NEWS
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Avalanche of lawsuits accuse New York prison guards of sexually abusing inmates
By Chris Grabb On August 27, 2023 ALBANY – New York State is facing an onslaught of lawsuits accusing prison officers of sexually abusing adult inmates, litigation allowed under a new one-year window for survivors to sue, regardless of when the abuse occurred. A single Manhattan-based law firm, Levy Konigsberg LLP, is handling more than…
There was a gun in a maximum security prison. Incarcerated people say it was left to them to secure the area.
By Eddie Burkhalter On August 24, 2023 It’s been eleven days since Derrol Shaw walked the hallways of William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility carrying a semi-automatic pistol, and the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) has yet to publicly mention the gun or provide the public with assurances that whatever security failures led to the bizarre…
Sentencing Commission Backs Retroactive Cuts For 1st Timers
By Stewart Bishop On August 25, 2023 A divided U.S. Sentencing Commission has voted to retroactively apply changes to sentencing guidelines that will allow potentially thousands of defendants who were sentenced as first-time offenders to petition courts for a reduction in their prison terms. The criminal history guidelines reform from the commissioners — all of whom were…
Family of 8-year-old girl killed by police gunfire announce plans to keep her legacy alive
By Susan Snyder On August 27, 2023 The Fanta Bility Foundation aims to help children and families locally and nationally, advocate for better police training and safety measures, and keep Fanta’s legacy alive. Exactly two years ago, 8-year-old Fanta Bility was killed when police fired into a crowd outside a high football game in Delaware…
The NYPD has stopped tens of thousands of people under Mayor Adams. Just 5% were white.
By Bahar Ostadan On August 25, 2023 The NYPD has stopped tens of thousands of pedestrians since Mayor Eric Adams took office – claiming someone “fit a relevant description” or citing a vague reason like “other.” Just 5% of them were white, revealing racial disparities even starker than at the height of former Mayor Michael…
Repeated Police Misconduct by 116 Officers Cost Chicago Taxpayers $91.3M Over 3 Years: Analysis
By Heather Cherone and Jared Rutecki On August 22, 2023 Chicago taxpayers paid $91.3 million to resolve lawsuits that named 116 Chicago police officers whose alleged misconduct led more than once to payouts between 2019 and 2021, according to an analysis of city data by WTTW News. In all, the city spent $197.7 million to…
Republicans change mentions of ‘fetus’ in proposed abortion amendment to ‘unborn child’
By Morgan Trau and Ian Cross On August 24, 2023 COLUMBUS, Ohio — A version of the abortion rights amendment that was rewritten by Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office to change mentions of “fetus” to “unborn child” was approved by the Ohio Ballot Board Thursday and will appear on the ballot in November instead…
Voters reject Issue 1 in Ohio special election, scoring win for abortion rights supporters
By Haley BeMiller On August 8, 2023 COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio voters rejected a ballot measure in Tuesday’s highly charged special election that would have made it more difficult to change the state’s constitution, taking away a simple majority rule. The controversial proposal was projected to fail, according to Decision Desk HQ, an election results…
Economists: Abortion protections will lead to better outcomes for Ohio women
By Marty Schladen On August 29, 2023 Abortion rights will be on the ballot in November, and Ohio Republican politicians who oppose them are again trying to stack the deck. However, a majority of economists who were surveyed this month said that such rights will improve economic prospects for women — especially those who are poor.…