Criminal Law

The Best and Worst of Drug Court

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The Best and Worst of Drug Court

This week, I was able to attend the nationally recognized treatment court in Scranton, PA.  The program was very impressive, a stark contrast from a 2011 episode of This American Life about drug court judge in Georgia.  

Here is a description of the episode:

This week: A drug court program that we believe is run differently from every other drug court in the country, doing some things that are contrary to the very philosophy of drug court. The result? People with offenses that would get minimal or no sentences elsewhere sometimes end up in the system five to ten years 

Anderson Cooper Interviews Zimmerman Juror

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Anderson Cooper Interviews Zimmerman Juror

In a truly stunning interview, CNN’s Anderson Cooper interviewed a member of the Zimmerman jury.  The juror defends the acquittal decision. The interview is stunning both because of the juror’s answers and Cooper’s inability to ask obvious follow-up questions. Here is a sample of some of the more noteworthy quotes from the interview: 

  • In the second part of the interview, the juror told Cooper she thought Zimmerman’s “heart was in the right place” on the night he shot and killed Martin and the only thing he is guilty of is “not using good judgement.”
  • She said she thought he had “every right so carry a gun,” adding, “I think it’s everyone’s right to carry a gun. 

  • She reiterated that she did not think race played a role in the case. “I think if there was another person, Spanish, white, Asian, if they came in the same situation where Trayvon was,” she said, “I think George would have reacted the exact same way.” 

  • The juror hedged a bit when Cooper asked her whether she would feel comfortable having Zimmerman on “neighborhood watch” in her community saying it would be OK “as long as he didn’t go too far.” She eventually said she thought he’d “learned his lesson” and after the trial “would be more responsible than anyone else on the planet right now.”

Nurse Serial Killer Interviewed on 60 Minutes

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Nurse Serial Killer Interviewed on 60 Minutes

Last night, 60 Minutes re-aired a segment titled “Angel of Death,” the story of Charles Cullen.  Cullen was a critical care nurse who has admitted killing up to forty people.  

Here is a description of the story: 

Tonight you’re going to come face-to-face with a serial killer, one of the most prolific in U.S. history. Serial killers don’t usually talk to reporters. In fact this story, which first ran in April, was the first time in the 45 years of 60 Minutes that we ever interviewed one.

 

Charles Cullen was a critical care nurse who admits to killing up to 40 people. Some suspect it was a lot more. The murders took place over 16 years in seven different hospitals. There were suspicions at nearly all of them that Cullen was harming patients, yet none of them passed that information on to subsequent employers. Newspaper headlines called him “The Angel of Death,” but as you will see, Charles Cullen was no mercy killer. Until we interviewed him four months ago, he had never spoken publicly about his crimes, never tried to explain why he did it, or even express remorse to the families of victims when he finally faced them in court.

Florida: Expedites Death Penalty Process Despite Chilling Exoneration Rate

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Florida: Expedites Death Penalty Process Despite Chilling Exoneration Rate

Yesterday, This American Life ran a short story about a recent bill signed by Florida Governor Rick Scott.  Despite the fact that Florida has one of the worst record for poor lawyering in death penalty cases (which only requires a majority vote for death in Florida), the bill would make executions quicker and easier. 

Here is a description of the story:

On Wednesday, Florida executed a death row inmate named William Van Poyck. His execution came the same week that Florida’s governor signed a new law designed to speed up executions in the state. Emily Bazelon, legal affairs editor at Slate, explains that of all the states in the country, Florida is probably the last one where you’d want executions to move faster. (8 minutes)

Urban Dictionary in the Courtroom

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Urban Dictionary in the Courtroom

On NRP’s Talk of the Nation, New York Times reporter Leslie Kaufman and Rutgers law professor Greg Lastowka discuss the use of the website Urban Dictionary in the court room.  

Here is a description of the segment: 

The use of slang in court proceedings can be tricky, especially in criminal cases where an uncommon slang term used by a witness can make a difference in a case. New York Times tech reporter Leslie Kaufman and law professor Greg Lastowka talk about how judges and lawyers have turned to sites like Urban Dictionary to help define slang terms and the legal implications of the trend.

Read Leslie Kaufman’s Story