(2019-09-15). Remembering the Birmingham church bombing. splcenter.org Fifty-six years ago today, four precious little girls were murdered in one of the most heinous acts of white supremacist terror of the civil rights era.
(2019-09-15). Jim Crow Steals Election in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District. truthout.org | | Stolen again. Democrat Dan McCready supposedly lost the special election in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District to Republican Dan Bishop by less than 4,000 votes. However, racially biased vote suppression schemes easily account for the supposed GOP victory margin. | Under the violently partisan Elections Board chief Kim Strach (pronounced "Strake") — her husband was the attorney for the state's Republican Party — North Carolina targeted half a million voters (561,693) bas…
(2019-09-15). Poor Patients Face Lawsuits From Nonprofit Hospitals That Trap Them in Debt. truthout.org | | This article was produced in partnership with MLK50, which is a member of the ProPublica Local Reporting Network. | Investigative reports have spurred the moves, and they prompted criticism from a top federal official. | "We are learning the lengths to which certain not-for-profit hospitals go to collect the full list price from uninsured patients," Seema Verma, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid S…
(2019-09-15). Lula Da Silva: 'They Thought Lies Were Going To Win'. telesurenglish.net "I'm turning 73 years old but I've got the energy of a 20-year-old boy", said former President Lula Da Silva during his first interview to an Argentinian diary since he was imprisoned April 7, 2018. Sitting behind a small desk and guarded by a police officer, he confessed he has planned to live 120 years, therefore, he needs a lot of strength because otherwise "life would be boring". | RELATED: | Prosecutors Hid Evidence to Keep Lula From Becoming Minister in 2016 | The…
(2019-09-14). Sackler family behind OxyContin busted trying to hide $1bn as lawsuits over opioid crisis pile up. rt.com 
New York's attorney general has uncovered over $1 billion in wire transfers by the Sackler family and accused the OxyContin magnates of trying to shield their wealth from mounting lawsuits over their role in the opioid crisis. | The prodigious stash was discovered in the records of just one of the 33 financial institutions Attorney General Letitia James subpoenaed last month in an effort to trace the extent of the Purdue Pharma owners' wealth, James' office said in a statement on Friday. The money passed through several Swiss bank accounts, indicating the family may have tried to hide profits from the sale of…
(2019-09-14). Drug Companies Seek to Disqualify Judge in Opioids Suits. truthdig.com 
CLEVELAND— Attorneys for eight drug distributors, pharmacies and retailers facing trial next month for their roles in the opioid crisis want to disqualify the federal judge overseeing their cases, saying he has shown bias in his effort to obtain a multibillion-dollar global settlement. | According to the motion filed late Friday in U.S. District Court in Cleveland, where Judge Dan Polster presides over most of the 2,000 lawsuits filed by state, local and tribal governments, the judicial code requires judges to recuse themselves when there is an appearance of prejudice or bias. | The attorneys wrote that Pol…
(2019-09-14). The Prosecution Against Julian Assange: Where 2020 Presidential Candidates Stand. theantimedia.com Julian Assange has been jailed since April 11, when Ecuador authorities revoked his political asylum and British authorities arrested him.
(2019-09-14). British judge jails Assange indefinitely, despite end of prison sentence. wsws.org The ruling, which confines Assange to prison indefinitely, is the latest in a series of attacks on his legal and democratic rights by the British judiciary.
(2019-09-14). New Hearing to be Held for Peruvian Opposition Leader. telesurenglish.net Peru's Constitutional Court (CC) will hold a hearing Sept. 25 regarding the appeal filed by opposition leader Keiko Fujimori whose lawyers are seeking to annul the legislator's preventive detention that has kept her in prison since late October 2018 on allegations of corruption. | RELATED: | Us Judge Keeps Peru Ex-President in Prison to Wife's Protest | The date was announced Friday by Constitutional Court President Ernesto Blume one day after the court reduced Fujimori's pretrial…
(2019-09-14). Russia, Ukraine carry out high-profile prisoner exchange. wsws.org The prisoner exchange was strongly backed by France and Germany with media reports suggesting that French President Emmanuel Macron, in particular, played a central role.
