As a result of the protests after George Floyd’s murder, the state of Minnesota and many other governments have been making changes to our criminal justice system. The changes are intended to make the system more fair, transparent, accurate and just. One of the...
Criminal Defense
Illinois cops can no longer lie to people under 18
The state of Illinois was once called the “false confession capital of the United States,” according to the Innocence Project. It was after many false confessions came to light in high-profile exoneration cases. "In Illinois alone, there have been 100 wrongful...
What has changed in the year since George Floyd’s death?
It has been just over a year since the May 24, 2020 death of 46-year-old Black man George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. The event spurred nationwide – and worldwide – protests and a movement to change policing, especially as applied to Black people and...
Eyewitness testimony is frequently unreliable
You might not think six eyewitnesses could all be wrong, but they were. The case was a 2010 murder. A man named Aaron Scheerhoorn was stabbed to death outside a nightclub in Houston. A crowd gathered, and six people told detectives that Lydell Grant was the murderer....
Wisconsin offers job-seeking help for those released from prison
Study after study has shown that people who find employment after being released from prison are much less likely to reoffend. Unfortunately, former prisoners are often released with limited resources, little to no job training or education, and few opportunities for...
3 more forensic labs around the country caught up in scandal
As a society, we must trust state forensic labs to accurately test evidence. They are supposed to be neutral, not agents for the prosecution or police. They have ethical standards. Too often, forensic labs have failed us. When they do, it can result in wrongful...
What is felony murder?
Murder is always a felony, so why do we have the term “felony murder”? It refers to a rule that most states, including Wisconsin, follow. When a person decides to participate in a felony of any kind, they can be charged with murder if someone dies as a result of that...
Evers pushes juvenile justice overhaul, legislature may push back
In 2018, former governor Walker and lawmakers agreed in principle to shut down the Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake youth prisons, which have a history of abuse. The idea was to replace them with several new facilities, including a new state prison for serious juvenile...
Top Biden science advisor wrote seminal report on forensic science
In 2016, the President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology (PCAST) issued a report on the reliability of various forensic science techniques. The report was earth-shaking for the forensic science community. It concluded that there was insufficient...
The IRS is buying and using location data without a warrant
In 2018’s Carpenter v. United States, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that law enforcement is generally not entitled to use cell site location information unless it obtains a warrant for the information. This means that state and federal law enforcement agencies cannot...