Declines

New Jersey Grand Jury Declines Charges in 2022 Custodial Death Case in Paterson

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TRENTON, N.J. — A New Jersey state grand jury has chosen not to indict any police officers after considering the circumstances surrounding the death of 57-year-old Rosita Diaz while in custody of the Paterson Police Department. The decision came following an extensive investigation into her death on February 18, 2022, initiated by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) under the provisions of the 2019 Independent Prosecutor Directive. The inquiry included intensive reviews of multiple forms of evidence, such as interviews with witnesses, analysis of body-worn camera footage, surveillance videos, and detailed examination of … Read more

Unresolved Justice: Grand Jury Declines to Indict Suspects in Long-Standing Lafourche Parish Murder Case

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Lafourche Parish, Louisiana — A decades-old murder case continues to mystify authorities as a grand jury recently chose not to indict two suspects linked to the 1986 disappearance and presumed murder of 22-year-old Paula Boudreaux. Despite recent efforts to solve this cold case, the quest for justice remains fraught with uncertainties. In August 1986, Paula Boudreaux vanished, leaving behind few clues that pointed to her fate. She was last seen alive on August 3, and her absence was reported to the authorities three days later. For years, her whereabouts remained a mystery. It wasn’t until … Read more

Florida Judge Overseeing Trump Assassination Attempt Case Declines Recusal

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MIAMI — A Florida judge presiding over the case against a man charged with attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump has refused to step aside from the case, despite requests from the defense. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon stated that the defense’s request for her recusal was not grounded in valid reasons. The decision came after the defense argued that Judge Cannon should recuse herself because of previous rulings she had made in a separate case involving Trump. Cannon, who was appointed to the bench in 2020 during Trump’s presidency, found these arguments insufficient … Read more

Supreme Court Declines to Hear Case on Right to Consistent Legal Representation for Low-Income Defendants

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Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed an appeal that could have established whether defendants in criminal trials have a constitutional right to be represented by their initial court-appointed attorney throughout their case. This decision maintains the status quo where continuity of counsel is not guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution for indigent defendants. The case involved Williams Davis, a Colorado man who was convicted in 2017 of reckless driving and eluding police. Davis argued his rights were violated when he had to go to trial with a substitute attorney after his original court-appointed lawyer … Read more