COVID-19
Some Success in Stopping Phony Virus Robocalls
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A telecom-industry task force, led by trade association USTelecom, said it identified and cut off a barrage of virus-related calls it suspected were phony, with help from federal agencies.
COVID-19
Louisiana Leaders Disagree on Prisoner Releases
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Louisiana Attorney General warned of a potential “crime wave” if state prisoners were freed during the pandemic. State Supreme Court Chief Justice Bernette Johnson urged minimizing jail populations to prevent a “potentially catastrophic” virus outbreak.
White Collar Crime
Chasing the ‘COVID Dollar Bird’: Feds, States Target Coronavirus Frauds
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The Justice Department has directed all 94 U.S. Attorneys to appoint a coordinator for all virus-fraud cases, raising the prospect that those who threatened or attempted to spread the virus could be charged with federal terrorism offenses as the virus could be classified as a biological agent.
Drugs
How Virus Hampers Drug Treatment Providers
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Addiction treatment clinics are expanding hours, hiring staff to take people’s temperatures, providing home delivery and curbside pickup for medication, and revamping procedures to limit human contact.
Prisons
Inmate Lawyers Seek Mass Release of CA Prisoners
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As parole dates are advanced and inmates tear shirts and socks to make masks, federal judges are weighing whether California must take larger, more drastic steps to avert the spread of COVID-19 in its teeming prisons.
COVID-19
Prison Advocacy Group Sends 95,000 Masks to Lockups
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The REFORM Alliance, the advocacy group founded by rappers Meek Mill and Jay-Z, will send surgical masks to New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex and other prisons in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus among inmates.
Courts
Trump Nominates ‘Not Qualified’ Judge to Top Court Job
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President Donald Trump on Friday nominated Justin Walker, who the American Bar Association deemed not qualified to serve on the federal bench, to the influential U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Walker is an ally of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Guns
Gun Background Checks Hit Record, NRA Sues NY
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As the number of gun background checks hit a new monthly record, the National Rifle Association challenged New York State’s decision to close gun stores during the coronavirus pandemic.
COVID-19
March Was Second Biggest Gun-Sales Month Ever
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Amid coronavirus anxiety, the total trails only January 2013, just after President Barack Obama’s re-election and the mass shooting at Connecticut’s Sandy Hook Elementary School.
COVID-19
Snitches Around U.S. Rat Out COVID-19 Violators
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Informers are enthusiastic allies as cities and states enforce directives to limit person-to-person contact amid the virus pandemic. They’re phoning police and municipal hotlines and shaming perceived scofflaws on social media.