July 2021

July 2021 Cover

Upon what basis can defense counsel bring a motion to suppress evidence when the police target people of color using pretextual traffic violations?

 

Articles in this Issue

  1. Affiliate News

    What events are NACDL affiliates hosting this month? Find out here.

    Gerald Lippert

  2. Book Review: A Descending Spiral by Marc Bookman

    This month David R. Dow reviews A Descending Spiral: Exposing the Death Penalty in 12 Essays by Marc Bookman.

    David R. Dow

  3. Book Review: Bones of Black Saints by Alex Charns

    This month Bob Hurley reviews Bones of Black Saints by Alex Charns.

    Bob Hurley

  4. Book Review: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

    This month Teresa J. “Teri” Sopp reviews Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson.

    Teresa J. “Teri” Sopp

  5. Book Review: Deep Delta Justice by Matthew Van Meter

    This month Jon Sands reviews Deep Delta Justice: A Black Teen, His Lawyer, and Their Groundbreaking Battle for Civil Rights in the South by Matthew Van Meter.

    Jon Sands

  6. Fighting Racial Bias by the Police Through Suppression Litigation

    The police regularly target people of color by using pretextual vehicle and traffic violations – including illegal window tint and disobeying a crosswalk signal – to justify the initial interaction. The goal of police officers is to escalate the encounter with false allegations of the smell of marijuana or furtive movements to enable them to conduct a full-blown search. How can defense counsel make a motion to suppress evidence based upon an allegation of racial targeting?

    Andre Vitale

  7. From the President: A Year in Review

    What did we learn about NACDL as an organization during the challenge of the pandemic?

    Chris Adams

  8. Music Review: No Noose: Musicians United to End the Death Penalty

    This month Marvin Miller reviews “No Noose” by Musicians United to End the Death Penalty.

    Marvin D. Miller

  9. Perspective: There Should Be a Right to Appointed Counsel for Indigent Persons

    Facing Imprisonment in Tribal Courts

    An indigent Native American who is charged in tribal court, facing a year in jail, with all the consequences of confinement — loss of employment, etc. — is not entitled to appointed counsel, only counsel at his or her own expense if the possible punishment is a year or less. Tova Indritz argues that there should be a right to appointed counsel for any indigent person facing imprisonment anywhere in the United States, including in tribal courts.

    Tova Indritz

  10. Pretrial Release for Non-US Citizen Clients: One Front of the War for Racial Justice

    Amy Kimpel and James Chavez explain how to get non-U.S. citizen clients (both those with legal status and those who are undocumented) out of custody and how to keep them out. Their article will inspire defense advocates to fight for pretrial release for non-U.S. citizen clients and will provide legal ammunition for the battle.

    Amy F. Kimpel and James M. Chavez

  11. Racism — A Persistent Challenge That Impacts Everyone

    Racism — A Persistent Challenge That Impacts Everyone

    NACDL

  12. The NACDL Q&A: Fighting for Justice in a Divided World

    What can be done to achieve racial justice in the United States? How can society repair the chasm between the police and people of color? Three public defenders tackle these questions and more in the NACDL Q&A.

    Quintin Chatman

  13. The Role of Implicit Racial Bias in Forensic Testimony

    Implicit racial bias in forensic testimony cannot be ignored as a primary driver of injustice. Janis Puracal discusses how implicit racial bias can impact forensic testimony, and she shares her family’s story.

    Janis C. Puracal