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Leslie Merritt, Jr., once accused and jailed for 7 months as the suspected I-10 Freeway shooter, last week filed a civil suit in Maricopa County Superior Court against the State of Arizona, Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery alleging false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, negligence, intentional infliction of…
After legal battles lasting six years, and after much of the original legislation has been struck down in federal courts, an agreement has been reached between Arizona and immigrant rights groups in regard to the remnants of Arizona Senate Bill (SB) 1070. Under the terms of the agreement, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich will…
A task force composed of legal experts from around the State this week submitted a report and recommendations to the Arizona Supreme Court geared toward generally reducing the imposition of court fines, fees, and penalties, providing alternatives where there is an inability to pay, and basing decisions about whether a person is eligible for pretrial…
The criminal justice system in America uses court fines and fees as a means of deterring future criminal activity, to recoup some of the public money spent on the court system and related programs, and for victim restitution. However, for those struggling to survive on low-income earnings, court fines and fees can become a…
Phoenix Police are utilizing agents from the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit to analyze a recent series of unsolved shootings, which have resulted in the deaths of seven people since early this year. The shootings have previously been linked forensically, and an eyewitness sketch of the suspect released. A $30,000 reward for information leading to…
Citing reports of safety and security concerns, and amid declining incarceration rates, the US Bureau of Prisons will begin phasing out the use of private prisons for housing of federal inmates. Beginning in the late 90’s, privately owned prisons initially were used to relieve overcrowding, however, the for-profit private prisons save little on costs to…
Nearly 10 years after the suit was filed, and almost five years after being ordered to desist in targeting Latino drivers in traffic stops and well-publicized immigration patrols, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a subordinate and one of his attorneys, are being referred to federal prosecutors for criminal charges stemming from the Melendres, et.al. v.…