http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/feed.xml Visit ACLU.org to learn more and get involved. en-us 10 2009-07-05T09:28:55-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/39904prs20090609.html?s_src=RSS BONIFAY, Fla. – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida and the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ) served a complaint yesterday against Holmes County on behalf of their client Daniel Stone, alleging that county officials abused their power by destroying and taking part of Stone's property in an act of retribution. The lawsuit was filed in state circuit court. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/39904prs20090609.html 2009-06-09T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/39808prs20090609.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – A key House Judiciary Subcommittee held a hearing today on a bill to help end the practice of sentencing children to life in prison without the possibility of parole. This legislation, known as H.R. 2289, the Juvenile Justice Accountability and Improvement Act of 2009, would deny funding to states that refuse to offer a parole option to juvenile offenders and authorizes state grants to improve legal representation for youths charged with life sentences. The hearing was conducted by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/39808prs20090609.html 2009-06-09T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/sentencing/39500prs20090429.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union in partnership with over 75 organizations and law professors urged Congress today to completely eliminate the discriminatory sentencing disparity between offenses involving crack cocaine and powder cocaine. The written statement by the crack disparity coalition was submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs, for today’s hearing entitled “Restoring Fairness to Federal Sentencing: Addressing the Crack-Powder Disparity.” The coalition statement echoed the testimony from the Department of Justice in calling for congressional action to eliminate the crack disparity this year. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/sentencing/39500prs20090429.html 2009-04-29T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/sentencing/39487prs20090428.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – Advocates from the American Civil Liberties Union and other civil rights and religious organizations walked the halls of Congress today to push a bill that would eliminate the unjust and discriminatory 100-to-1 disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentences under federal law. The goal of the April 28 “Crack the Disparity Lobby Day” was to urge lawmakers to co-sponsor and support H.R. 265, the Drug Sentencing Reform and Cocaine Kingpin Trafficking Act of 2009 introduced by Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), which would equalize crack and cocaine sentencing statutes. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/sentencing/39487prs20090428.html 2009-04-28T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/39312prs20090409.html?s_src=RSS SOUTHAVEN, MS – The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Mississippi today filed a federal civil rights lawsuit charging Southaven, Mississippi police and DeSoto County school officials with assaulting and racially discriminating against a group of schoolchildren riding home on a school bus. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/39312prs20090409.html 2009-04-09T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/39207prs20090330.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – In response to this month’s audit from the Justice Department’s Inspector General (IG) finding that excessive DNA collection laws exacerbate delays in DNA analysis, the American Civil Liberties Union reiterates its view that federal and state laws seeking to collect DNA samples from people not yet convicted of a crime are unconstitutional and problematic. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/39207prs20090330.html 2009-03-30T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/indigent/39155prs20090326.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – American Civil Liberties Union attorney Robin L. Dahlberg testified today before a House subcommittee about the need for congressional and state oversight of inadequately funded and administered indigent defense programs. The hearing held by the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security of the House Judiciary Committee was entitled, “Representation of Indigent Defendants in Criminal Cases: A Constitutional Crisis in Michigan and Other States?” http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/indigent/39155prs20090326.html 2009-03-26T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/39123prs20090324.html?s_src=RSS The ACLU of Iowa announced today that a judge has thrown out a charge against a working mother under Davenport's "Parental Responsibility Ordinance," declaring the ordinance unconstitutional because it lacked due process. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/39123prs20090324.html 2009-03-24T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/38802prs20090224.html?s_src=RSS JACKSON, MS – Alternative schools in Mississippi are not adequately helping struggling students to succeed academically, leaving too many of the state's children to drift toward dropout and failure, according to a new American Civil Liberties Union report released today. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/38802prs20090224.html 2009-02-24T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/38742prs20090213.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced H.R.1064 and S. 435, identical House and Senate bills to fund prevention and intervention programs that are comprehensive, community-centered and evidence-based efforts to combat gangs and youth violence. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/38742prs20090213.html 2009-02-13T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/38701prs20090210.html?s_src=RSS COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio juvenile justice system is failing the state's children by permitting children to be routinely shackled, mandating that children accused of certain crimes be charged as adults and by not ensuring that all children accused of crimes get lawyers. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/38701prs20090210.html 2009-02-10T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/38694prs20090209.html?s_src=RSS The state's highest court will hear arguments Tuesday, Feb. 10 on the question of whether the increasingly strict rules in Maine's sex offender registry can be applied retroactively. