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Disqualified voters challenge Virginia’s felony disenfranchisement provision

JURIST

Three Virginia citizens disqualified from voting due to felony convictions joined a nonprofit organization to file a lawsuit Monday in federal court against Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and several state elections officials. The action challenges the felony disenfranchisement provision of the Virginia Constitution.

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Louisiana senate reduces penalties for recreational marijuana use

JURIST

The Louisiana Senate voted 20-17 Monday to lift certain penalties for people charged with possessing small amounts of marijuana for recreational use, specifically noting that they should not be jailed. The proposed law seeks to reduce those penalties. Further, penalties would not increase to the felony level with subsequent arrests.

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ACLU sues Idaho over criminalization of gender-affirming care for minors

JURIST

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued Idaho Wednesday to prevent the enforcement of its law criminalizing doctors who provide gender-affirming care to minors. Idaho Governor Brad Little signed House Bill 71 into law in April. The law will go into effect on January 1, 2024.

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The Prison Credential Dilemma

The Crime Report

Terrance Simon, courtesy Louisiana Parole Project. Since Terrance Simon got out of the Louisiana State Penitentiary last year, he’s mentally prepared himself for the fact that his record might mean he doesn’t get the job when talking to prospective employers. “I But that’s not the case for everyone who has been to prison.

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Silent Strength: My Time as A Prisoner’s Wife Turned Advocate

The Crime Report

My life in that underworld still widely unknown to many, began when I met an extraordinary man in the Death House at Angola, a Louisiana slave plantation turned into a prison in 1880. The Louisiana Pardon Board chairman and the prison official were convicted. Under Louisiana law, his crime was manslaughter.

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Status quo watch

SCOTUSBlog

Louisiana that the Sixth Amendment (as incorporated against the states by the 14th Amendment) guarantees criminal defendants the right to a unanimous jury, it meant a 12-person jury — not a six-person jury, which is all that Florida affords some felony defendants. Returning Relists 74 Pinehurst LLC v. Maryland and Napue v.

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Public Defender Shortages Reaching Critical Levels: Report

The Crime Report

As a result of the shortages of public defenders in New Mexico, attorneys have had to represent 156 cases per year and work about 13 hours per case, regardless of whether the case is a misdemeanor or felony, the report details. . ” New Mexico and Oregon. hours per workday, and lawyers in Oregon would need to put in 26.6

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