Posts Tagged Law & Crime
VCU Sees Spike in Sexual Assault Reports
Posted by Nick Gilmore in Virginia's News on September 29, 2016
Credit: Taber Andrew Bain / Creative Commons
During the first two months of school, Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond has logged 15 reports of sexual assault. That’s only five fewer than all of last year. Mallory Noe-Payne reports.
Suffolk Delegate Arrested on Cruelty, Injury Charges
Posted by Nick Gilmore in Virginia's News on September 23, 2016
Credit: Suffolk Police Department
A Virginia lawmaker known for his extreme opposition to abortion has been charged with cruelty and injury to children. Richard Lee Morris of Suffolk was arrested earlier this week. Sandy Hausman reports.
Federal Court Considers Virginia’s Sentencing of Teenage Murderers
Posted by Nick Gilmore in Virginia's News on September 20, 2016
Credit: Stephen Wilson / Flickr
Jason Clem was 16 when, in the course of robbing the restaurant he worked at, he murdered his boss. Clem was sentenced to a life term. Now, 12 years later, Clem’s lawyers argue that punishment is unconstitutional. The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond heard his case Tuesday. Mallory Noe-Payne reports.
Lawmakers Working to Break Cycles Within Juvenile Criminal Justice System
Posted by Nick Gilmore in Virginia's News on September 2, 2016
Credit: Dave Nakayama / Creative Commons
What happens when children get involved in the criminal justice system? Oftentimes, they get sent to large juvenile facilities, which critics say leads to a cycle of getting re-arrested and ultimately a life of crime and imprisonment. Now state leaders are trying to break that cycle. Michael Pope reports.
Virginia Lawmakers Look to Address Mandatory Arbitration in Financial Contracts
Posted by Payton Knobeloch in Virginia's News on August 5, 2016
Credit: Tom Woodward / Creative Commons
Several members of the Virginia congressional delegation are calling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to take swift action against mandatory arbitration clauses. Those are provisions tucked away into consumer financial contracts that allow corporations to avoid lawsuits. Michael Pope reports.
Confusion Reigns on Transgender Bathrooms as Schools Prepare for Fall
Posted by Payton Knobeloch in Virginia's News on August 5, 2016
As schools across Virginia prepare for the end of summer and the first day of classes, superintendents and principals will be waiting to hear the outcome in a dramatic court case that could have a lasting influence for transgender students across the country. Michael Pope reports.
McAuliffe Office Rushes to Fulfill Promise by Individually Restoring Voting Rights
Posted by Payton Knobeloch in Virginia's News on August 1, 2016
Elections officials across Virginia are about to cast aside thousands of voters in the wake of a Virginia Supreme Court decision last month. It’s the latest in an ongoing drama that could have drastic consequences on Election Day. Michael Pope has the story.
McAuliffe Pushes Forward with Rights Restoration Despite Supreme Court Ruling
Posted by Payton Knobeloch in Virginia's News on July 29, 2016
Credit: Kate Wellington / Creative Commons
The Virginia Supreme Court may have overturned Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe’s executive order restoring voting rights to 200,000 former felons. But as Michael Pope reports, that’s not stopping him from moving forward with the plan.
Federal Lawsuit Reveals Dark Underworld of Payday Loans in Virginia
Posted by Nick Gilmore in Virginia's News on July 22, 2016
Credit: frankieleon / Creative Commons
A class-action federal lawsuit against a payday lender may break new legal ground next month. That’s when a Virginia judge could deliver a ruling that will absolve hundreds of people from loans worth about a half a million dollars. Michael Pope has the story as part of his ongoing investigation into predatory lending.
Constitutionality of Felon Rights Restoration Questioned in Virginia Supreme Court Hearing
Posted by Payton Knobeloch in Virginia's News on July 19, 2016
Members of the Virginia Supreme Court are considering a challenge to Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe’s executive order restoring voting rights to more than two hundred thousand former felons. Michael Pope is at the Supreme Court with the latest.
New Bill Would Prohibit Flying of Confederate Flag over Confederate Cemeteries
Posted by Payton Knobeloch in Virginia's News on July 13, 2016
Credit: Britt Reints / Creative Commons
The debate over the Confederate flag is still raging in Washington, where elected officials are clashing over where and when it’s appropriate to display the Confederate flag. Michael Pope reports.
