By Felicia Dusha, Editor-in-Chief Photo courtesy of pixabay.com While it is generally understood that criminal convictions can lead to traditional forms of punishment such as incarceration, monetary fines, and supervision following or in lieu of incarceration, what is less known is that criminal convictions, or mere criminal charges, can carry […]
By John Brophy, Features Editor Photo Courtesy of Unsplash.com The rules for character evidence both federally and in Pennsylvania are inadequate. Currently, Pennsylvania restricts character evidence testimony to reputation only, while the federal standard permits character evidence in the form of opinion testimony. Character evidence is critically important in criminal […]
By Jack Bradley, Blog Editor Photo Courtesy of Pixels The admissibility of forms of creative expression in criminal trials is a challenging issue that must strike a delicate balance between justice and artistic freedom.[1] In the past few years, several popular rap artists, such as Young Thug, Gunna, and YNW […]
Chuck Siefke, Staff Writer Photo Courtesy of Pexels.com Nicknamed the “Velvet Hammer,” former Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan awaits a federal criminal trial in April of 2024.[1] His tenure of almost forty years as speaker stands as the longest of any federal or state legislative body in United States […]
By Kira Knobloch, Staff Writer Picture courtesy of unsplash.com On October 1st, 1946, 77 years ago, the Nuremberg trials ended after nearly one year of proceedings. [1] For the trials, the allied powers of the United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union formed an International Military Tribunal (“IMT”) […]
By Chase T. Boss, Staff Writer Photo courtesy of pexels.com Last year, the Supreme Court held in Bruen[1] that New York’s concealed-carry “proper cause” requirement violated the Second Amendment, opening the door to a new era of gun control challenges.[2] Now, the constitutionality of a federal gun law is scheduled […]
By Robert Portillo, Staff Writer Photo Courtesy of Pixabay The time has finally come for federal prosecutors to make their case against Sam Bankman-Fried, the eccentric former billionaire CEO of cryptocurrency exchange FTX. A man once touted as crypto’s “golden boy” has procured some new less flattering nicknames in the […]
Photo courtesy of istockphoto.com by Chloe Clifford, Staff Writer Individuals who have been wrongfully convicted and proven to be innocent through post-conviction DNA testing spend, on average, over 14 years incarcerated.[1] For many who are wrongfully convicted, their nightmare does not end when they are proven innocent and released from prison.[2] Unlike […]
By Amber Pavucsko, Staff Writer In February 2023, a judge in Texas denied a family’s request to throw out a deal made between Boeing and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to avoid prosecution.[1] The deal was made in response to two Boeing 737-MAX flights that crashed, killing a total of 346 […]
By Hannah Dean, Staff Writer In 2019, the American Bar Association (“ABA”) formed a Plea Bargain Task Force to examine and address the widespread criticisms of the plea bargaining process in the United States.[1] Task force members include judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and law professors.[2] The Task Force released a […]