(2019-09-13). Felicity Huffman's 14-DAY sentence shows you can get away with ANYTHING if you're rich & famous. rt.com 
That actress Felicity Huffman will go to jail for only 14 days over college entrance fraud shows there are really two justice systems in the US: one for the rich, famous and politically correct — and another for everyone else. | The 'Desperate Housewives' star pleaded guilty to paying $15,000 to falsify her daughter Sophia's SAT — a college admissions test — and was sentenced to two weeks in jail, 250 hours of community service, a $30,000 fine and a year of supervised release. Altogether, a slap on the wrist to a Hollywood celebrity. | Judge Indira Talwani has sentenced Felicity Huffman to 14 d…
(2019-09-13). Uncensored Tony Serra: Consummate Criminal Defense Lawyer. counterpunch.org 
"In the 1960s I was dropping acid and doing cases pro-bono and decided then and there that I didn't want to own things. In that sense I'm a Marxist. I've been in jail three times for not paying taxes. I've always helped prisoners. There's usually a long line of people waiting to see me for More
(2019-09-13). Huffman Gets 14 Days Behind Bars in College Admissions Scam. truthdig.com 
BOSTON — "Desperate Housewives" star Felicity Huffman was sentenced Friday to 14 days in prison for paying $15,000 to rig her daughter's SAT scores in the college admissions scandal that ensnared dozens of wealthy and well-connected parents. | Huffman, 56, became the first of 34 parents to be sentenced in the case. She was also given a $30,000 fine, 250 hours of community service and a year of supervised release. | Before sentencing, she tearfully described her daughter asking why Huffman didn't trust her. | Related Articles: …
(2019-09-13). Challenging the NDP on Palestine During the Election Campaign. dissidentvoice.org Last week I interrupted Jagmeet Singh at a public event to criticize the NDP's suppression of Palestine solidarity activism. Holding a placard with the words "Jagmeet, Palestinian Lives Matter", I demanded the NDP leader apologize for overturning the vote of members who elected Rana Zaman to represent the Dartmouth-Cole Harbour ridding because she defended Palestinians …
(2019-09-13). Thousands of Poor Patients Face Lawsuits From Nonprofit Hospitals. truthdig.com This article was originally published on ProPublica and produced in partnership with MLK50, a member of the ProPublica Local Reporting Network. | ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for ProPublica's Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox as soon as they are published. | Investigative re…
(2019-09-13). The Prison Industry in the United States: Big Business or a New Form of Slavery? globalresearch.ca This incisive and carefully researched article was first published by Global Research eleven years ago in March 2008. | In recent developments, California has adopted legislation which bans the private prison industry from operating in the state. | "The move will probably …
(2019-09-13). The War in Eastern Ukraine May be Coming to an End But Do Any Americans Care? counterpunch.org On Saturday September 7, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a prisoner swap which has brought hope of improved relations between the two countries and an end to the 5-year long conflict in Eastern Ukraine. A peace accord is being planned for later this month in Normandy involving Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany. Ukraine's newly elected More
(2019-09-13). West Papua: End Australian and US training of Indonesian military. greenleft.org.au 
civil rights Peter BoyleIssue 1237 Australia West Papua independence Indonesian repressionSeptember 13, 2019″We are winning the struggle with Indonesia," said Benny Wenda, chair of the…
(2019-09-12). Marca Bristo leaves behind a legacy of disability justice. peoplesworld.org 
After a long battle with cancer, disability justice pioneer Marca Bristo passed away this week. The veteran community organizer was one of the key players in drafting and passing the Americans with Disabilities Act, civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Bristo also founded Access Living, a Chicago-based disability rights organization that …
(2019-09-12). 48 States to Investigate Google: Anti-Trust or Politicking? therealnews.com 
While there are real reasons to be concerned about Google's immense power, this investigation is quite politically motivated, explains former financial regulator Bill Black…
(2019-09-11). Incarcerated Pregnant Women Face Enormous Challenges With Few Reproductive Rights. therealnews.com 
Kimberly Haven, Reproductive Justice Inside Coalition Director, talks about the horror stories from pregnant women in prisons that were originally designed for men. Haven talks about what needs to change to protect women and their unborn children that will eventually come home to the community.
(2019-09-11). The War in Eastern Ukraine May be Coming to an End but Do Any Americans Care? dissidentvoice.org 
On Saturday September 7, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a prisoner swap which has brought hope of improved relations between the two countries and an end to the 5-year long conflict in Eastern Ukraine. A peace accord is being planned for later this month in Normandy involving Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany. Ukraine's newly elected …
(2019-09-11). Being Black is Not a Crime: Yunek's Story of Police Brutality. aclu.org A personal story of police brutality at the hands of the police in Peoria, Illinois. | My name is Yunek Moore. I am a Black woman, a college graduate, and a survivor of police brutality. I'm choosing to tell my story because, sadly, this wasn't the last time something like this happened to a person of color in Peoria, Illinois, and that must change. | On June 4, 2013, I was a happy 17-year-old looking forward to attending college at Millikin University. I had just graduated high school, where I was ranked 11th in my entire class and spoke at graduation as one of my final duties as Senior Class President. | That n…
(2019-09-11). UN report on Syria conflict highlights inhumane detention of women and children. un.org As the people of north-west Syria face intensifying violence, tens of thousands of women and children continue to be kept in "inhumane conditions" in a remote camp on the other side of the country, UN-appointed independent investigators said on Wednesday.
