"Golden Rule" Argument Leads to Reversed Murder Conviction: A California appeals court this week reversed the murder conviction of Andrew Vance, who choked and shoved an acquaintance off a cliff in 2006. In her closing argument, the prosecutor asked the jurors to "walk in [the victim's] shoes" and to "literally relive in your mind's eye and in your feelings what [the victim] experienced the night he was murdered." The court found the closing reversible error because it "shifted the jury's attention from the evidence to the all too natural response of empathizing with the victim's suffering and his family's resulting torment." Read the AP story here.
San Francisco Gang Injunctions Reduce Violence: SF Chronicle Jaxon Van Derberken reports on San Francisco's efforts to curb gang violence through through court-ordered injunctions. A total of seven injunctions have been issued, identifying 134 known gang members and prohibiting them from activities such as loitering, flashing gang signs, or congregating with other gang members in designated "safety zones." Authorities claim the injunctions have already noticeably "cooled off" some gang rivalries, and homicides this year amount to just over one-third of those in 2008.
NH's New Parole Law Centerstage in Governor Election: The Concord Monitor (NH) reports on a controversial amendment to New Hampshire's parole law that is proving divisive in the state's upcoming governor election. The amendment, signed by current Democratic Governor John Lynch, mandates that nearly all prisoners be released nine months before their maximum sentence. Supporters of the amendment claim the law was intended to improve post-release supervision of the offenders, but others argue the law's broad language permits the release of violent offenders back into the communities.
Inmate on the Loose: Caucasian Male, Naked, Pink Socks: After scaling five razor-wire fences, a Maricopa County (AZ) inmate was caught running down a Phoenix street wearing nothing but his jail-issued pink socks. The sheriff's department has not yet explained how the inmate managed to flee the jail without being detected. The Phoenix New Times has this story and photo (from the shoulders up).
San Francisco Gang Injunctions Reduce Violence: SF Chronicle Jaxon Van Derberken reports on San Francisco's efforts to curb gang violence through through court-ordered injunctions. A total of seven injunctions have been issued, identifying 134 known gang members and prohibiting them from activities such as loitering, flashing gang signs, or congregating with other gang members in designated "safety zones." Authorities claim the injunctions have already noticeably "cooled off" some gang rivalries, and homicides this year amount to just over one-third of those in 2008.
NH's New Parole Law Centerstage in Governor Election: The Concord Monitor (NH) reports on a controversial amendment to New Hampshire's parole law that is proving divisive in the state's upcoming governor election. The amendment, signed by current Democratic Governor John Lynch, mandates that nearly all prisoners be released nine months before their maximum sentence. Supporters of the amendment claim the law was intended to improve post-release supervision of the offenders, but others argue the law's broad language permits the release of violent offenders back into the communities.
Inmate on the Loose: Caucasian Male, Naked, Pink Socks: After scaling five razor-wire fences, a Maricopa County (AZ) inmate was caught running down a Phoenix street wearing nothing but his jail-issued pink socks. The sheriff's department has not yet explained how the inmate managed to flee the jail without being detected. The Phoenix New Times has this story and photo (from the shoulders up).
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