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/38694prs20090209.html 2009-02-09T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/38565prs20090114.html?s_src=RSS LOS ANGELES, Calif. – A gang injunction that would cover a 10-square-mile, unincorporated area of South Los Angeles and could prohibit even nongang members from taking part in everyday activities is overly broad and unconstitutional, the ACLU of Southern California argued today in an amicus brief filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/38565prs20090114.html 2009-01-14T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/searchseizure/38269prs20090108.html?s_src=RSS PORTLAND—Yesterday, a Maine woman was granted her day in court, when a federal appeals court reinstated her excessive force case against a South Portland police officer. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit vacated a lower-court decision insulating the police officer, Steven Webster, from a civil rights complaint by Rosanna Morelli. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/searchseizure/38269prs20090108.html 2009-01-08T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/38128prs20081218.html?s_src=RSS BOSTON – Massachusetts police and probation officers are unnecessarily incarcerating youth who are arrested when juvenile court is typically closed, according to a report released today by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Massachusetts and the Children's Law Center of Massachusetts. Many have been arrested for minor infractions and pose no obvious risk of flight or danger to the community. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/38128prs20081218.html 2008-12-18T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/37959prs20081203.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – Today, as part of a youth violence summit hosted by Representative Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), ACLU Legislative Counsel Jennifer Bellamy moderated a panel “Law Enforcement/Judicial Perspective on the Need for Prevention.” The purpose of the half-day issues forum, entitled “Empowering Communities to Combat Gang Crime: The Youth PROMISE Act,” is to address the need for evidence-based strategies for juvenile justice prevention and intervention. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/37959prs20081203.html 2008-12-03T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/37712prs20081106.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union today announced that Jennifer Bellamy is the new legislative counsel for criminal justice issues for the Washington Legislative Office in advance of her remarks on juvenile justice in an Obama administration. In Bellamy’s new role, she advocates on behalf of more than 500,000 ACLU members on a broad range of criminal justice issues including juvenile justice and drug policy reform, eliminating racial disparities in law enforcement practices and strengthening privacy protections for personal information such as DNA. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/37712prs20081106.html 2008-11-06T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/natsec/gen/37400prs20081027.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – In anticipation of the presidential election, the American Civil Liberties Union today released a set of detailed recommendations on steps that the new president should take to “clean house,” renew freedom, and restore the nation’s reputation. http://www.aclu.org/natsec/gen/37400prs20081027.html 2008-10-27T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/37086prs20081008.html?s_src=RSS http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/37086prs20081008.html 2008-10-08T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/36713prs20080911.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – Today, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security is scheduled to hold a hearing on a bill that would help end the practice of sentencing children to life in prison without the possibility of parole and provide grants to states to improve the quality of legal representation for youth charged with an offense that could lead to a life sentence. In a letter to Representatives Robert C. Scott (D-VA), chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee, and Louie Gohmert (R-TX), ranking member, the ACLU calls on Congress to move forward with H.R. 4300, the Juvenile Justice Accountability and Improvement Act of 2007. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/36713prs20080911.html 2008-09-11T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/indigent/36583prs20080828.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded the Department of Justice’s effort to better protect the American people from overzealous investigations by revising its policy on the right to counsel. However, the ACLU points out that this policy has been revised, at the whim of the deputy attorney general, five times in the last ten years. In order to guarantee a clear and consistent application of this important legal principle, the ACLU urges senators to pass the Attorney-Client Privilege Protection Act of 2008 (S. 3217) to permanently protect the right to counsel. The legislation was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives and has 13 bipartisan cosponsors in the Senate. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/indigent/36583prs20080828.html 2008-08-28T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/36228prs20080731.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled today to mark up S. 3155, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2008 (JJDPA), a bill setting standards and providing funding to protect the rights of juveniles in the criminal justice system. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/36228prs20080731.html 2008-07-31T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/36084prs20080723.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union urges the House Judiciary Committee to demand accountability from Attorney General Michael Mukasey during the Department of Justice oversight hearing scheduled for today. http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/36084prs20080723.html 2008-07-23T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/37215prs20080723.html?s_src=RSS http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/37215prs20080723.html 2008-07-23T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/genetic/35645prs20080612.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union urges Congress to oppose an amendment sponsored by Representative Adam B. Schiff (D-CA) that is designed to test arrestees as part of an expansion of the federal DNA program. Schiff’s amendment, which recently passed the House Judiciary Committee, will provide incentives for state law enforcement officials to create a permanent DNA database of arrestees that includes people who are detained on misdemeanor charges, wrongfully arrested and others. