Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'justice'

Obama Could Appoint 2 Supreme Court Justices

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 06:00:00 EST

The next president may appoint at least two justices to the Supreme Court. How could Barack Obama's experience as a constitutional law professor play a role in his choices for judicial nominations?

Fed Up, Ordinary Guatemalans Turn To Vigilantism

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:59:00 EST

Anger over rampant crime has led to widespread vigilantism in Guatemala. In the provinces, citizen patrols are taking justice into their own hands — including setting suspected gang members on fire. Residents praise the efforts, but human-rights monitors are alarmed.

Taliban Courts Filling Justice Vacuum In Afghanistan

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:41:00 EST

Taliban judges are playing a larger role in Afghanistan, as the Western-structured legal system struggles to gain footing and authority. The Western-influenced system, just seven years old, is fraught with corruption and complexity, and lacks a strong judicial infrastructure.

Rough Road Ahead For Afghanistan Legal System

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 EST

Corruption and nepotism in the struggling Afghan justice system have fostered rampant bribery and insider dealing. One expert believes it might take a generation or more to fix what only began in 2001, after the ouster of the Taliban.

Audit Prods L.A. To Tackle Backlog In DNA Evidence

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:22:00 EST

In Los Angeles, more than 12,000 DNA evidence kits taken from sexual assault victims wait untested in police crime labs and storage facilities. Police say they haven't had the money or the technology to deal with the backlog. But a scathing city audit has officials pledging to test every rape kit — and to help victims bring criminals to justice.

Justice Dept. Times Cases For Obama's Arrival

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 EST

Some lawyers in the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division say they are delaying certain cases, hoping that the Obama administration will give them more attention than the Bush administration did. Some prosecutors are also reviving old investigations left untouched for years.

Supreme Court Hears Detainee Case

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

Court Justices heard Iqbal vs. Ashcroft, the detainee rights case Wednesday. The case centers on the detention of Muslims in America after Sept. 11 and whether they have a right to sue the administration.

Richard Belzer: 'I Am Not A Cop'

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 09:50:00 EST

In the criminal justice system, Richard Belzer has played Detective John Munch on television for more than fifteen years — and on ten different shows. Now he's published a new novel.

Eric Holder Could Be Obama's Top Justice Pick

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST

President-elect Barack Obama's top choice for U.S. attorney general seems to be Eric Holder. Holder was the No. 2 official in the Justice Department under President Bill Clinton. The Obama team says no final decision has been made. NPR News Analyst Juan Williams talks with Renee Montagne about what is known about Obama's Cabinet choices.

High Court Tackles Campaign Financing

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:37:00 EST

For years, the Supreme Court has refused to be drawn into the controversy over whether campaign contributions to judicial candidates create a conflict of interest. But Friday, amid growing concern over the role of money in state court elections, the justices agreed to review a case testing whether elected judges can participate in cases involving large campaign contributors.

Calif. High Court May Take Up Proposition 8

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 01:32:00 EST

California's Supreme Court may take another crack at the issue of same-sex marriage. Opponents of the recently passed Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage, are trying to have the measure overturned. The justices may rule on the new ban voters approved in the Nov. 4 election.

Justice Leader's Job: Renew A Battered Agency

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:11:00 EST

The Justice Department is emerging from what many have called its most tumultuous period in decades. A new attorney general will have to restore the department's credibility and work to counter perceptions that law enforcement decisions have become politicized.

Dirty Words Hit Supreme Court

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EST

Partly thanks to Bono and Cher, justices hear arguments Tuesday on whether and when dirty words are appropriate on TV. Slate.com's Dahlia Lithwick discusses the details of the case and all the four letter words that go along with it.

Obama's Legal Past May Inform His Pick Of Justices

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:26:00 EDT

If Democrat Barack Obama wins the presidency, he will be the first White House occupant in a long time with a background in constitutional law. Fellow lawyers and friends say Obama would play a big role in personally selecting new Supreme Court justices.

McCain Shares Bush's Mindset On Picking Justices

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:34:00 EDT

Supreme Court appointments arguably are a president's most enduring legacy, and the next president could get the chance to choose a few justices. If John McCain is elected, conservatives could solidify their control of the court because liberal justices are expected to retire.

Seeking Justice For Deaths In Spanish Civil War

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:05:00 EDT

Volunteers are searching for remains of victims from the Spanish Civil War in an effort to bring posthumous justice to those who were killed in the 1930s conflict. Time is against them, as there are few remaining survivors who remember what actually happened.

Fool Me Once: Stone's Oedipal 'W.' Lacks Depth

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:12:00 EDT

Filmmaker Oliver Stone couldn't wait for President Bush to leave office before he made a movie about him. And despite Stone's famously left-leaning views, his treatment of The Decider is surprisingly empathetic — though ultimately the film doesn't do justice to its characters.

Ga. Inmate's Death Sentence Questions Justice

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Troy Davis, a 39-year-old African-American on death row in a Georgia prison for killing a police officer lost his final appeal yesterday after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the matter.

'In Justice': David Iglesias On U.S. Attorney Firings

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

An internal Justice Department investigation has concluded that the controversial U.S. attorney firings of 2006 were of a partisan political nature. One of the seven fired attorneys, Iglesias discusses his book, In Justice, an insider's account of the affair.

Consumer Issues Top Supreme Court's Docket

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:55:00 EDT

As the Supreme Court opens its new term, the justices have more business and consumer cases on their schedule. Key cases revolve around packaging rules, state lawsuits and protecting dolphins in California.

Justice Probe: Partisan Politics Had Role In Firings

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:31:00 EDT

A long-awaited report from the Justice Department released Monday concludes that political partisan considerations played a part in the firings of nine U.S. attorneys in 2006 but stops short of recommending criminal charges against top officials.

Ads Warn That Immigration Must Be Reduced

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:39:00 EDT

In recent years, some groups opposing illegal immigration say the public debate has strayed from their real cause — reducing all immigration, including legal. Now, they've started an ad campaign touting the risks of overpopulation. The ads warn that the U.S. faces environmental damage, increased congestion and threats to economic justice unless immigration is dramatically reduced.

The Godfather Of South Korean Rock

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:26:00 EDT

Shin Jung Hyun, commonly called the godfather of Korean rock 'n' roll, is often compared to Elvis Presley. But that really doesn't do him justice. Sure, he might have been as popular as Elvis in South Korea. But he's more like the David Axelrod, Brian Wilson or Jimi Hendrix of South Korea. Here are a few songs from the star, as well as some of his protÃ©gÃ©s.

Wounds Reopened As Racial Killing Case Reversed

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:09:00 EDT

For some families of those who died in violence of the era, the overturning of James Ford Seale's conviction in connection to the murder of two black teens in 1964 shows justice has been painfully slow. For others, the mere prosecution of the case was victory of a kind.

Justice Seeks To Quell Voter Access Fears

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:45:00 EDT

The Justice Department is meeting with activists to discuss its plan for dealing with civil rights issues at polling places this November. In the past, civil rights groups have criticized the department's handling of voting rights issues.