1. In Miranda Case, Supreme Court Rules on the Limits of Silence, David G. Savage, Latimes.com, 2013
A Texas man sat silent when a police officer asked him about shotgun shells that were found at the scene of double slaying, shells that had been traced to the suspect's shotgun. At trial, prosecutors pointed to the defendant's silence as evidence of his guilt. The Court upheld his conviction, saying the Constitution "does not establish an unqualified 'right to remain silent.'"
2. US Supreme Court to Police: To Search a Cell Phone, "Get a Warrant", Warren Richey, The Christian Science Monitor, 2014
In an indication of how fundamental Fourth Amendment protections are in the Supreme Court justices' view, the chief justice likened warrantless searches of cellphones to the "general warrants" and "writs of assistance" imposed during colonial America that allowed British troops to "rummage through homes in an unrestrained search for evidence of criminal activity." The Court rejected arguments that law enforcement officers must be able to immediately search the contents of a cell phone when it was found on a person at the time of arrest.
3. One Simple Way to Improve How Cops and Prosecutors Do Their Jobs, Mike Riggs, The Atlantic, 2013
Every year, the U.S. Justice Department sends hundreds of millions of dollars to states and municipalities, and the bulk of it goes toward fighting the drug war. The Brennan Center for Justice report suggests that the over-policing of minor crimes and over-incarceration of non-violent offenders are goals that need to be changed.
4. Against His Better Judgment, Eli Saslow, The Washington Post, 2015
In the meth corridor of Iowa, a federal judge comes face to face with the reality of congressionally mandated sentencing.
5. Does an Innocent Man Have the Right to Be Exonerated? Marc Bookman, The Atlantic, 2014
In the 1980s, Larry Youngblood was wrongfully imprisoned for raping a 10-year-old boy. The way the Supreme Court handled his case had lasting consequences.