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From this day forward, [we] no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death
Three years and four months ago, Connecticut abolished the imposition of the harshest penalty – death – for any offense, no matter how severe. There was one caveat, however. Those who already were...
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Abolition of the death penalty is not a judicial “contrivance”
There’s been a lot of commentary about the abolition of the death penalty in Connecticut since State v. Santiago [PDF] was decided last week. Some of it has been interesting and insightful, if a bit of...
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A dream unrealized
It’s MLK Day again and the familiar lament of Dr. King’s words echo through our consciousness. Yet, almost half a century on from his sacrifices and his labor, his words remain unheeded and his dream...
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Bill Cosby and the unwritten agreement
This whole Bill Cosby’s mysterious unwritten plea agreement slash non-prosecution agreement slash immunity promise slash missing scrolls saga is a very fascinating law school hypothetical. There was...
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See no evil, hear no evil
“When you see something, say something” is law enforcement’s mantra for the 21st century. Record everything, spy on everyone, eavesdrop on your neighbors, be a rat like no rat has ever been a rat...
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In news that should surprise no one
Ohio’s death penalty is racist and sexist: [Frank Baumgartner, a University of North Carolina political science professor] looked at Ohio’s 53 executions between 1999 and 2014, finding “significant and...
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Bill Cosby doesn’t get off on a weird technicality
He gets off on drugging women and fondling them, but that’s not what I meant. As you by now no doubt have heard, Bill Cosby’s bid to have the sexual assault prosecution against him dismissed has...
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Implicit biases, subtle racism and privilege: a West Hartford tale
Two days ago, a Hartford Courant Communities reporter Kristin Stoller posted an article, which was essentially a police puff piece, touting the decrease in DUI arrests in the suburban town of West...
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Everyone pays for prosecutorial impropriety except prosecutors
On January 12 this year, Lucas Betancourt, a felon convicted of various forms of kidnapping, burglary, robbery and attempts thereof received word that his request to a judge to have his convictions...
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About that Scalia quote on executing the innocent
After the news of Justice Scalia’s death broke and people eulogized him and hated him and politicized him, one quote attributed to him started making the rounds of Twitter and thinkpieces. It was this:...
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I think we oughta just f*&!@ pop him
From the Record-Journal: Officer John Slepski and John Slezak’s actions responding to the report of an intoxicated man lying in the middle of the road resulted in unpaid suspensions for both officers...
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On #PublicDefenseDay let’s talk about you
It’s the 53rd anniversary of my birth, the day when the unfunded mandate of state-provided lawyers for the poor was declared1. The decision was absolutely right and led to the creation of public...
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