Criminal Law and Policy News and Events for the University of Arizona Community

Excellent Video on Interrogation Techniques Leading to False Confessions

From a National Geographic Special here. (Thanks, Mica Gilmore)

This week's trials in Pima County Superior Court

This week's Superior Court Criminal trials are shown here:

http://www.pcao.pima.gov/press.htm

Criminal Law Speaker Wednesday: The Municipal Role in Public Safety.

On Wednesday, April 29, in Room 160, Dr. Rodney Glassman, Ph.D., J.D. '07, Tucson City Council, Mike Rankin, '93, Tucson City Attorney, will speak on The Municipal Role in Public Safety.  Pizza will be served at 12:05 p.m., the talk will start at 12:20 p.m., and end by 1:20 p.m. CLE credit for Arizona attorneys.Download CLE Certificate

Local case leads to significant Fourth Amendment decision by Supreme Court today

Arizona v. Gant, --- S.Ct. ----, 2009 WL 1045962, U.S.Ariz., April 21, 2009 (NO. 07-542)

The U.S. Supreme Court today decided Arizona v. Gant, a significant Fourth Amendment ruling in a case arising out of Tucson.  The 5-4 decision was authored by Justice Stevens.

Stating that "[t]he doctrine of stare decisis does not require us to approve routine constitutional violations," the Court ended "blind adherence" to New York v. Belton, 453 U.S. 454 (1981).  In Belton, the Court had held that when an officer lawfully arrests “the occupant of an automobile, he may, as a contemporaneous incident of that arrest, search the passenger compartment of the automobile” and any containers in it. See Belton, 453 U. S. at 460.

Defendant Gant had been convicted of felony drug charges based on cocaine police found in a jacket in the backseat of his car; that search was not authorized by warrant or exigency, but rather was conducted as a search incident to Gant's arrest for driving on a suspended license.  At the time police searched the car--ostensibly a search authorized by Belton--Gant had already been handcuffed and locked in the police cruiser.

Noting that the Arizona Supreme Court "correctly held that this case involved an unreasonable search," the Court ruled that a search of a passenger compartment of a car incident to arrest is permissible only if "the arrestee is within reaching distance of the passenger compartment at the time of the search or it is reasonable to believe the vehicle contains evidence of the offense of arrest."  The ruling reaffirms the rationale for such searches originally articulated in Chimel v. California, 395 U. S. 752 (1969) -- officer safety and preservation of evidence.

Gant's attorney, UA alum Tom Jacobs, prepared for his Supreme Court argument with a moot hearing at the Rogers College of Law several months ago.  Congratulations to Tom for this important win.

Information Session about the Crim Law Certificate Program

Monday, April 20, 11:00-11:45, Lewis & Roca Lobby.  Cookies will be provided.  The forms and other information are to the right of this webpage.

This week's trials in Pima County Superior Court

This week's Superior Court Criminal trials are shown here:

http://www.pcao.pima.gov/press.htm

Criminal Law Speaker Wednesday: Prosecuting Crimes on Reservations

Download LCJSP Certificate 4-22-09 On Wednesday, April 22, in Room 160, Angela Woolridge, Assistant United States Attorney,and Fred Urbina, Deputy Prosecutor, Pascua Yaqui, will speak on Prosecuting Crimes on Reservations. Co-Sponsored with the American Indian Studies Colloquium Series. Pizza will be served at 12:05 p.m., the talk will start at 12:20 p.m., and end by 1:20 p.m. CLE credit for Arizona attorneys.

Victim's Rights Event, April 28th at Noon

Tues 4/28/2009, 12:15 p.m.-1:30 p.m., James E. Rogers College of Law, Room 164

Victims Rights' Week Awards Ceremony and Panel Discussion

Terry Goddard

Arizona Attorney General

Barbara LaWall

Pima County Attorney's Office

*  Pizza will be served!

Forensic Science Symposium-On Line

On March 19, 2009, the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law presented the first national symposium following the 2/18/09 release of /Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States:  A Path Forward/, the report of the Committee on Identifying the Needs of the Forensic Science Community (CINFSC). Convened by the National Academies National Research Council Committee on Science, Technology, and Law, at the direction of the U.S. Congress, the CINFSC reports serious deficiencies in the nation's forensic sciences system, and makes specific recommendations for reform and research.

*The Future of Forensic Sciences Symposium* brought together scientists, scholars, and practitioners to discuss the CINFSC report's findings and recommendations, as well as share their views about how the forensic science disciplines can better advance the fundamental goals of the criminal justice system: to apprehend and punish those who commit crimes, while preventing the wrongful conviction of innocent persons.  A video of the conference is here:

http://www.law.csuohio.edu/lawlibrary/resources/lawpubs/ForensicSciences.html.

 

 

Border Agent Sues Homeland Security for Illegal Search of his Home

Story Here.