Warrants used to do the trick. Now a simple phone call to any one of several supersized tech companies often suffices. Today’s blog post spotlights subject matter central to criminal law probes that has spelled a top-tier and often controversial topic for decades, if not centuries. The focus: authorities’ securing
There is a kind of perverse irony attached to the advocacy group National Registry of Exonerations. On the one hand, the organization likely welcomes public recognition and acknowledgment of the important work that it does. On the other hand, that very recognition underscores the continued existence of a compelling and
“We’re no longer throwing away people who are redeemable.” That is less a certainty than it is the expressed hope of one Colorado lawmaker sponsoring a new legislative bill that he and other criminal law reformers want to see modify existing law in one controversial area. Specifically, that is
Coloradans seeking to comply in good faith with imposed probationary conditions often find that to be an easier-said-than-done task. For starters, exactions can be many and varied. Keeping close track of every requirement and following it precisely in every instance can be arduous and sometimes confusing. Individuals striving diligently to
They keep doing it, and the general public – both nationally and unquestionably across Colorado – continues to speak harshly against the practice. And in a stridently persistent way driven by perceived injustice targeting individuals who are often victims rather than wrongdoers. One authoritative Colorado legal source duly cites the
The “first foray.” That is how an in-depth piece on American criminal law reform describes the value of so-called executive actions as tools employed by the federal government to promote a more rational and fair justice system. Executive actions have prominently gained traction in recent years from their progressively increasing
You might know a thing or two about grand juries even if you have never been tasked to appear before one. Movies and television crime dramas often refer to or feature grand juries in action. They play a key and distinct role in the American justice system, and certainly in
Here’s a bit of number-crunched data relevant to Colorado’s penal system that is immediately notable and concerning: Reportedly, more than 1,200 inmates are over 60 years of age and at heightened risk from Covid-19. That is serious news, given that 8,000-plus incarcerated individuals in the state have already tested positive
“Unimpeachable and always reliable.” That is the broad public perception of forensic evidence introduced into a criminal law case in Colorado or elsewhere. We noted in a recent Shazam & Kianpour blog post (please see our December 9 entry from last year) the “it must be true” presumption routinely accorded
Criminal charges against Colorado residents are challenging for a number of reasons. We duly note at the long-established Denver criminal defense law firm of Shazam Kianpour & Associates that individuals routinely face charges “that threaten their livelihood, their reputation, their family and their freedom.” And we underscore this on our
