accountability

  • Judge Leaning Toward Federal Takeover of New York City’s Rikers Jail

    A U.S. judge on Wednesday signaled her intent to order a federal takeover of New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex, citing the city’s failure to address violent conditions that endanger inmates and staff. Chief U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain in Manhattan issued a 65-page opinion finding the city and its Department of Correction…

  • ‘Diddy’ Combs Loses Bid for Bail Before Sex-Trafficking Trial

    Sean “Diddy” Combs will stay in jail until his May 5, 2025, trial on sex-trafficking charges because a U.S. judge rejected his $50-million bail request on Wednesday. The Brooklyn jail has held the music mogul for 10 weeks. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian issued the decision in a written order after a two-hour hearing on…

  • Judge Will Not Delay Google Search Trial for DOJ Switch to Trump Administration

    The U.S. Department of Justice’s proposals to curb Google’s dominance in online search will proceed to trial as scheduled, without delays for revisions by Trump administration officials, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta announced on Tuesday. The DOJ has recommended that Alphabet’s Google sell its Chrome browser and potentially the Android mobile operating system to reduce…

  • Court Dismisses Appeal in Trump Classified Documents Case

    A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday dismissed efforts to revive the criminal case accusing Donald Trump of illegally retaining classified documents after prosecutors decided to withdraw their appeal against the president-elect. The U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals issued the order, effectively ending both federal cases against Trump as he prepares to return to the…

  • Manhattan’s Top Federal Prosecutor to Resign Ahead of Trump Comeback

    Damian Williams, the federal prosecutor for Manhattan who gained national attention for securing convictions against high-profile figures like U.S. Senator Bob Menendez and crypto tycoon Sam Bankman-Fried, announced on Monday that he will resign ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. Williams, appointed by President Joe Biden in 2021, will step down on December…

  • Judge Tosses Trump 2020 Election Case On Prosecutors’ Request

    A U.S. judge dismissed the federal criminal case against Donald Trump on Monday, highlighting the collapse of what many see as a politically charged attempt to criminalize the former president. Prosecutors, led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, moved to drop the case accusing Trump of trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat, along with a…

  • Trump May Seek Dismissal of Hush Money Case, Sentencing Delayed

    President-elect Donald Trump is moving to dismiss the controversial criminal case in which he was convicted in May on 34 felony counts tied to hush money payments. A New York judge on Friday ruled in favor of allowing Trump to file for dismissal and postponed his sentencing indefinitely, citing the implications of his overwhelming victory…

  • Trump Gains Ability to Fill 4 Appellate Judge Seats Under Senate Deal

    Senate Democrats and Republicans struck a late-night agreement on Wednesday, enabling votes on a group of President Joe Biden’s nominees for federal trial courts while halting efforts to confirm four appellate court nominees. This arrangement leaves those appellate court vacancies for Republican President-elect Donald Trump to fill. A spokesperson for Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer…

  • Massachusetts Student’s Punishment for AI Use Can Stand, Judge Rules

    A federal judge rejected an attempt by the parents of a Massachusetts high school senior to force his school to erase his disciplinary record and increase his history class grade. School officials had accused the student of using an artificial intelligence program to cheat on a class assignment. On Wednesday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Levenson…

  • Trump’s Lawyers Say Hush Money Case Must be Dismissed After Election Victory

    Donald Trump’s lawyers urged a judge to dismiss the Republican’s conviction for illegally covering up hush money payments to a porn star, arguing that his U.S. presidential election victory makes sentencing a threat to government stability. In a letter filed Tuesday and released Wednesday, Trump’s legal team requested permission from New York State Supreme Court…