Criminal (in)justice

Dave reviews the recently concluded U.S. Supreme Court session with 90.5 WESA's Kevin Gavin on The ConfluenceAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Pittsburgh has been named America’s most livable city many times over by magazines and ratings guides. And it is pretty great. At least, for people like me. What is it like for African American residents? And why are their experiences with our police so different than mine?Our guest is the Reverend Dr. John Welch, former Vice President and Dean of the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He tells us what it’s like to be in a thriving American city, as a black man, especially with regard to policing.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Recommended reading from The American Lawyer: 'It Could Have Been Me': Black Lawyers Reflect on George Floyd's Death and What Comes Next"Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

What's the meaning of Donald Trump's decision to commute the sentence of Roger Stone? And what went on behind the scenes?Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

With incidents of serious injuries and deaths at the hands ofpolice, cities face the costs of settlements and jury verdicts.Some of these cases mean millions of dollars paid. How docities pay for this? What does it mean to city budgets? Andhow is it that someone is making money off of this? Ourguest is Brentin Mock, veteran journalist; he’ll discuss hisarticle “How Cities Offload the Cost of Police Brutality,”which appeared in June in Bloomberg’s CityLab.com.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

A point-by-point breakdown and response to A.G. William Barr's recent interview on NPR.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis set off outrage, weeks of demonstrations across the country and around the world, and has started discussion and legislative action at every level of government. On this episode, we’ll ask an African American law enforcement leader what policing has been like – and where it goes now.Our guest is Dr. Cedric Alexander, former police officer and chief of several police departments, and the author of “In Defense of Public Service: How 22 Million Government Employees Will Save the Republic,” published in 2020.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

On June 10, Dave gave an hour-long presentation on law and racial justice for the Center on Race and Social Problems at the University of Pittsburgh. We invite you to check out the video on YouTube: #CRSPCast: Law & Racial Justice w/ Professor David Harris - June 10, 2020 Support Criminal Injustice at $5/month to unlock extra bonus episodes and more on the Members feed: patreon.com/criminalinjusticeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Minneapolis takes a bold step, announcing it will dismantle the police department that sparked protests nationwide with the murder of George Floyd -- and just like that, "defund the police" graduates from activist rallying cry to viable policy option. For all the handwringing over what the phrase "really means," it's really not complicated: people want their city governments to take resources away from lavishly-funded and unaccountable law enforcement agencies, and devote them instead to emergency responders, social services, schools, and civil institutions that advance public safety rather than wage war on their own citizens. Support Criminal Injustice at $5/month to unlock extra bonus episodes and more on the Members feed: patreon.com/criminalinjusticeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Derek Chauvin faces second- and third-degree murder and assault charges, and the three other Minneapolis police officers who watched him kill George Floyd are charged with aiding and abetting the crime. Why not first-degree? What do the charges mean? Dave breaks down the prosecution's reasoning.  Support Criminal Injustice at $5/month to unlock extra bonus episodes and more on the Members feed: patreon.com/criminalinjusticeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Viral video of an encounter in NYC's Central Park shows a white woman calling 911 to report another park user is threatening her life, apparently trying to provoke a violent police response against the "African American man" who had simply asked her to leash her dog. Reflexively fearing people of another race is racist -- but it's mostly a function of the garden-variety implicit bias that most of us harbor on some level, whether we're aware of it or not. Actively weaponizing that fear  in others when you know it's baseless... that's taking it to another level. Support Criminal Injustice at $5/month to unlock extra bonus episodes and more on the Members feed: patreon.com/criminalinjusticeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Another horrific episode of police violence, captured on video in Minneapolis, graphically recalls the 2014 killing of Eric Garner by NYPD officers who were never criminally charged in his death. This time the officers may face charges, but prosecuting police is still notoriously difficult. Is there hope for justice?Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

The killing of an unarmed black man, Ahmaud Arbery, by two white men in Georgia went largely unnoticed until video of the February shooting went viral earlier this month. Now the father and son face murder charges -- but will Georgia's "Stand Your Ground" law block their conviction? Support Criminal Injustice at $5/month to unlock extra bonus episodes and more on the Members feed: patreon.com/criminalinjusticeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Recommended reading on how COVID-19 is impacting incarcerated populations and what must be done to avoid catastrophe: "Let the People Go" by Joseph Margulies in the Boston Review. Support Criminal Injustice at $5/month to unlock extra bonus episodes and more on the Members feed: patreon.com/criminalinjusticeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

COVID-19 has exposed systemic injustice and institutional failures at every level of society, and nowhere more than in the criminal justice system. Incarcerated people are already being hit hard by the pandemic, but the situation is rapidly deteriorating -- and the effects will be felt beyond the walls of prisons and jails. Support Criminal Injustice at $5/month to unlock extra bonus episodes and more on the Members feed: patreon.com/criminalinjusticeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Louisiana's public defender system is funded by fines from traffic violations. But with far fewer cars on the road due to COVID-19, an already badly underfunded system is at the breaking point. Support Criminal Injustice at $5/month to unlock extra bonus episodes and more on the Members feed: patreon.com/criminalinjusticeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

The U.S. Supreme Court rules that jury decisions in state criminal cases must be unanimous, overturning a precedent that goes back to Jim Crow.  Support Criminal Injustice at $5/month to unlock extra bonus episodes and more on the Members feed: patreon.com/criminalinjusticeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Workplaces are adjusting to life under lockdown by holding meetings via videoconference — and the U.S. Supreme Court is no exception. Support Criminal Injustice at $5/month to unlock extra bonus episodes and more on the Members feed: patreon.com/criminalinjusticeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

President Trump claims “total authority” to override governors and end their stay-at-home orders, yet again raising the question: can he do that? No, as Dave explains on 90.5 WESA’s The Confluence, he cannot. Support Criminal Injustice at $5/month to unlock extra bonus episodes and more on the Members feed: patreon.com/criminalinjusticeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

A trademark lawsuit out of Chicago raises the question: in the midst of a global pandemic, what counts as a legal “emergency”? Support Criminal Injustice at $5/month to unlock extra bonus episodes and more on the Members feed: patreon.com/criminalinjusticeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands