Justices seem supportive of a broad homeless ban in Oregon. The New York Times The U.S. Supreme Court heard argument on Monday about an anti-camping law in Grants Pass, Oregon, that pits the rights of people who are homeless against the authority of local communities to criminalize the use of encampments in public spaces. The Washington Post More: Read the transcript of the argument. U.S. Supreme Court Related: The unhoused people at the center of the case say they have been abandoned by city officials. The Washington Post TMP Context: How the Grants Pass case could also limit prisoners’ rights. The Marshall Project
“This case is about a criminal conspiracy and a cover-up.” Former President Donald Trump’s “hush money” election interference case began on Monday with jury instructions, opening statements and the first witness. The Washington Post Trump’s own words, on tape, will help incriminate him in a case involving allegations of sex, money, and the 2016 presidential campaign, prosecutors told jurors. Just Security There’s nothing wrong with trying to influence an election, Trump’s attorney tells jurors. NBC News The Trump legal team’s plan to keep their client out of jail. New York Magazine
Truth and consequences. A federal judge ordered four right-wing extremists arrested and jailed for their roles in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6. All four men are from California and part of the “Three Percenters” militia group. NBC News Tyler Dykes, a former Marine who took part in the 2017 white nationalist rally in Virginia, pleaded guilty last week to assaulting police officers at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. NBC News An Arizona legislator resigned from a conservative group last week after being accused of forging voter signatures so he could run for reelection. The Washington Post
“Just because these cases are hard to prove is not a reason not to go forward.” Police and prosecutors in Massachusetts failed repeatedly for years to arrest and indict a man suspected of sexually assaulting several women, despite DNA evidence that appeared to incriminate him. It was only after a fifth victim stepped forward that Boston police finally arrested Alvin Campbell. When they did, they found evidence they say links him to attacks on another 10 women. Lagging law enforcement responses in sexual assault cases is a “nationwide problem,” says a criminologist. WBUR TMP Context: An unbelievable story of rape. The Marshall Project
Police in New Haven, Connecticut, arrested 60 pro-Palestinian protesters calling for Yale University to divest from companies supporting Israel’s military action in Gaza. New Haven Register In New York, dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested Monday evening at New York University. The Washington Post Officials at Columbia University canceled in-person classes on Monday as a result of protests there. The New York Times
Three police officers in Alameda County, California, face involuntary manslaughter charges for their role in the death of Mario Gonzalez in 2021. District Attorney Pamela Price, the subject of a recall effort, filed the charges after reopening the case last year. The New York Times
A resident of Travis County, Texas, is using a 2023 law orchestrated by Republican leaders in the state to oust progressive prosecutor Jose Garza. Republican-fueled law to try to oust The Texas Tribune
Louisiana prison officials have requested funds from next year’s state budget to install air conditioning in two prisons. That still leaves thousands of other incarcerated people withering in the state’s summer heat. Louisiana Illuminator TMP Context: The lethal toll of hot prisons. The Marshall Project
More children are bringing guns to school in Arizona. But the state’s gun-friendly laws rarely hold their parents accountable. Here’s the fourth in a series on guns in schools. Arizona Republic
Trump’s misogyny is on display at his New York trial. “If Trump’s relationship with [Stormy] Daniels and his treatment of women more generally speak to his understanding of the world as rigidly divided between the dominating man and the women he dominates, then his 2024 campaign is a promise to enforce that vision as a matter of government policy.” The Atlantic More: Whether Trump can get a hung jury is a narrow question compared with whether he can get a truly fair one.” The New Yorker
“My role in the wrongful conviction of an innocent man keeps me awake at night.” A juror who voted to condemn Toforest Johnson in Alabama reckons with her guilt as state executioners ignore pleas from prosecutors to grant Johnson a new trial. AL.com
Don’t expect the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority to show mercy for people living outside in Grants Pass, Oregon. “Over the past 20 years, as the Court has moved steadily toward the right, its concern for the powerless and the poor in our society has steadily receded.” Washington Monthly
Liz Cheney tells the U.S. Supreme Court to hurry up and decide the immunity case. “If Mr. Trump’s tactics prevent his Jan. 6 trial from proceeding in the ordinary course, he will also have succeeded in concealing critical evidence from the American people — evidence demonstrating his disregard for the rule of law, his cruelty on Jan. 6 and the deep flaws in character….” The New York Times
Hip hop is my life. “I am a prisoner, a writer, and a rapper on North Carolina’s death row. I’ve been incarcerated since 1993, when I was 19 years old, and rap has been and continues to be my vehicle for recording my thoughts, my feelings, and my experiences.” Inquest
New life for federal gun regulations. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear a case involving a challenge to the Biden administration’s regulation of “ghost guns.” The Associated Press The rules were struck down by four Republican-nominated federal lower-court judges. The New York Times
The Federal Prison Oversight Act of 2024 moves forward in Congress. The measure would force the Bureau of Prisons to be more transparent and accountable by authorizing access to federal prisons by Justice Department investigators. The Washington Post
Recruiting lags in Los Angeles. City officials say they need to graduate about 60 officers each month to meet a goal of 9,500 officers set by Mayor Karen Bass. The LAPD is only graduating about half that amount. Los Angeles Times
Louisiana Republicans tighten their grip on the state’s public defense system, making it less likely that indigent defendants will get the representation to which they are entitled. Bolts
Thank you for your service. Military veterans are incarcerated at higher rates and serve longer sentences. The War Horse
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