Law

National

Breaking Down Gun Terminology Amid New Debate Over Gun Control

5:39pm June 16, 2016

The shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., has led to a new debate about gun rights and gun control. NPR's Kelly McEvers talks to UCLA Law Professor Adam Winkler to explain some of the technical and legal terms used in the gun debate.

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit in December against the federal government, in hopes of halting the arrival of Syrian refugees. Today, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit.

Court Dismisses Texas Lawsuit To Block Syrian Refugees

5:02pm June 16, 2016

by Rebecca Hersher

The state said it was not adequately consulted by the federal government about resettlement, but the judge ruled the state has no authority over immigration decisions by the federal government.

National

Investigators Provide More Background On Orlando Nightclub Shooter

4:33pm June 16, 2016

by Dina Temple-Raston

As investigators continue to delve into the life of Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen, the evidence is beginning to suggest the killings may have more in common with a traditional mass shooting than an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack.

When Dirty Money Becomes Luxury Real Estate

4:33pm June 16, 2016

by Ilya Marritz

NPR follows the trail of a big bribe on the other side of the world until it reaches an unassuming apartment in Manhattan. This offers a glimpse into how money laundering works and why it is especially hard to unravel when dirty money becomes luxury real estate.

Authorities say Omar Mateen killed dozens of people inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday.

National

Senator Says Orlando Shooter Posted Pro-ISIS Messages On Facebook

3:10pm June 16, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

The gunman in Sunday's attack at a gay nightclub used Facebook to search for and post terrorism-related content before and even during the assault, according to Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson.

A woman walks with a sign to protest gun violence and call for sensible gun laws outside the White House on Monday.

Assault Rifle Bans Find Life On State Level

9:32am June 16, 2016

by Brian Mann

Semiautomatic rifles like the AR-15 and SIG Sauer MCX, which was used in the Orlando shooting, are no longer banned nationally. States, though, are finding success in passing laws restricting them.

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Gun Control Advocate Recalls Motivation For 1994 Assault Weapons Ban

5:57pm June 15, 2016

Following each successive mass shooting, President Obama's tone has grown more frustrated with Congress' inability to take action to curb gun violence. The last major piece of federal legislation to regulate guns was the 1994 assault weapons ban. NPR's Kelly McEvers speaks with Tom Diaz, who worked on that legislation more than 20 years ago.

Oscar Pistorius walks without his prosthetic legs Wednesday during his resentencing hearing at the Pretoria High Court for the 2013 murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius Walks Without His Prosthetic Legs In Dramatic Show At Sentencing Hearing

11:39am June 15, 2016

by Rebecca Hersher

A defense lawyer called the track star a "broken man" and said Pistorius has made a "series of enemies" since he killed his girlfriend in 2013. The athlete faces a minimum of 15 years for murder.

A Justice Department study indicates the "Ferguson Effect" may play a role in the rising murder rate in many urban areas. The effect, which refers to the 2014 police shooting death of an unarmed black man in Ferguson, Mo., represents a breakdown in trust

National

Murder Rate Spike Could Be 'Ferguson Effect,' DOJ Study Says

10:33am June 15, 2016

by Martin Kaste

A Justice Department study indicates the effect — a breakdown in trust between minority communities and police — may play a role in the rising murder rate in many urban areas.

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National

California Judge in Stanford Rape Trial Removed From New Sex Assault Case

10:42pm June 14, 2016

by Richard Gonzales

The district attorney says he's not confident that Judge Aaron Persky can be fair in the unrelated case. Critics want to recall the judge who sentenced Brock Turner to six months for sexual assault.