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Ohio Supreme Court: ‘Functional Life Sentences’ for Juveniles Unconstitutional
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled Thursday that sentences long enough that an inmate would likely not live to see his or her parole date, also known as “functional life sentences,” were unconstitutional to impose on juveniles not convicted of homicide. In a decision divided 4-3, the justices overturned the 112-year sentence Mahoning County (Ohio) Common…
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Corruption Trial for Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca Ends in Mistrial
The corruption trial for former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca ended in a mistrial Thursday after jurors failed to reach a verdict on charges that he obstructed an FBI investigation into allegations that deputies abused jail inmates. The jurors, who have been dismissed after deliberating since Monday afternoon, said they were split 11-1 in…
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Lawmakers in NC Fail to Repeal Controversial ‘Bathroom Bill’
After convening a special legislative session for the purpose of repealing the controversial “bathroom bill,” North Carolina legislators left Wednesday with the law still in place. Republicans in the Legislature debated over whether to fully or partially repeal the measure, and Democrats accused them of reneging on a pledge to completely eliminate H.B. 2, which…
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New Mo. Statute Ensures Children Are Fed Into School-to-Prison Pipeline
A Missouri statute that goes into effect Jan. 1 ensures that students there will be fed directly into the school-to-prison pipeline. The new rules state that fights between students either on school buses or on school campuses will no longer be treated as a minor offense or misdemeanor. Instead, the student or students will be…
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Flint, Mich., Plaintiffs File Emergency Motion to Force City, State to Deliver Water
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit that led to a court order requiring delivery of bottled water to residents of Flint, Mich., filed an emergency motion Wednesday to force the state of Michigan and the city of Flint to comply with the order. Neither the city nor the state has complied with the court order that mandates…
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Church Member Charged in ‘Vote Trump’ Vandalism, Burning of Black Church in Miss.
The suspect arrested and charged Wednesday in the burning of an African-American church in Mississippi is a member of the congregation. Andrew McClinton, a 45-year-old African American from Leland, Miss., was arrested and charged with first-degree arson of a place of worship, Warren Strain, spokesman for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, told the Associated…
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Families of Orlando, Fla., Shooting Victims File Federal Lawsuit Against Tech Companies
The families of some of the victims of the Orlando, Fla., nightclub shooting have filed a lawsuit against Google, Twitter and Facebook, arguing that the tech companies had a role in the radicalization of the shooter. The gunman, Omar Mateen, did not appear to have official ties to the Islamic State group, also referred to…
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Lawmakers in NC Will Consider Repealing Controversial ‘Bathroom Bill’
North Carolina’s controversial “bathroom bill,” passed eight months ago, could be repealed during a special legislative session Wednesday. The law known as House Bill 2 requires transgender people to use public restrooms corresponding to the sex listed on their birth certificate. It also limits statewide protections for LGBT people in public accommodations and employment, and…
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Highest-Ranking Black LAPD Officer Selected to Be New Chief of San Francisco PD
The highest-ranking black officer on the Los Angeles police force was named the new chief of the San Francisco Police Department on Tuesday. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee selected Los Angeles Police Deputy Chief William “Bill” Scott, who had overseen the LAPD’s South Bureau, to lead the troubled SFPD, the Los Angeles Times reports. Scott’s…
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Air Traffic Controller at LAX Accidentally Directs Jet Toward Another Aircraft
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after an aircraft departing Los Angeles International Airport was given the wrong information by air traffic control and directed toward the path of another plane, the Los Angeles Times reports. According to FAA spokesman Ian Gregor, an EVA Air Boeing 777 bound for Taiwan took off early Friday from…