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/genetic/35645prs20080612.html 2008-06-12T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/35237prs20080512.html?s_src=RSS BOSTON – A widespread practice in Massachusetts of locking up youth accused of minor offenses and who pose little or no danger to their communities is unfair, threatens public safety and wastes public money, according to a report released today by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Massachusetts. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/35237prs20080512.html 2008-05-12T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/prison/gen/34970prs20080422.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – The House Judiciary’s Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security is scheduled to examine reform of the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA), which was originally passed by Congress in 1996 as a way to stem the tide against what were thought to be frivolous lawsuits by prisoners. Since that time, the law has been used repeatedly to deny justice to victims of rape, assault, religious rights violations and other serious abuses. http://www.aclu.org/prison/gen/34970prs20080422.html 2008-04-22T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/34676prs20080327.html?s_src=RSS The New York Civil Liberties Union today filed a request for immediate emergency relief to address New York State’s broken public defense system. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/34676prs20080327.html 2008-03-27T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/34740prs20080318.html?s_src=RSS http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/34740prs20080318.html 2008-03-18T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/34422prs20080311.html?s_src=RSS ATLANTA – In a case with national implications, the American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Georgia filed a class action lawsuit today against the Atlanta Independent School System (AISS) and Community Education Partners (CEP) for violating students’ constitutional right to an adequate public education. CEP is a for-profit corporation paid nearly $7 million a year by the city to run its alternative school, which is among the most dangerous and lowest performing schools in Georgia. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/34422prs20080311.html 2008-03-11T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/34204prs20080226.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – On Tuesday, February 26, activists from around the country, civil rights and professional organizations stood together to call for much-needed reform to the country’s federal sentencing laws. This press briefing and lobby event marked the culmination of a month-long series of events aimed at addressing the 20-year-old sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine. According to current guidelines, a conviction for the sale of 500 grams of powder cocaine results in a 5-year mandatory minimum sentence, while the same penalty is triggered for sale or possession of only 5 grams of crack cocaine. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/34204prs20080226.html 2008-02-26T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/indigent/33916prs20080131.html?s_src=RSS RICHMOND, VA – The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments tomorrow in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union to seek a fair compensation process for lawyers representing indigent defendants in that court. The case involves two court-appointed attorneys whose fees in a death penalty case were cut drastically and without any explanation from the court. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/indigent/33916prs20080131.html 2008-01-31T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/33536prs20080107.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union Washington Legislative Office, a non-partisan organization, believes Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) was mistaken when she called ending mandatory minimum sentences a controversial position. The organization urges all candidates, from all parties, to oppose mandatory minimum sentencing and support legislation to close the sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/33536prs20080107.html 2008-01-07T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/33139prs20071211.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s decision to apply recent changes in federal crack cocaine sentencing guidelines retroactively. Thousands of offenders were sentenced under the previous guidelines, which unfairly and erroneously required them to serve more than the mandatory minimum sentence required by law. Thanks to the USSC’s decision, such offenders will now have the opportunity to appear before the court and have their case reviewed by a judge. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/33139prs20071211.html 2007-12-11T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/gen/32960prs20071203.html?s_src=RSS Washington, D.C. – The American Civil Liberties Union today reiterated its support of retroactivity for defendants serving longer sentences than required by federal law after the question was raised in this weekend’s presidential debate. The United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) last month changed federal sentencing guidelines to make sure people would not serve more than the federal mandatory minimum sentence for crack offenses. The USSC is now considering whether to make those changes to the guidelines retroactive, applying them to offenders currently in prison, not just those who were arrested before the new guidelines were implemented. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/gen/32960prs20071203.html 2007-12-03T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/32891prs20071128.html?s_src=RSS RICHMOND, Va. – A group of advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union, joined Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA) today to call on the Virginia community, as well as political and law enforcement leaders, to end the school-to-prison pipeline, the trend of increasingly funneling young people from the school system to the criminal justice system. Panelists discussed Rep. Scott’s Youth PROMISE Act as part of an alternative, focusing on preventing young people from committing crimes and joining gangs rather than just relying on the criminal justice system to punish youths who have broken the law. