Criminal justice news covering prison reform, sentencing, prosecutors, public defenders, and reforms to the American justice system.
A 21-year-old woman died in Limeira, São Paulo, after being launched off Skeleton Bridge for a rope jump without a safety cord, falling approximately 40 meters. Police arrested six people. The City Hall of Limeira announced it would sue the federal government for failing to adequately manage the abandoned bridge.
Jamie Varley, 37, was convicted of murdering his adopted son Preston Davey, who died in July 2023 in Blackpool. Varley was also found guilty of sexual assault, child cruelty, and making indecent images. Partner John McGowan-Fazakerley was convicted of allowing the death. Preston died from smothering after months of abuse.
This commentary examines the legal complexities of a shooting at a 'No Kings' march where a gunman killed an innocent bystander while believing he was defending the crowd. It argues that the case raises difficult questions about self-defense, intent, and criminal liability in chaotic protest situations.
Luigi Mangione's legal team is in Manhattan state court for a key pretrial hearing. Public support for the accused 'vigilante' has grown, with a legal defense fund topping $1.5 million from over 42,000 donors and nearly 7,000 personal letters from dozens of countries.
A four-week coronial inquest into the death of Kumanjayi White in police custody has been scheduled for April 2027 in Alice Springs. The inquest will examine hundreds of witness statements, including from police, eyewitnesses, and experts. The Northern Territory Director of Public Prosecutions recommended no criminal charges be laid against the officers involved.
Solicitor General Ellie Reeves referred Vickrum Digwa's 21-year minimum sentence for murdering student Henry Nowak to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient scheme. The court will assess if the term was too lenient.
This commentary argues that a psychiatric defense may be Luigi Mangione's best option in his state murder trial, given the strength of evidence against him. It contends that such a defense could explain his alleged change in behavior and make him sympathetic to the jury, despite the challenges of proving insanity.
Guardian Australia's investigation reveals Queensland police failed to act on repeated warnings about William O'Sullivan, who killed 22-month-old Mason Jet Lee in 2016. Eight months before the killing, a woman reported O'Sullivan threatened to kill another child, but police flagged his file as 'vexatious' and ignored further warnings. The coroner withheld evidence of police failures from the inquest.
Brenda Brooks, a former Ohio school bus driver, was sentenced to 18 months in jail and five years of probation after pleading guilty to child endangerment and DUI. She drove an elementary school bus while impaired last fall, swerving and missing stops until a student's parent stopped the bus.
This commentary examines the arrest of Antoine Burton, a Baltimore violence interrupter, on attempted murder charges, highlighting the delicate balance of employing credible messengers with criminal pasts. It argues that while such workers are effective, their backgrounds pose risks, and the case may undermine public trust in the Safe Streets program.