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Articles by Douglas Ankney

In the Criminal Justice System, Big Brother Gets Bigger Every Day

by Douglas Ankney

According to a report by sciencefriday.com, one in every two American adults is in a law enforcement facial recognition network. Most adults have unwittingly consented to the release of their photos that they have uploaded to social media, including dating sites.

While it’s impossible …

City of Grand Rapids to Pay Marine $190,000 After He Was Unlawfully Detained as ‘Illegal Foreign National’

According to November 14, 2019, news reports from dailykos.com and nytimes.com, the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, will pay $190,000 to former U.S. Marine Jilmar Ramos-Gomez after he was illegally detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) for three days.

Ramos, who suffers from …

California’s Killer Cops

On the list of cops in California who are convicted felons, 20 former officers are shown as convicted killers.

Recent headlines told us of Joseph DeAngelo — the suspected “Golden State Killer”— charged with a dozen murders and more than 40 rapes, some of …

Chicago’s ‘Despicable’ Red-Light Camera System Exposed

As of October 2019, Chicago’s 300 red light cameras netted $35 million in fines, penalties, and collection fees.

According to an investigation by ABC 7, the city is setting traps for unwary drivers by reducing the length of time the traffic lights remain green …

New Jersey Tightens Reins on Civil Asset Forfeiture

by Douglas Ankney

In following a trend among the states, New Jersey has passed legislation designed to rein in the abuse of civil asset forfeiture.

On January 13, 2020, the Democratic-controlled Senate passed a bill requiring a criminal conviction in certain cases before police and prosecutors …

Rhode Island Supreme Court Reverses Conviction Due to Prosecutor’s Remarks and Jury Consideration of Inadmissible Evidence

by Douglas Ankney

The Supreme Court of Rhode Island vacated the first-degree child molestation sexual assault conviction against Henry G. Bozzo due to a remark made by the prosecutor during closing argument together with the trial court’s abuse of discretion in admitting evidence of prior bad acts.

NYC Drug Prosecutor Bucks Trend of Releasing List of Cops with Credibility Issues

by Douglas Ankney

Through the Freedom of Information Law, communications, memos, and correspondence were obtained that reveal the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s (“OSNP”) database has information flagging police officers with potential credibility issues.

The database purportedly contains judges’ assessments of officers’ testimony, NYPD disciplinary …

California Supreme Court: Positioning Computer Monitor to Obstruct Defendant’s View of Complaining Witness Violates Confrontation Clause

by Douglas Ankney

The Supreme Court of California ruled that repositioning a computer monitor so that it blocked the defendant’s view of the witness testifying against him violated the Confrontation Clause.

Jason Arron Arredondo was tried by a jury on several sexual offense charges against F.R., Ar.R, …

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: Police Must Inform Arrested Driver That Passenger Can Assume Custody of Vehicle if Lawful and Practical as Alternative to Impoundment

by Douglas Ankney

The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled that, where officers are aware that a passenger could lawfully assume control of a vehicle, it is improper to impound the vehicle upon the arrest of the driver without first offering the option to the driver.

Two …

California Court of Appeal: Hunch That Proves Correct Is Not Reasonable Suspicion for Traffic Stop

by Douglas Ankney

Division Two of the Fourth Appellate District for the California Court of Appeal ruled that an officer must have reasonable suspicion based on articulable facts to initiate a traffic stop, and a hunch, even when it proves correct, is insufficient.

After a …

 

 

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