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/32891prs20071128.html 2007-11-28T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/34668prs20071108.html?s_src=RSS New York State is failing in its constitutional duty to provide effective counsel to New Yorkers accused of crimes who cannot afford to pay private lawyers, according to a landmark lawsuit filed today by the New York Civil Liberties Union and the law firm of Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/34668prs20071108.html 2007-11-08T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/32641prs20071108.html?s_src=RSS NEW YORK – New York State is failing in its constitutional duty to provide effective counsel to New Yorkers accused of crimes who cannot afford to pay private lawyers, according to a landmark class action lawsuit filed today by the New York Civil Liberties Union and the law firm of Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/32641prs20071108.html 2007-11-08T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/sentencing/31347prs20070726.html?s_src=RSS PROVIDENCE, RI - The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island today said that the release of a national report analyzing incarceration rates across the country demonstrates the need for a broader commitment to address racial profiling and related problems of racial disparities in Rhode Island's criminal justice system. The report, "Uneven Justice: State Rates of Incarceration by Race and Ethnicity," was released this past week by The Sentencing Project, located in Washington D.C., and examined nationwide prison statistics for 2005. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/sentencing/31347prs20070726.html 2007-07-26T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/30559prs20070712.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union announced its support for H.R. 3013, “The Attorney-Client Privilege Protection Act of 2007,” introduced today in the House of Representatives by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA). This important legislation is aimed at protecting the right to legal counsel for all Americans by prohibiting prosecutors from pursuing privileged information, while allowing people to cooperate with the government by voluntarily turning over information. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/30559prs20070712.html 2007-07-12T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/scotus/2006term/brendlinv.california/30156prs20070618.html?s_src=RSS NEW YORK - The American Civil Liberties Union applauded today’s decision by the United States Supreme Court in Brendlin v. California, recognizing that passengers in a car that is stopped by the police are seized as well as the driver, and therefore have the same right under the Fourth Amendment to protest an unconstitutional stop that is based on the police officer’s whim rather than evidence of wrongdoing. http://www.aclu.org/scotus/2006term/brendlinv.california/30156prs20070618.html 2007-06-18T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/30155prs20070618.html?s_src=RSS WINNER, SD - The Winner/Ideal Native American community and the Winner School District announced today that an agreement has been reached to settle a class action lawsuit brought on behalf of Native American students attending Winner schools. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/30155prs20070618.html 2007-06-18T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/womensrights/crimjustice/29876prs20070524.html?s_src=RSS AUSTIN, TX - As part of ongoing efforts to reform and restructure Texas’s juvenile justice system, today the American Civil Liberties Union Women’s Rights Project released a preliminary report, A Blueprint for Meeting the Needs of Girls in TYC Custody. On Tuesday the ACLU briefed Texas Youth Commission (TYC) Conservator Jay Kimbrough, Acting Executive Director Ed Owens and new Chief Ombudsman Will Harrell on findings and recommendations in the report that resulted from a two-week investigation of all TYC detention facilities that house girls. The report was presented yesterday to key legislative staffers. http://www.aclu.org/womensrights/crimjustice/29876prs20070524.html 2007-05-24T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/29458prs20070419.html?s_src=RSS AUSTIN, TX - The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and the Texas Coalition Advocating Justice for Juveniles (TCAJJ) applauded the unanimous passage in the State Senate today of SB 103, the omnibus reform legislation on the Texas Youth Commission (TYC). Both groups were thrilled to see the comprehensive bill pass so quickly after tumultuous weeks of scandals and revelations at the commission. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/29458prs20070419.html 2007-04-19T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/29417prs20070418.html?s_src=RSS COLUMBUS, OH - As the Supreme Court of Ohio today heard arguments on protecting children’s right to counsel, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Ohio, the Children’s Law Center and the Office of the Ohio Public Defender announced a statewide campaign to inform young people of their rights. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/29417prs20070418.html 2007-04-18T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/29468prs20070418.html?s_src=RSS PORTLAND, OR -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon today filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of several Lake Oswego High School students, saying that the city’s curfew is unconstitutional. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/29468prs20070418.html 2007-04-18T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/indigent/28617prs20070222.html?s_src=RSS LANSING, MI - The Michigan Coalition for Justice filed a landmark lawsuit today against the state of Michigan and Governor Jennifer Granholm for failing to fulfill their constitutional obligation to provide adequate defense services to those who cannot afford private counsel. The coalition charges that Michigan has long abdicated its duty to ensure that poor people accused of crimes receive timely, qualified and appropriately resourced lawyers for their defense. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/indigent/28617prs20070222.html 2007-02-22T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/28251prs20070205.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union criticized the Justice Department’s move to collect DNA samples of individuals who are arrested or detained by federal authorities - even if they are not convicted, or charged with a crime. That collection was authorized in an amendment authored by Senators Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and John Cornyn (R-TX) to the Violence Against Women Act in 2005. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/28251prs20070205.html 2007-02-05T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/27637prs20061207.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union put the weight of its over 550,000 members behind Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) today as he introduced legislation to guard the Constitution’s guarantee to fair legal representation. His bill, the “Attorney-Client Privilege Protection Act of 2006,” would allow prosecutors to pursue information they believe is not confidential but would recognize and protect valid claims of attorney-client privilege. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/27637prs20061207.html 2006-12-07T12:00:00-05:00 CrownPeak CMS