ABA Journal

Criminal Procedure

1726 ABA Journal Criminal Procedure articles.

Ex-lawyer Murdaugh, in prison for murder, is charged with stealing from clients

A disbarred lawyer who is serving a life sentence for the murder of his wife and one of his sons has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly stealing money from clients and his housekeeper’s family.

‘Jury Duty’ offers some realism hidden in the absurdity

My sister is a huge true-crime fan (shoutout, Ivy). She is professedly obsessed, even to the point that her favorite streaming platform is ID Go. She’s always been intelligent and curious. I think her brother being a career defense attorney might influence her intrigue. Maybe I shouldn’t flatter myself, though.

State investigators accuse Texas AG of abuse of office in public hearing

Investigators outlined allegations of abuse of office against Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a public hearing by a GOP-led Texas House of Representatives panel in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday.

Lawyer says community service isn’t ‘viable,’ chooses jail for spitting misdemeanor

A Wisconsin lawyer chose jail over community service Tuesday for spitting on a Black teenager during a 2020 protest.

Trump’s post-trial sexual assault denials are relevant in separate defamation suit, lawyer for accuser says

A lawyer for the woman who accused former President Donald Trump of sexual assault told a federal judge Monday that Trump’s post-trial comments denying the incident are relevant in a separate pending lawsuit against Trump.

Questions remain after manslaughter charges in New York subway killing

There are still plenty of questions surrounding the killing of a homeless man on a New York City subway May 1. The Manhattan district attorney’s office in New York has filed second-degree manslaughter charges against 24-year-old Marine veteran Daniel Penny, but the debate continues over the delayed response by police and prosecutors.

False-records case against Trump ‘stands apart,’ newspaper review finds

The felony business-records case against former President Donald Trump “stands apart” because the indictment does not include any separate charges, according to the New York Times, which reviewed about 30 such cases.

Top South Carolina court vacates ‘phantom order’ granting early release of convicted murderer

The South Carolina Supreme Court acted “in rare haste” when it vacated a judge’s secret order for the release of a convicted murderer 16 years before the end of his sentence, according to a published report.

Weekly Briefs: ‘State takeover’ of city policing challenged; lawyers sentenced in trip-and-fall scheme

NAACP sues over ‘state takeover’ of city policing, courts

The NAACP has filed a lawsuit challenging two state laws that “represent a state takeover of Jackson,” Mississippi, a predominantly Black…

Lawyer-turned-playwright celebrates Broadway debut with powerful legal drama

Prima Facie is a new one-woman play on Broadway, centered on an ambitious lawyer who, after building her reputation representing men accused of rape, must navigate the same legal system to seek justice for herself after her sexual assault.

‘Bluey’ and teaching your children about the legal system

An episode of the TV show “Bluey” provided columnist Adam Banner an excellent opportunity to talk with his son about court proceedings, how you can tell when someone isn’t being honest, and the importance of telling the truth.

Former prosecutor gets prison time for stalking by subpoena

A former homicide prosecutor in Baltimore has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for using subpoenas to obtain confidential phone records that provided personal information about two former girlfriends.

Through overseas currency exchanges, California deputy DA helps online romance scam victims get their money back

In the criminal justice world, pig butchering refers to bacon—but not literally. Instead, it’s a term used to describe scamming someone online out of all their money through promises of romance and cryptocurrency windfalls, says Erin West, a prosecutor in the Santa Clara County, California, district attorney’s office.

Lawyer who testified she spit toward but not on Black Lives Matter protester convicted; another trial awaits

A Wisconsin lawyer was convicted of misdemeanor disorderly conduct Wednesday for spitting at a 17-year-old Black Lives Matter protester in June 2020.

Court watch movement is growing in numbers and public attention

For the past two years, singer-songwriter Fiona Apple has volunteered with Courtwatch PG, the largest court watch program in the country, to observe legal proceedings in Prince George’s County, Maryland, from her home in Los Angeles. Apple has also joined a group of advocates calling attention to the concept of court watching and aiming to get more people involved.

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