Law

Supreme Court Strikes Down Conviction Of Man On Death Row In Mississippi

4:37pm June 21, 2019

by Nina Totenberg

The Supreme Court struck down the conviction of a Mississippi man, who has been on death row for 22 years, citing overt bias in jury selection. The court also decided a key eminent domain case Friday.

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A judge has ordered a special prosecutor to look into how the case against actor Jussie Smollett was handled. Smollett is seen here in March, leaving a courthouse in Chicago after all charges against him were dropped.

National

Judge Orders Special Prosecutor To Review Handling Of Jussie Smollett Case

3:06pm June 21, 2019

by Bill Chappell

A judge in Illinois' Cook County says a special prosecutor should review the case "to restore the public's confidence in the integrity of our criminal justice system."

Majid Takht Ravanchi, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, pictured here in 2015 at a news conference in Mexico City. In an exclusive interview with NPR, Ravanchi said flaring tensions between Washington and Tehran have made diplomatic talks hostile.

Iran's U.N. Ambassador: U.S. Escalating Hostilities Like A 'Knife Under Your Throat'

9:54am June 21, 2019

In an interview with NPR, Majid Takht Ravanchi also denied responsibility for the attack on two tankers last week and steadfastly maintained that Iran is not interested in war.

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National

Lindy Lou Isonhood: Can You Move On After A Capital Punishment Trial?

8:59am June 21, 2019

by NPR/TED Staff

In 1994, Lindy Lou Isonhood served on a jury that sentenced a man to death. For years, she agonized over her decision. Today, she says, she's moved forward by speaking out against the death penalty.

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The U.S. Supreme Court is continuing to allow Congress to delegate the details on a law's implementation, but there was a landmine in the decision.

Politics & Government

Is The Supreme Court About To Give Haters Of The 'Deep State' What They Want?

8:44am June 21, 2019

by Nina Totenberg

The court is continuing to allow Congress to delegate the details on a law's implementation. But is this decision a harbinger of something quite different?

Religion

High Court Rules Cross May Stand On Public Land

6:30am June 21, 2019

by Nina Totenberg

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a 40-foot cross could stand on public land in Maryland because of its historical significance as a World War I memorial.

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New York's Aggressive Battle Against Climate Change

5:49am June 21, 2019

by Brian Mann

New York is set to enact plans to battle climate change. It would go further than some other states in cutting carbon emissions from electricity, buildings and transportation.

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Arizona prisons officials have announced a ban on the book Chokehold: Policing Black Men by Paul Butler has been lifted after a national outcry.

National

Arizona Prisons Lift Ban On Book About Mass Incarceration

4:00am June 21, 2019

by Bobby Allyn

The book's author is grateful that pressure on corrections officials persuaded them to rethink the ban, but it did not end his concerns over access to books among prisoners across the country.

The sanctuary at Briarwood Presbyterian Church, in Birmingham, Ala. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has signed legislation permitting the church to hire its own police force.

New Alabama Law Permits Church To Hire Its Own Police Force

11:34pm June 20, 2019

by Richard Gonzales

A mega-church says it needs its own police for security. Critics say the law will grant state authority to church officials and is unconstitutional, violating the separation of church and state.

A World War I memorial cross sits in Bladensburg, Md., just outside Washington, D.C. The federal government asked the Supreme Court to rule in favor of the cross.

Politics & Government

Supreme Court: Cross Can Stand On Public Land In Separation Of Church And State Case

9:05pm June 20, 2019

by Nina Totenberg

The high court's conservative majority sided with those advocating for "religious freedom" in a major win for groups like the American Legion.

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