Linda Greenhouse, the New York Times' controversial Supreme Court correspondent, has accepted a buyout offer and will be leaving after 30 years on the beat, Seth Sutel reports for AP.

Officials are cracking-down on criminal immigrants. According to this Washington Post story by Ernesto Londono, strong efforts are being made by immigration officials to locate and deport illegal immigrants and monitor immigrants with criminal records, which is straining the immigration court system. After years of criticism for failing to do enough to deport illegals, federal authorities have formed partnerships with local corrections to monitor immigrants charged with crimes. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reports that over the twelve month period ending on September 30, it placed 164,000 illegals in deportation proceedings and estimated approximately 200,000 deportations this year.

Man gets life sentence for double murder. On April 4, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Johnson will sentence Keven Lee Graff for murder, mayhem and torture. L.A. Times staff writers Tiffany Hsu & Andrew Blankstein report that in June 2004, Graff killed Dr. Morley Engelson with his own kitchen knives. Graff also decapitated Engelson’s neighbor, Robert Lee, leaving Lee’s head at Engelson’s house and the body at his own home. In a plea bargain to avoid a death sentence, Graff admitted his guilt in both murders and asked to address the court at his sentencing, where he will receive two life terms without the possibility of parole.

Britain’s DNA Database Challenged
According to this AP story, two British citizens who have been acquitted of criminal charges are asking the European Court of Human Rights to order the destruction of their DNA samples. The two Britons claim that not destroying their DNA is a breach of their right to privacy and amounts to discrimination. England's DNA database is the world’s largest holding up to 4.5 million samples.

Washington’s New Bill against Street Gangs
A story by Jennifer Sullivan in the Seattle Times reports that Washington is experiencing an increase in youth gang-related crimes. State Rep. Christopher Hurst is pushing a bill (HB 2712) that will add $2.4 million in funding for gang prevention, intervention, and suppression. The bill would create a statewide database of information on gang members available for police use only, and codify the state’s first definition of a “criminal street gang.” This legislation will provide pilot programs and activities for troubled youth. Hurst says, “It’s essentially like treating gangs like organized crime.”

Bill Targets Sex Offenders’ Property
Kentucky Post reporter Jessica Noll writes that House Bill 210 will authorize law enforcement seizure of property from convicted sex offenders. Confiscated houses, money, and personal belongings will be sold and the proceeds used to defray the cost of prosecuting sex offenders such as expert witnesses and forensics. The state's Chief public defender, Daniel T. Goyette, argues that the measure is unconstitutional because states cannot deprive a person of property without affording a prompt opportunity to reclaim items later determined to be unlawfully seized.