Law

Former state and federal prosecutors are urging the Supreme Court to invalidate Timothy Foster's conviction because of "blatant prosecutorial misconduct." They point to study after study showing that when it comes to getting rid of racial discrimination,

Supreme Court Weighs 1987 Conviction By All-White Jury

11:29pm November 02, 2015

by Nina Totenberg

The defense showed the names of the black jurors circled, highlighted in green, labeled with the letter "B." But lawyers for the state of Georgia said there's a reasonable explanation.

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The Environmental Protection Agency said Monday that additional diesel Volkswagens were equipped with

National

EPA Says It Has Found More 'Defeat Devices' In Volkswagen Cars

6:22pm November 02, 2015

by Laura Wagner

The U.S. government says the German automaker's software allowed 10,000 more diesel cars than it had acknowledged earlier to run more cleanly during emissions testing than in real-world conditions.

Dana Bowerman's family and best friend joined her to celebrate her release with sparkling grape juice Monday: Bowerman's mother, Rose West (from left); Bowerman, sister Paula Bailey, friend Michelle Elliott, stepfather Dwayne West.

For This Released Inmate, Freedom Tastes Like Pizza For Breakfast

5:14pm November 02, 2015

by Carrie Johnson

Dana Bowerman is one of about 6,100 prisoners just released as part of a change in the way the U.S. punishes people convicted of federal drug crimes. "It still feels weird, different," she told NPR.

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National

Thousands Of Federal Inmates Released Following Sentencing Changes

4:36pm November 02, 2015

by Carrie Johnson

Several thousand federal inmates are being released early as a result of changes to U.S. Sentencing Commission guidelines on drug crimes.

Former state and federal prosecutors are urging the Supreme Court to invalidate Foster's conviction because of "blatant prosecutorial misconduct." They point to study after study showing that when it comes to getting rid of racial discrimination, the curr

Supreme Court Takes On Racial Discrimination In Jury Selection

2:22pm November 02, 2015

by Nina Totenberg

Timothy Foster's lawyers argue that black jurors were systematically excluded from the jury at his trial in 1987, while judges at all levels looked the other way for nearly three decades thereafter.

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Pa. Corrections Officials Explore Reducing Incarceration Rates

12:26pm November 02, 2015

Pennsylvania is one of 30 states that has reduced the prison population in recent years. Steve Inskeep talks to John Wetzel, the head of Pennsylvania's Department of Corrections.

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'Ridiculous Fun' Helps A Blogger See Through Depression's Darkness

6:20am November 01, 2015

by Lynne Shallcross

Since childhood, humor writer Jenny Lawson has struggled with mental health issues. In her latest book, Furiously Happy, she explains what it means to fight back with spiteful happiness.

The Changing Role Of Police In American Classrooms

7:43pm October 31, 2015

The confrontation between a school resource officer and a student in a South Carolina school has revived questions about the role of law enforcement in the nation's classrooms.

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Police body cameras are seen on a mannequin at an exhibit booth by manufacturer Wolfcom at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Chicago, on Oct. 26.

National

Stealth Mode? Built-in Monitor? Not All Body Cameras Are Created Equal

6:46pm October 30, 2015

by Martin Kaste

Police shopping for body cameras face a dizzying array of features. And it's more than just technological gee-whiz-ery: the type of camera has a profound effect on how it's used and for whose benefit.

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One Third Of Federal Prisoners To Be Released Could Be Deported

5:08pm October 30, 2015

Maureen Franco, the deputy federal public defender for the Western District of Texas, talks about how a number of inmates to be released due to sentence reduction changes are non-U.S. citizens.