A quick look at how SCOTUS ruled in favor of Democracy, then our nation went to war, and the president threatened the Supremes
Today we 'll take a quick dive into a SCOTUS ruling delivered late last month, which is still making news!
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Criminal Justice Journalism in the Public Interest
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Judge first knocked down CA’s “No Secret Police Act,” but gave the go-ahead to the “No Vigilantes Act.” Then things changed
On Monday of this week, U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder knocked down a new California statute, known as the “No Secret Police Act,” which was signed into law last fall. This first of its kind bill prohibited ICE agents, and other federal law enforcement officers, from wearing masks during their operations in the state of […]
Dying In LA County’s Jails: Now there are 7 deaths in 2026
AS of Thursday, the count of people who have died in 2016 has risen to seven. (You can see the list in graphic at the top of this story.) As we wrote earlier, from 2016 to 2025, approximately 37.5 percent of the 345 people who have died in the LASD’s jails, died as a result […]
The No Kings Act & the fatal shootings by ICE of Alex Pretti & Renee Good
On Tuesday, January 27, Americans continued to struggle with shock and grief in response to the fatal shootings in Minneapolis, MN, by ICE officers of Alex Pretti—an ICU nurse known for his exemplary work with Minnesota’s veterans—and Renee Good, a poet and mother who, among her other community activities, was on the board of her […]
Dying in LA County’s jails: One more death today
As WLA readers are aware, on January 13, 2026, the third person of the year died in Los Angeles County’s jail system. Now, today, Thursday, January 22, there was a fourth in-custody death in the county’s massive and dangerous jail system. **** Editor’s note: Today, January 27, 2026: There has been yet one more death, […]
A new deadly year begins in LA County’s Jails
Yesterday, Tuesday, January 13, 2026, the third person died in Los Angeles County’s jail system since the calendar year turned. Last year, 46 people died in custody, giving 2025 the highest yearly death count since 2021. In 2021, it is important to note, there were 55 in-custody deaths in LA County’s jails, making it the […]
Dearest readers, If you’re looking for charitable donations to make before midnight on Dec. 31, 2025 please consider WitnessLA
The good news is, if you donate before midnight tonight, your donation will be TRIPLED!!!. First your donation will be doubled by the wonderful people at NewsMatch! AND then also doubled by the Golden Globe Foundation. And any size donation helps! $10, $20, $50, $100 … $1000. So, if you want to be a WLA […]
The Menendez Brothers, Part 3: the Myth of the Model Inmate
Editor’s note: Whatever you do or don’t think about the controversial and complex case of the Menendez Brothers, a look at their recent bid for parole opens the door to an examination of how well or poorly our systems of prison discipline presently work. So read on! PS: if you’ve not already read Part 1 […]
The Menendez Brothers, Part 2: How discipline plays an outsized role in CA parole decisions
Editor’s note: Whatever you do or don’t think about the controversial and complex case of the Menendez Brothers, a look at their recent bid for parole opens the door to an examination of how well or poorly our systems of prison discipline presently work. So read on! PS: If you’ve not already read Part 1 […]
What the Menendez Brothers Parole hearings tell us about prison discipline, Part 1
Editor’s note: Whatever you do or don’t think about the controversial and complex case of the Menendez Brothers, a look at their recent bid for parole opens the door to an examination of how well or poorly our systems of prison discipline presently work. So read on! **** Erik and Lyle Menendez came before the […]