Category Archives: General
Portland schools are being renamed to honor Black leaders and remove vestiges of racism
The Black Lives Matter movement has caused many communities to rename public buildings to reflect greater diversity, and remove vestiges of racism. Happily, we see signs of this in our own area. Responding to strong efforts of students, alumni, and educators, one Northeast Portland high school is finally being renamed What was previously known… Read More »
Even After Gaining Their Freedom, People With Criminal Convictions Bear a Crushing Financial Burden
According to the Brennan Center for Justice, more and more prisoners reentering society after incarceration are struggling with criminal justice debt as states continue to increase rates of excessive fees, collection fines, and restitution. These charges are justified as “user fees” to fund the criminal justice system. However, due to increasing demand, low-income Americans… Read More »
Science Has Provided Important Tools in Exonerating the Innocent
Science now occupies a role far more important within our legal system than it used to be. One of the common forms of scientific evidence utilized in criminal cases today is in the form of DNA testing. For several decades, Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld have been leaders within our profession in promoting the… Read More »
Should Police Be Allowed to Lie to Suspects in Order to Get Them to Confess?
When a suspect lies to the police, prosecutors often exploit that fact in urging that the person is guilty. On the other hand, police are allowed to lie to suspects without consequence. Is that fair? Many are troubled that police are allowed, even encouraged, to lie to suspects. We tried a case, a dozen… Read More »
Defense of Measure 11 Serves Prosecutors, Not Justice
Guest blog by: Edward Jones Jones is a retired judge of the Multnomah County Circuit Court. He lives in Portland. In a recent op-ed, Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton and Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth explained their opposition to various bills before the Legislature that would amend Ballot Measure 11 (“Legislators should… Read More »
Defendants Facing Prosecution In Federal Court Are Challenging Use Of “Civil Disorder” Statute
Some defendants being prosecuted in Federal Court for protester activity are facing charges under the Federal “civil disorder” statute. This law has rarely been relied upon for prosecutions, and some defense attorneys are filing legal challenges. Following the Portland protests that the Federal authorities vigorously opposed last year, over a dozen protesters are being… Read More »
Oregon Should Pay Compensation to the Wrongly Convicted
Guest blog by: Kim Thatcher Thatcher, R-Keizer, represents Senate District 13 in the Oregon Legislature. Earl Bain was going through a difficult divorce after returning from his tour of duty in Afghanistan when he was wrongfully convicted by a nonunanimous jury for sexual abuse. Despite no physical evidence against him, Earl spent six years… Read More »
During His Waning Months in Office, Trump Increased Pace of Executions Even While the States Reduced Imposition of the Death Penalty
In 2020, the number of death sentences imposed within the US declined to their overall lowest since 1991, even despite Trump administration’s resurgence of the Federal death penalty. The widespread pandemic was one reason for the decrease of executions. Seven prisoners were executed by the States since July, while a dozen or more inmates… Read More »
Another Innocent Man Set Free After Decades Behind Bars
Tragically, our country incarcerates many innocent people, sometimes for decades. Even when prisoners are freed after long incarceration, how do they get their life back on track? Recently, Walter Forbes, 63, was released from prison after a Michigan Circuit Court judge overturned his conviction. Forbes had been imprisoned for 37 years on charges of… Read More »
State and Federal Charges Arising from Politically Motivated Activities are Widespread in Oregon Communities
In Oregon, and across the country, activists have been standing up to police violence, which has taken 40 lives in Portland alone since 2003, by exercising their rights to protest, march, and raise their voices against injustice to enact social change. These lawful efforts to spark change were vilified by the Trump administration, specifically… Read More »
