"California Home Health Care Program Hires Felons": Felons convicted of violent crimes, such as rape and assault with a deadly weapon, have been hired by California's home health care program to look after elderly residents. Investigators believe there are at least 210 unsuitable workers and applicants in the program, but background checks haven't been completed because the program rules currently allow felons to work as home care aides. Applicants are disqualified only if they have a history of child/elder abuse or of defrauding public assistance programs. Because of privacy laws, the elderly and disabled residents are not warned if their caregivers are felons. The San Francisco Chronicle has the story here.
"Arizona Death Row Inmate to be Executed in October": AP writer Paul Davenport reports on a warrant of execution issued by the Arizona Supreme Court, setting an October 26th date of execution for Jeffrey Landrigan. If carried out, Landrigan would be the first person executed in the state since 2007. A month after escaping from an Oklahoma prison, where he was serving time for a 1982 murder and 1986 prison stabbing, Landrigan stabbed and strangled to death Chester Dyer. He was linked to the murder by DNA evidence. The defense is requesting a delay in the execution because of a shortage of at least one of the three drugs Arizona uses for lethal injections.
California County Jail Limits Inmate Mail: Beginning October 4th, Ventura County jail will ban most letters to and from inmates, except for postcards. The Sheriff's Department claims the restriction is for security reasons, because inmates are able to receive contraband and coded gang and crime information in letters. The postcards have strict limitations: they must be under a certain size and cannot contain paint, stickers, nudity, etc. Inmates will still be allowed to send and receive letters from their attorneys. Counties in other states such as Colorado, Florida, and Arizona have implemented similar letter bans. The Mercury News has the story here.
San Diego Judge Accused of Taping Court Proceedings for TV Tryout: Debra Cassens Weiss of the ABA Journal reports on an ethics complaint filed against Judge DeAnn Salcido for taping courtroom proceedings for a TV tryout, during which she made improper remarks and encouraged spectator participation. The judge is accused of warning a defendant that if he commits another crime he "will definitely be screwed and we don't offer Vaseline for that," and asking courtroom spectators for a "woo, woo, woo" after learning a defendant had tested positive for marijuana. Judge Salcido has defended her behavior, stating: "I have found the use of humor and a 'tough love' approach to be very successful in getting through to the criminal defendants and helping them see the benefits of cleaning up their lives."
At Least He'll Die in Prison: A Philippine court earlier this month sentenced a man to 14,400 years for raping his daughter nearly every day for a year. The man was originally sentenced to death after being convicted of 360 counts of rape, but had his sentence reduced after the country repealed the death penalty in 2006. Read the AP's story here.
"Arizona Death Row Inmate to be Executed in October": AP writer Paul Davenport reports on a warrant of execution issued by the Arizona Supreme Court, setting an October 26th date of execution for Jeffrey Landrigan. If carried out, Landrigan would be the first person executed in the state since 2007. A month after escaping from an Oklahoma prison, where he was serving time for a 1982 murder and 1986 prison stabbing, Landrigan stabbed and strangled to death Chester Dyer. He was linked to the murder by DNA evidence. The defense is requesting a delay in the execution because of a shortage of at least one of the three drugs Arizona uses for lethal injections.
California County Jail Limits Inmate Mail: Beginning October 4th, Ventura County jail will ban most letters to and from inmates, except for postcards. The Sheriff's Department claims the restriction is for security reasons, because inmates are able to receive contraband and coded gang and crime information in letters. The postcards have strict limitations: they must be under a certain size and cannot contain paint, stickers, nudity, etc. Inmates will still be allowed to send and receive letters from their attorneys. Counties in other states such as Colorado, Florida, and Arizona have implemented similar letter bans. The Mercury News has the story here.
San Diego Judge Accused of Taping Court Proceedings for TV Tryout: Debra Cassens Weiss of the ABA Journal reports on an ethics complaint filed against Judge DeAnn Salcido for taping courtroom proceedings for a TV tryout, during which she made improper remarks and encouraged spectator participation. The judge is accused of warning a defendant that if he commits another crime he "will definitely be screwed and we don't offer Vaseline for that," and asking courtroom spectators for a "woo, woo, woo" after learning a defendant had tested positive for marijuana. Judge Salcido has defended her behavior, stating: "I have found the use of humor and a 'tough love' approach to be very successful in getting through to the criminal defendants and helping them see the benefits of cleaning up their lives."
At Least He'll Die in Prison: A Philippine court earlier this month sentenced a man to 14,400 years for raping his daughter nearly every day for a year. The man was originally sentenced to death after being convicted of 360 counts of rape, but had his sentence reduced after the country repealed the death penalty in 2006. Read the AP's story here.
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