New crime units to tackle backlog of digital evidence
Through 10 new High Tech Crime Units being established around the state, Indiana’s prosecutors say they will be getting much-needed help with the processing of digital evidence.
Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council
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Corrections and Criminal Code committee to convene Thursday, study criminal justice reform
Topics including appointed counsel at initial hearings and juvenile justice issues are on the agenda for this fall’s meetings of the Interim Study Committee on Corrections and Criminal Code.
Shelby County prosecutor named IPAC board chairman
The Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council has announced James “Brad” Landwerlen of Shelby County as the newest chair to lead its board of directors.
Web Exclusive: COA considering legislation limiting child sex abuse victim depositions
A one-year-old law is before the Indiana Court of Appeals, which is considering whether the Legislature properly placed restrictions on when defense attorneys can take a deposition of a minor child alleged to be a victim of a sex crime.
Red flags on Indiana’s red flag law
A mass shooting at an Indianapolis FedEx Ground facility earlier this month that killed eight employees and wounded five raised questions about whether more could have been done under Indiana’s red flag law to prevent the gunman from obtaining additional weapons after he had a firearm removed from his possession just over a year before.
Bill aims to prevent ‘social justice prosecuting’
Under a bill in the Statehouse, a prosecutor who establishes a policy of not charging certain offenses would be considered “noncompliant.” But local prosecutors fear changes that would step on their prosecutorial discretion and give the attorney general, a statewide officeholder, a say over her local decisions.
Bill challenging ‘noncompliant’ prosecutors clears Indiana Senate
A controversial bill that would allow the Indiana attorney general to request a special prosecutor if elected prosecutors become “noncompliant” passed the Indiana Senate on Tuesday. Senate Bill 200 is now headed to the Indiana House for further consideration.
Bill challenging ‘noncompliant’ prosecutors advances without prosecutors’ support
A bill that would allow the Indiana attorney general to step in if local elected prosecutors decline to file criminal charges narrowly passed a Senate committee Tuesday without the support of public defenders or Indiana prosecutors. A longtime advocate said when both sides in criminal matters oppose legislation, lawmakers should take notice.
Bill protecting Indiana public monuments advances out of Senate committee
After the protests this summer that led to the destruction or defacement of monuments nationwide, a bill designed to protect Indiana’s historical markers is advancing in the Indiana Legislature.
Legal misfire: Is it a crime for minors to possess guns?
A 1990s Indiana law that raised penalties for juveniles who possess guns has backfired, limiting the charging options for law enforcement when children have firearms.
Huntington Co. prosecutor to lead prosecutors’ association in 2021
Huntington County Prosecutor Amy Richison will serve as president of the Association of Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Inc. in 2021, the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council has announced.
South Bend man wanted in fatal shooting at Indiana mall surrenders
A man wanted in a deadly shooting inside a northern Indiana shopping mall that police said followed an argument has surrendered to authorities.
Dubois County prosecutor elected to lead IPAC board
The Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council announced this week the selection of a new chair to lead its board of directors. Dubois County Prosecutor Anthony Quinn has been elected as IPAC chairman of the Board of Directors.
ISBA section calls for nonviolent sentencing reforms
More than six years after sweeping criminal code reforms were enacted in Indiana, a section of the Indiana State Bar Association is calling for additional sentencing reforms to establish parity with those who received longer sentences before the reforms were enacted.
Legal community mourns passing of long-time Floyd Co. prosecutor Henderson
Keith Henderson, who served as Floyd County prosecuting attorney for nearly 20 years, died Aug. 1 at his home surrounded by his family following a battle with Lyme disease. He was 59.
AG Hill: Supreme Court lacks authority to order release of DOC inmates
Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is asking the Indiana Supreme Court to decline a request to use its rulemaking authority to order the release of inmates vulnerable to the novel coronavirus.
Senator drops push to force Indiana marijuana prosecutions
A Republican state senator has dropped a proposal attacking what he called “social justice prosecution” by empowering Indiana’s attorney general to appoint special prosecutors to take over criminal cases that local authorities decide they won’t pursue.
Justice by geography? Bill aims to bring uniformity to indigency determinations
Across Indiana, lawyers say judges in different counties often take different approaches to making an indigency determination. That’s led to what some call “justice by geography” — that is, a person facing charges might be deemed indigent in one county, but the same person facing the same charges in another county might be found to have the ability to pay. A Senate bill seeks a statewide standard.
‘Social justice prosecuting’ bill advances despite opposition
Despite opposition from nearly all of the organizations and individuals who testified, a bill that would allow the attorney general to appoint a special prosecutor over certain cases that a local prosecutor declines to prosecute advanced out of an Indiana Senate committee.
Misdemeanor summonses, small claims filing limit bills pass House
Bills that would allow for summonses to appear instead of arrests in misdemeanor cases and that would raise the small claims filing limit statewide have passed the Indiana House of Representatives.