The government spies on incarcerated citizens who use illegal cellphones in correctional facilities. Those aren’t the only people government officials spy on. They are also listening to and tracking free citizens, according to Criminal Legal News (CLN). The technology used is called a cell-site simulator, also called a “stingray.” This device directs a cellphone to connect to it instead of a cell tower. “Police operating the devices can track the location of all connected cellphones within a certain radius, and also can potentially … [Read more...] about Cell phones being monitored in jails and free world alike
U.S. Supreme Court
Supreme Court grants new trial based attorney’s assertion of client’s guilt
The U.S. Supreme Court has ordered a new trial, despite evidence of the man’s guilt, in a case where the defendant testified he is innocent while his lawyer argued he is guilty. Robert McCoy was charged with three counts of murder in Louisiana. The three victims were his estranged wife’s family members. Lewinston police apprehended McCoy in Idaho a few days later. McCoy pleaded not guilty and maintained his innocence. Throughout the court proceedings, McCoy said he was out-of-town when the homicides happened and corrupt police committed the … [Read more...] about Supreme Court grants new trial based attorney’s assertion of client’s guilt
Plea bargain challenges are not barred to defendant
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that plea bargains do not prohibit defendants from challenging the constitutionality of their convictions. The decision held that even though a guilty plea waives a defendant’s right to appeal their case or challenge the sentence, it does not waive their right to question the state’s right to charge them in the first place. Criminal Legal News reported the case as Class v. United States (2018). “There are over 4,800 legal restrictions facing people with convictions after sentence completion…73% of these … [Read more...] about Plea bargain challenges are not barred to defendant
USSC rules bail hearings undocumented immigrants
The U.S. Supreme Court in early March ruled 5 to 3 in the case of Jennings v. Rodriguez that the Immigration and Nationality Act does not permit regular bail hearings for undocumented immigrants detained by U.S. immigration officials, according to The Atlantic. The five justices of the majority ruled that the Immigration and Nationality Act statute does not permit bail hearings for immigration prisoners and accordingly authorized officials to hold detainees for weeks, months and even years. In 1994 the Immigration and Naturalization Service, … [Read more...] about USSC rules bail hearings undocumented immigrants
California’s next governor faces executions
California’s next governor could be forced to make a life-or-death decision that the state’s top executive hasn’t faced in over a decade; whether to spare an inmate facing execution. There are nearly 750 people on death row at San Quentin State Prison, more than any other state, and decisions made by the next governor will help set the pace of executions going forward. Five of the top six top candidates oppose the death penalty. But few say they’d use the office’s commutation power to broadly move inmates from death row to life in … [Read more...] about California’s next governor faces executions