(2019-09-11). Chrystul Kizer bail reduction and justice denied. fightbacknews.org Kenosha, WI – When Cyntoia Brown's case was brought forward to the media, there was a large public outcry for justice. How could a victim of human trafficking be imprisoned for killing her rapist and trafficker? Unfortunately, her case is not novel. Chrystul Kizer, a Milwaukee native, has been charged with multiple counts for defending herself against a sexual predator, Randall Volar III. | Only 17 years old at the time of the incident, Kizer's case is incredibly similar to Cyntoia Brown's. Even more concerning is the fact that they were young, Black teenagers, charged with killing older white males who had sexua…
(2019-09-11). Chrystul Kizer bail reduction and justice denied. fightbacknews.org Kenosha, WI – When Cyntoia Brown's case was brought forward to the media, there was a large public outcry for justice. How could a victim of human trafficking be imprisoned for killing her rapist and trafficker? Unfortunately, her case is not novel. Chrystul Kizer, a Milwaukee native, has been charged with multiple counts for defending herself against a sexual predator, Randall Volar III. | Only 17 years old at the time of the incident, Kizer's case is incredibly similar to Cyntoia Brown's. Even more concerning is the fact that they were young, Black teenagers, charged with killing older white males who had sexua…
(2019-09-08). Guaido on the verge of imprisonment: Why does the US have its eye on Essequibo? uwidata.com 
Self-proclaimed Venezuelan president Juan Guaido and his team have been convicted of holding talks with Guyana on the territorial issue of Essequibo. According to the Prosecutor General's Office of the Bolivarian Republic, the opposition has offered to surrender Venezuelan's historical claims to the territory of Essequibo. El presidente venezolano @NicolasMaduro anunció que el gobierno se …
(2019-09-07). Texas protest says "No kids in cages" fightbacknews.org Arlington, TX – 60 people showed up at a protest organized by the Progressive Student Union (PSU) at the University of Texas at Arlington, September 4, against the Trump administration's change to of policy on the detention of undocumented children. | Mark Napieralski, an organizer from the Progressive Student Union, spoke about how the Flores Agreement banned holding children indefinitely – and how the Trump administration is moving to keep children in indefinite detention in concentration camps along the southern border. | Speakers at the rally included Minister Katie Hays from the Galileo Church and Harold Ch…
(2019-09-07). Texas protest says "No kids in cages" fightbacknews.org Arlington, TX – 60 people showed up at a protest organized by the Progressive Student Union (PSU) at the University of Texas at Arlington, September 4, against the Trump administration's change to of policy on the detention of undocumented children. | Mark Napieralski, an organizer from the Progressive Student Union, spoke about how the Flores Agreement banned holding children indefinitely – and how the Trump administration is moving to keep children in indefinite detention in concentration camps along the southern border. | Speakers at the rally included Minister Katie Hays from the Galileo Church and Harold Ch…
(2019-09-06). Robert Mugabe, Ousted Zimbabwean President & Liberation Leader, Dies at 95. democracynow.org 
Zimbabwe's first post-independence leader, Robert Mugabe, has died at the age of 95. In 1963, he helped found the Zimbabwe African National Union in an effort to liberate the country from decades of white-minority rule. He was jailed from 1963 to 1974. Once freed, Mugabe became a leader of the liberation movement which successfully led to the formation of an independent Zimbabwe in 1979. He became Zimbabwe's first prime minister in 1980, but he would continue ruling the country for the next 37 years. While Mugabe has been hailed as one of the most significant anti-colonial leaders of the 20th century, he was wide…
(2019-09-05). Was the imprisonment of Iranian-American journalist Marzieh Hashemi spun into expanded US sanctions? thegrayzone.com The relationship between former Air Force analyst-turned-Iranian spy Monica Witt and Hashemi — who was jailed by US authorities this…
(2019-09-05). Judge blocks ICE from denying parole to asylum-seekers. splcenter.org A federal judge ordered the Trump administration today to change its blanket policy of locking up people lawfully seeking asylum in the United States as a lawsuit filed by the SPLC and the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana makes its way through the federal courts.
(2019-09-03). No' Money, Mo' Problems: Militiaman's Fundraising Plea Devolves into Lawsuit and Mistrust. splcenter.org The jailed militiaman had an interesting fundraising appeal.
