Postmortem Appeals. Federal defendants who have assumed room temperature would no longer get an automatic reversal under a bill introduced by Senators Jeff Sessions and Dianne Feinstein, according to this AP story. The bill was prompted by the vacating of Ken Lay's conviction. The story quotes anonymous "legal experts" as saying that action was "consistent with long-standing precedent." Yes, but that doesn't mean it's a good rule. The bill would allow the defendant's representative (presumably the executor or administrator) to continue the appeal.

Jessica's Law. Cal AG Bill Lockyer has taken the position that the 2000 foot sex-criminal residency restriction of recently enacted Prop. 83 (1) does not apply retroactively to prior convictions; (2) does not create a crime for its violation. A suit by a previously convicted person to enjoin prosecution should therefore be dismissed, he argued, Bob Egelko of the SF Chron reports.

Cameras by the Bay. The SF Police Commission unanimously approved Mayor Newsom's plan to install more surveillance cameras in high crime areas over the objection of the ACLU. The story is curiously hard to find. It is buried as the third item of this Bay City News roundup. A pre-vote story yesterday is here.

Cost of Crime. Bill Virgin of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has an interesting column about the total cost of crime.

The Queen's Speech. "My Government will put victims at the heart of the criminal justice system, support the police and all those responsible for the public's safety, and proceed with the development of ID cards. ¶ A Bill will be brought forward for the next stage of reform of the criminal justice system, giving the police and probation services new powers to protect the public from violent offenders and anti-social behaviour." Changes to appellate rules to avoid reversals for harmless error are also on tap, according to the Home Office. The government further plans to abolish trial by jury in serious fraud cases. Hmm...that's a bridge too far.

Medellin Decision. Maro Robbins of the San Antonio Express-News has this story.