Bratton, who has also served as the police chief in Boston and Los Angeles, will step down in September, likely marking an end to a 45-year career in public life.
Capital murder trials and executions had been hold awaiting this decision. The justices found that juries, not judges, should have final say in whether to sentence someone to death.
In the past two weeks, judges have ruled against voter ID or proof-of-citizenship requirements in Texas, Kansas, North Carolina, Wisconsin and North Dakota.
Turkey abolished capital punishment in 2004. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says public demand for restoring it can't be ignored. But doing so would hurt Turkey's bid to join the EU.
Some Justice Department veterans said they worry about the possibility of political interference in law enforcement decisions if Donald Trump wins the White House.
It's a ritual of the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community in India. An effort to get the government to outlaw the practice has sparked debate — and verbal attacks.
A hot air balloon crash in Texas on Saturday killed all 16 people aboard. The cause is not yet clear, but revelations about the pilot are raising questions about the licensing of balloon operators.