(2019-09-03). A New York Jail Forced a Trans Woman Into a Men's Facility. aclu.org Trans women routinely face harassment and discrimination in jails and prisons. | Jena Faith's experience in the Steuben County Jail was a living nightmare. | The military veteran spent four weeks in the jail awaiting trial last spring. She was initially housed in the jail's women's facility without incident, but things changed when officials suddenly transferred her to the men's facility, despite the fact that she is a woman. | During the weeks that Jena spent as a woman in a men's jail, she was routinely targeted with physical and verbal harassment from other incarcerated people and guards. On her first day in t…
(2019-08-29). Taxpayers Have Been Ordered to Pay Over $2 Million For Discriminating Against LGBTQ People. aclu.org Government officials should know that discrimination comes with a cost to taxpayers. | Last week, a federal appeals court ruled that the Commonwealth of Kentucky was liable for $224,000 for the actions of Kim Davis, who refused to do her job and issue marriage licenses (to same-sex or different-sex couples) as county clerk. | While Davis' story made national headlines, her case isn't the only one in the past year where a court case filed by the ACLU has led to a bill for discriminatio…
(2019-08-27). Stripped of Their Rights. aclu.org In 2011, guards at an Illinois prison violated the constitution when they carried out a mass strip-search of incarcerated women. | In March 2011, a tactical team of guards at a state prison in Lincoln, Illinois gathered 200 women and ushered them into a gymnasium, where they were brought in small groups into a separate room nearby. Inside that room, they were told to strip naked in plain view of other guards, cadets, and civilians, without any explanation. Women on their periods were ordered to remove their tampons and sanitary pads. One-by-one, each woman was ordered to lift her breasts, cough and squat, and dis…
(2019-08-27). New Resource Tool Sheds Light on Government's Prepublication Review System. aclu.org Millions of current and former government employees are subjected to this far-reaching censorship system. | This piece was originally published in Just Security. | For more than three years, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University have been litigating a series of Freedom of Information Act requests relating to "prepublication review." Under this far-reaching censorship system, millions of current and former government employees, con…
(2019-08-23). Will North Carolina's Supreme Court Allow Racism to Remain a Persistent Factor in its Death Penalty? aclu.org North Carolina's Supreme Court will determine whether evidence of racism in capital punishment can be swept under the rug. | In 2009, North Carolina passed the Racial Justice Act (RJA), which allowed defendants to strike the death penalty from their cases if they could show that racial discrimination was a factor in their prosecution. The law came as a response to a series of exonerations of Black people who were falsely convicted of crimes they did not commit by all-white or nearly all-white juries. The legislature took a bold step to address was what suspected to be deeply troubling evidence of racism infe…
(2019-08-22). A Louisiana Parish Jailed a U.S. Citizen for Being Latinx. We're Suing. aclu.org Officers in a Louisiana jail held a U.S. citizen for four days on an immigration hold simply because of his skin color and name. | Ramon Torres had been a U.S. citizen for nearly ten years when he was detained for four days on an immigration hold — despite having a U.S. passport, a Louisiana driver's license, and a Social Security card, and despite that fact that a court ordered his release. | Torres' ordeal began in August 2018, when he was pulled over and arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Torres, a naturalized U.S. citizen since 2009, was carrying multiple forms of identification, inclu…
(2019-08-21). An Arizona Law Requires Surveillance of People Who Are Presumed Innocent. aclu.org The government cannot take shortcuts around constitutional rights. | A pillar of our democracy is the presumption of innocence: before a person has been convicted of a crime, they are considered completely innocent under the law. Yet across the country, people who have not been convicted are punished—both explicitly and implicitly—based on the mistaken assumption that they are dangerous, purely on the basis of an accusation. We do not live in a society where you can be incarcerated or monitored simply because you have been accused of a crime. Doing so violates constitutional rights, fuels mass incarce…
(2019-08-19). Trump is Taking More Money for Raids and Detention. Congress Should Stop Him. aclu.org Without congressional checks, ICE and CBP will continue to overspend and overstep. | 08/27/19 Update: Congress made public today a document outlining the Department of Homeland Security's plan to take nearly $280 million in funds meant for FEMA, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the TSA, among other critical priorities. Over $115 million of these funds will go towards President Trump's growing detention and deportations of immigrants, with the rest being used for sham border courts to…
(2019-08-15). The BDS movement calls to boycott three anti-Palestinian German clubs. bdsmovement.net 
The BDS movement calls to boycott three anti-Palestinian German clubs: PACBI StatementConne Island, Golden Pudel and : //about blank are complicit in Israel's oppression of Palestinians | Cultural Boycott Right To BoycottAugust 15, 2019…
(2019-08-14). BDS condemns antisemitic, fascist forces in Germany and worldwide. bdsmovement.net 
BDS condemns antisemitic, fascist forces in Germany and worldwide: BNC StatementOur nonviolent movement opposes all forms of racism and racial discrimination. | Right To BoycottAugust 14, 2019 | By: | | Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC)