American Civil Liberties Union

Our constitution is meant to safeguard against government abuses of power. But all too often, the rights of those involved in the criminal justice system are compromised or ignored. The ACLU works to reform the criminal justice system and make the promise of fair treatment a reality for all people. >> More about the ACLU's Criminal Justice work.


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Criminal Justice : General : Press Releases

ACLU Denounces FBI Tactics Targeting Political Protesters (08/16/2004)
NEW YORK-The American Civil Liberties Union today denounced the FBI's use of the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) to monitor, interrogate and suppress anti-war and other political protesters and called on individuals who have been targeted for investigation to come forward.

ACLU of Rhode Island Files Justice Department Complaint Over Lack of Court Interpreters for Defendants (07/19/2004)
PROVIDENCE, RI -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island announced today that it has filed a complaint with the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division against the state for failing to provide sufficient interpreter services for the 20,000 defendants with limited English proficiency who are involved in criminal court proceedings each year.

ACLU Asks Kansas Supreme Court to Drop 17-Year Prison Sentence of Gay Teenager (06/24/2004)
TOPEKA, KS - In a brief filed today, the American Civil Liberties Union asked the Kansas Supreme Court to reverse a 17-year conviction for a teenager who would have only had to serve 15 months if he were heterosexual.

ACLU Defends Immigrant Imprisoned for Three Years While Awaiting Deportation (06/14/2004)
PROVIDENCE, RI -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island today appeared in federal court on behalf of an Ethiopian immigrant who has been imprisoned for the past three years solely because he overstayed his visa.

ACLU Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Right to Trial By Jury (03/23/2004)
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments today in a case that raises important questions about the centuries-old right to a trial by jury, the American Civil Liberties Union said.

Citing Deaths in Police Custody, ACLU of Colorado Calls For Limits on Use of Electroshock Weapons (02/26/2004)
DENVER--Citing an increasing number of in-custody deaths associated with law enforcement use of electroshock weapons, the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado today called on Denver Police Chief Gerry Whitman to tighten the department's use-of-force policy and restrict officers' use of the taser to situations that present a true threat to human life or safety.

ACLU of Virginia Asks Judge to Rule that State Law Criminalizing Adultery is Unconstitutional (02/25/2004)
LURAY, VA.-- The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia today said that it will represent attorney John Bushey, Jr., in appealing a state law criminalizing adultery as a misdemeanor. Bushey earlier pled guilty to violating Virginia's adultery statute, but reserved his right to challenge the law on the grounds that criminalizing adultery violates the constitutional right to privacy.

High Court Halts Execution of Texas Death Row Prisoner, Saying Prosecutors Violated Ethical Duties (02/24/2004)
WASHINGTON - The United States Supreme Court today halted the scheduled execution of death row prisoner Delma Banks, Jr., saying that Banks was denied a fair trial 20 years ago when prosecutors withheld crucial exculpatory evidence from the defense.

ACLU of New Mexico Wins Halt to Albuquerque's Second Attempt to Pass a Sex Offender Ordinance (01/05/2004)
ALBUQUERQUE, NM -- District Court Judge Wendy York has granted the American Civil Liberties Union a temporary restraining order barring implementation of ""ASORNA,"" the Albuquerque Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, the ACLU of New Mexico announced today.

Two Supreme Court Cases Confront Further Erosion of "Right to Remain Silent" (12/09/2003)
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments today in United States v. Patane and Missouri v. Seibert, two cases in which confessions, information and evidence were obtained by police without fully advising suspects of their ""right to remain silent"" as required by the landmark Miranda ruling.

U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Order to Forcibly Medicate Mentally Ill Defendant (06/16/2003)
ST. LOUIS -- The United States Supreme Court today affirmed that an individual has a significant constitutionally protected liberty interest in avoiding the unwanted administration of antipsychotic drugs in a case that set firm guidelines on when the government can drug a person against his will.

Court Resoundingly Rejects Government's Attempt to Block "Dirty Bomb" Suspect From Meeting with His Lawyers (03/11/2003)
NEW YORK -- The American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed a ruling by a federal district court directing the government to allow Jose Padilla, a United States citizen accused in a "dirty bomb" plot, to meet with his lawyers.

U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Miranda Law; Case Could Have Dramatic Impact on People's "Right to Remain Silent" (12/04/2002)
WASHINGTON -- The United States Supreme Court will hear oral arguments today in Chavez v. Martinez, a case that raises the crucial question of whether the Miranda decision -- perhaps the Court's best-known criminal justice ruling -- truly guarantees the "right to remain silent."

ACLU Says Misguided Constitutional Amendment Hasn't Improved; Measure to Diminish Due Process Rights Unnecessary Change to Constitution (05/09/2002)
WASHINGTON - Saying that the Constitution should never be modified to diminish individual rights, the American Civil Liberties Union today urged Congress to reject the disingenuously named "Victim's Rights Amendment."

ACLU of PA Says Passage of Law Allowing Post-Conviction DNA Testing is Critical to Promoting Justice (02/07/2002)
PHILADELPHIA--Following reports of yet another case in which DNA test results have demonstrated that an individual was wrongfully convicted, the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania today urged state lawmakers to enact legislation providing for post-conviction DNA testing. 

ACLU Hails Victory as Hawaii Court Orders Immediate Release of Innocent People Held in Jail (01/04/2002)
HONOLULU--Hundreds of people who were wrongfully detained in local jails after proving their innocence have been freed as the result of a class-action lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai'i, the group announced today. 

Noisy Steel Company Intimidates Quiet Neighbor with Retaliatory Lawsuit (04/09/2001)
DETROIT, MI--At a hearing today in Macomb County's Circuit Court, the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan was among those asking a judge to dismiss a lawsuit against a local woman who complained about noise from a neighboring steel business and is now being sued in retaliation. 

DNA Tests Clear Two of Rape (09/30/2000)
HOUSTON, TX -- DNA evidence has cleared two wrongly convicted men, the Houston Chronicle reported.

ACLU of MD Asks Court to Throw Out Annapolis 'Anti-Loitering' Law (07/06/2000)
BALTIMORE, MD -- In a motion filed today on behalf of the local NAACP, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland asked a federal judge to rule Annapolis' anti-loitering law unconstitutional on the grounds that it violates free speech rights and is enforced mainly against African Americans, Hispanics and public housing residents.

ACLU of Southern CA Commends High Court's Affirmation of Miranda Rights in Two Key Cases (06/26/2000)
LOS ANGELES -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California applauded the U.S. Supreme Court's dual affirmation of suspects' Miranda rights in two decisions issued today.

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