PM Stories
LA County’s New Top Prosecutor Announces Sweeping Changes Elizabeth Marcellino, City News Service
On first day as LA County DA, George Gascón eliminates bail, remakes sentencing rules James Queally, Los Angeles Times
As she’s sworn in for a second term, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx vows to repair ‘broken criminal justice system’ Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune
A growing group of prosecutors, who say the job is more than locking people up, wants to help free criminals, too Tom Jackman, Washington Post
Brandon Bernard to Be Executed Despite Five Jurors Urging Trump to Commute Sentence Khaleda Rahman, Newsweek
This Is How Trump’s Executions Are Spreading The Coronavirus Melissa Jeltsen and Jessica Schulberg, HuffPost
Terre Haute prisoners sue to halt federal executions over COVID-19 concerns Johnny Magdaleno, Indianapolis Star
The new death penalty: COVID has now killed in nine months more US prisoners than capital punishment over last 50+ years Sentencing Law and Policy
Pa. prisons won’t mandate COVID-19 tests for staff, even as outbreaks grow frequent and deadly Samantha Melamed, Philadelphia Inquirer
Amid some of the fastest outbreaks in state prisons yet, Shelton cases triple in a day Maggie Quinlan, Spokane Spokesman-Review
Rising Jail Admissions Called New COVID-19 Threat The Crime Report
States Halt Jury Trials Again, Leaving Many Defendants in Jail Jenni Bergal, PEW Stateline
The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Exposed the Absurdities of New York’s Parole System Alice Speri, The Intercept
Janos Marton: The Criminal Justice System in New York City Is “Rotten” Sam Mellins, Jacobin Magazine
Facing Life Joshua Vaughn, The Appeal
40 Years a Prisoner: inside the shocking story of a long fight for justice Ed Pilkington, The Guardian
Bright, Intimate Animations Relay Letters From Prison Anya Ventura, Hyperallergic
The Women Fighting for Prison Abolition Believe a Better World Is Possible Amanda Abrams, Glamour
AM Stories
Judge orders Trump administration to restore DACA Josh Gerstein, Politico
SF police union clears way for civilians, not cops, to respond to non-violent calls for help Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan signs city’s 2021 budget with 20% cut to police Chris Daniels, NBC K5
Judge dismisses 15 cases involving LAPD officers implicated in gang-framing scandal Matthew Ormseth and Ben Poston, Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Leaders Want to Remove Their Elected Sheriff Zusha Elinson, Wall Street Journal
California bets that civilian oversight can help reform police. But will watchdogs have the power they need? Leila Miller, Los Angeles Times
Baker shouldn’t let union resistance derail police reform bill Editorial Board, Boston Globe
Justice or bias? Activists decry federal tactics against protesters Chris Joyner, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A prosecutor and police chief were adored in their community. Then their scheme unraveled. Kim Bellware, Washington Post
The NYPD Said the Killing of Kawaski Trawick “Appears to Be Justified.” Video Shows Officers Escalated the Situation. Lucas Waldron and Eric Umansky, ProPublica
Ohio authorities, victim’s family share conflicting stories after fatal shooting of 23-year-old Black man Casey Goodson Danae King, Columbus Dispatch
Democratic Backlash to “Defund the Police” Jeopardizes Popular Reforms Akela Lacy, The Intercept
Obama’s ‘defund the police’ comments showcase a radical cynicism Paul Butler, Washington Post
The Real Reason Obama Trashes ‘Defund the Police’ Zak Cheney-Rice, New York Magazine