Crime Story Editor

Kary Antholis: On today’s podcast, we present an exclusive conversation with Eric Siddall, Vice President of the Association of Deputy District Attorney’s, the professional association for the deputy district attorneys (DDAs) of Los Angeles County. In his capacity as Vice President of the ADDA, Eric spoke with me about a variety of issues related to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office. We will present most of that interview next week. However, on March 24, Eric sent out an email excoriating the presiding judge of Los Angeles and calling the courts:  “the weakest link in government’s response to the coronavirus. Los...

Picture a neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills surrounded by trees and plenty of wildlife. Not the glamorous, celeb-packed part of the hills but a place where the likes of coyotes, tarantulas, and other wild animals roam freely alongside a stream of cars that speed back and forth around the community’s tight and winding streets. BALIAN:   WHAT'S THE WILDLIFE LIKE IN THE AREA? SHAW-CUTTER:   IT IS ROBUST. WELL, WE PULLED SOME SHRUGS OUT OF OUR YARD AND FOUND A RATTLESNAKE THAT WAS ENORMOUS. WE HAD A MOUNTAIN LION, A LOT OF COYOTES, A LOT OF BUNNIES, RACCOONS, YOU NAME IT....

The COVID-19 pandemic and its widespread disruptions have caught the Los Angeles County Superior Court system completely flat-footed. Even in the best of times, there are gaps in what we can only call the ergonomics of the court system, with the Airport Courthouse standing as a shining example of contemporary design and infrastructure, as opposed to downtown’s moldering Foltz Criminal Justice Center, which looks and feels like something out of Dragnet. (And in both instances, entrance security protocols and equipment are appropriate to a small, regional airport, not big-city justice facilities.) But these are not the best of times....

(with contributions from City News Service) Last Monday, April 6, California's Judicial Council moved toward setting bail at zero for most misdemeanor and lower-level felonies in an attempt to limit the spread of the coronavirus in jails statewide by reducing the number of inmates. Los Angeles had implemented a similar zero-bail measure the week before. However those moves seem to mask a general sense of chaos and uncertainty throughout the court system.  On March 23, Los Angeles County Superior Court Presiding Judge Kevin C. Brazile signed an order restricting access to all Los Angeles County courthouses to judges, commissioners, court staff and...

In 1997, Khalil Rushdan was convicted of murder and spent 15 years in prison before his conviction was overturned. He now works for the ACLU of Arizona, helping former prisoners with their re-entry into free society.  I reached out to Khalil to discuss the reality of healthcare inside prison, the ACLU’s class action lawsuit against the Arizona Department of Corrections for their failure to provide adequate medical care, and his thoughts on how Governor Doug Ducey’s response to the pandemic has affected these already challenging conditions.   Amanda Knox Hi, Khalil! Khalil Rushdan  Good morning. Amanda Knox How are you doing? Khalil Rushdan  I'm doing great. You know, considering...

Kary Antholis: On today’s podcast we have another in our series of conversations with Paul Butler, Georgetown Law Professor, former US Department of Justice Prosecutor and MSNBC Commentator. In our conversation, Paul and I discuss his recent essay for Crime Story about policing in the context of Covid 19, as well as many other issues related to the criminal legal process that have arisen or intensified as the virus has spread. We also talk about the hints of public corruption that have appeared in press articles, as well as the disproportionate impact that the virus appears to be having on the...