US National Registry of Exonerations reports racial disparities among wrongful convictions
The National Registry of Exonerations (NRE) Tuesday released a report stating that black people in the United States are seven times more likely than white people to be falsely convicted of serious crimes, more likely to be the targets of police misconduct and spend more time in prison before being exonerated. NRE has documented and analysed [...]
While the immediate threats to women’s access to healthcare are obvious, it could be years before the United States comes to terms with the gravity of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization opinion. This brief essay focuses on why Dobbs is celebrated by white supremacists as an answer to “the great replacement,” a type [...]
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) Thursday announced it was investigating the Louisiana State Police (LSP) for a pattern of “racially discriminatory policing.” Among the incidents being investigated is the fatal beating of Ronald Greene, a Black motorist, in 2019. There is an ongoing murder investigation into Greene’s death separate from the new civil rights [...]
US Supreme Court temporarily approves Virginia highschool admission policy
The Supreme Court Monday rejected a request to temporarily block a new admissions policy at a Virginia high school. The new admission policy, as described by the school board, was created to increase socioeconomic diversity, however, the plaintiff argues that the new policy harms Asian students. The court did not state their reasoning for rejecting the [...]
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) Thursday filed a lawsuit under the Voting Rights Act against Galveston County, Texas, challenging a redistricting plan that allegedly discriminates against Black and Hispanic voters. The redistricting plan was adopted by the county on November 12, 2021 after the data from the 2020 Census was released. In the complaint, [...]
The White House and the Justice Department announced Friday that 99 law schools across 35 states and Puerto Rico answered the attorney general’s call for action to help communities during the housing and eviction crisis. In August 2021, Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a letter to the legal community calling for help. He noted that [...]
Hispanic-Americans May Be the Real Victims of the Flanax Litigation
My client, Jamie Belcastro, a registered pharmacist, started Belmora LLC, a small, Virginia-based company that sells nonprescription pain relief products, about 20 years ago. For much of this time Bayer AG, the Big Pharma multinational colossus headquartered in Germany—whose gross revenues approach $50 billion—has been trying to use US trademark law to put Belmora out [...]
Colorado Supreme Court approves new congressional district map
The Colorado Supreme Court Monday approved a congressional redistricting plan drawn by the state’s new Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission, despite objections that the new map dilutes Hispanic voting power. Redistricting power had been held by the state General Assembly, but during three of the last four redistricting cycles, the Assembly was unable to come to [...]
An Amazon seller on Thursday filed a proposed class-action suit claiming the retail giant discriminated against straight white cisgender men by creating support initiatives for creators of color and specialized search filters that allow shoppers to see results from minority-owned sellers. Jonathan Correll alleged that Amazon’s diversity campaigns, including Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage [...]
Texas voters and grassroots political organization Voto Latino filed a lawsuit Monday in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas against Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Secretary of State John Scott, challenging Texas Senate Bill 6. The groups alleged violations of the Voting Rights Act. Senate Bill 6 sets forth new congressional [...]
