There is a scam going around that targets the public, criminal defendants and especially sex offenders. We've received some calls about it at our office, so we thought we would cover it here.According to the U.S. Marshals Service in Milwaukee, con artists are calling...
Month: October 2019
Supreme Court: Can states just get rid of the insanity defense?
At stake is our basic understanding of the difference between right and wrong. If someone commits a wrongful act but, due to a mental illness or defect, wasn't able to recognize that what they were doing was wrong, we don't consider them to have committed a crime.The...
What should prosecutors do when they know an officer lies?
It's a controversial subject, but we live in a harsh world. Some police officers lie. Some have a documented history of misconduct, including lying or other acts that call their truthfulness into question. If they do, this history should be available to the defense so...
Study: Cellphone location data is not necessarily accurate
In 2009, the National Academy of Sciences issued a blockbuster report on the state of the science in forensic investigation. That report concluded that, "with the exception of nuclear DNA analysis ... no forensic method has been rigorously shown to have the capacity...
Jailhouse informants lie. Should they be allowed to testify?
A jailhouse informant is rarely someone who just wants to help. Jails and prisons have a strong anti-snitching culture, so passing along information to prosecutors is a choice that could get you in serious trouble. People don't inform on other prisoners to be solid...