Not All Felons Want to Vote: A Community Worn Down by Politics
Posted by Payton Knobeloch in Virginia's News on July 13, 2016
Anthony Crawford, a resident of Richmond’s Gilpin Court, shows off his voter registration card. Credit: Mallory Noe-Payne / WVTF
Virginia’s Governor made national headlines in April, when he restored voting rights to more than 200,000 ex-felons. But the backlash was quick and fierce. Republicans accused the Governor of misusing his power to sway presidential politics. Reports revealed rapists and murderers still in prison, whose rights had been restored, accidentally.
Since then, the debate has ramped up. But stuck in the middle are thousands of Virginians — not all of whom are excited to vote. Mallory Noe-Payne has this story, of a community worn down by politics.
Inside the Wild West of Debt Settlement Companies
Posted by Nick Gilmore in Virginia's News on July 8, 2016
Credit openDemocracy / Creative Commons
For people down on their luck and behind on their bills, there seems to be no end of businesses looking to turn a buck. That often means people are scammed out of money — just when they need help the most. Michael Pope has the story.
Legislators Working to Challenge Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws
Posted by Payton Knobeloch in Virginia's News on July 6, 2016
Credit Steven Depolo / Creative Commons
Police agencies in Virginia get most of their money from local governments. But in recent years, they’ve been increasingly tapping another source of cash – seizing it directly from people they suspect of wrongdoing. The program, known as civil asset forfeiture, has become increasingly controversial in recent years. And now, efforts are moving forward at the state and national level to reform the program. Michael Pope reports.
The Contributors to Bob McDonnell’s Legal Defense Fund
Posted by Payton Knobeloch in Virginia's News on June 28, 2016
Matt Wade / Creative Commons
Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s political career may be over. But his days raising money are not. Michael Pope has this look at the fundraising effort to pay McDonnell’s legal bills.
Virginia Republicans Respond to the Supreme Court’s McDonnell Ruling
Posted by Payton Knobeloch in Virginia's News on June 28, 2016
Credit Matt Wade / Creative Commons
With Monday’s Supreme Court ruling, many Virginia politicians are speaking up in support of the state’s ex-Governor. But they’re also thinking about what the ruling means for politics in the Commonwealth. Mallory Noe-Payne reports.
McDonnell Decision: Legal Consequences
Posted by Payton Knobeloch in Virginia's News on June 28, 2016
Credit Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons
The Supreme Court decision today overturning the corruption case against former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell could have far-reaching legal consequences. Michael Pope has the story.
Michael Pope continues his report on the legal consequences of the McDonnell ruling:
Virginia Readies to Take Guns from Abusers
Posted by Payton Knobeloch in Virginia's News on June 27, 2016
Credit Stephen Z/Flickr
As Congress once again fails to make any headway on gun control, Virginia is set to implement a new measure of gun control.
In 2014, 66 people in the state were killed by a spouse or partner, using a firearm. The new measure seeks to lower that number. Mallory Noe-Payne reports.
Gov. McAullife Signs New Measures to Prevent Addicts from Acquiring Drugs
Posted by Payton Knobeloch in Virginia's News on June 23, 2016
Credit Creative Commons/David K
In 2014, almost 1,000 people died from opiate overdose in Virginia — and that number is trending upwards, not down. A state task force created a number of proposals to help stem the epidemic, and Governor Terry McAuliffe signed three of those measures into law today. The primary goal? To help prevent addicts from acquiring drugs. Mallory Noe-Payne explains how.
Virginia Lawmaker Fights to Outlaw Forced Arbitration Clauses
Posted by Payton Knobeloch in Virginia's News on June 21, 2016
Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va.; Courtesy of Creative Commons/Aimee Custis Photography
Major corporations across the country are increasingly adding language to contracts to prevent lawsuits, a controversial practice that is coming under increased scrutiny. The provisions, known as “forced arbitration clauses,” apply to everything from getting a credit card to accepting a job offer. And now one Virginia lawmaker says these provisions should be outlawed. Michael Pope has this report.
McAuliffe Threatens Executive Action After Regulators Decline to Crack Down on Car Title Lenders
Posted by Payton Knobeloch in Virginia's News on June 17, 2016
Credit Creative Commons
Earlier this year, Virginia lawmakers were considering several bills that would have cracked down on the car-title lending industry, a business that’s come under increasing scrutiny and mounting criticism. None of those bills passed, although two powerful state senators wrote a letter to regulators asking them to take care of it. Now Michael Pope has the latest twist in the ongoing investigation – state regulators now say they don’t have the authority to take action.
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