayshard Brooks last week, kicking him after as he lay on the ground—was charged with felony murder, the Fulton County district attorney announced Wednesday. The shooting already led to the firing of Rolfe and the resignation of Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields. As Mother Jones…
Trump’s Justice Department Proposes Indefinite Detention in Emergencies—Like the Coronavirus Outbreak
Mark Wilson/Getty As part of proposed legislation being pushed in response to the coronavirus, Trump’s Justice Department has asked Congress to allow the indefinite detention of people during emergencies, according to a Politico report published Saturday. It’s not likely the House’s Democratic majority will support this proposal, which would give federal judges the authority to pause court proceedings…
New York Politicians Are Using Anti-Semitic Attacks to Scare People About Bail Reform
New York Post At the start of the year, New York enacted a set of reforms designed to ensure that fewer people land in jail before trial simply because they don’t have enough money to pay the court bail. Critics immediately pounced. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and state lawmakers are already trying…
Why Picking 12 Jurors to Hear the Weinstein Trial is So Damn Hard
Harvey Weinstein, left, arrives at court with his lead attorney Donna Rotunno.Mary Altaffer/AP On Tuesday, the first day of jury selection in Harvey Weinstein’s rape trial in a lower Manhattan courtroom, Judge James Burke asked a group of 120 potential jurors if they felt that they could not remain impartial. A third raised their hands.…
Elon Musk Won His “Pedo Guy” Defamation Case
Elon Musk, leaves the US District Court, Central District of California in Los Angeles through a back door.Photo by Apu Gomes/Getty Images A jury on Friday ruled in favor of Elon Musk in a defamation lawsuit filed by a British cave diver, whom the union-busting Tesla CEO had baselessly called a “pedo.” Cave diver Vernon…
When Your Rape Doesn’t Count
Something about the knock at the front door made Mary-Scott Hunter think a neighbor was in trouble. She had just arrived home from her job at a corporate training company, and she was mulling over an earlier fight with her girlfriend, but the sound jolted her out of it: five loud, fast raps. She could…