Abstracts » Law

A prosecutor's duty; assistant A.G. resigns rather than defend conviction she feels is wrong

Article Abstract:

Illinois Assistant Attorney General Mary Brigid Kenney resigned on Mar 5, 1992, stating that she could not in good conscience continue to work in an office prosecuting a death row inmate who is innocent of murder. She believes that Rolando Cruz and a co-defendant are innocent of the murder of Jeanine Nicarico and has publicly asked Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to cease prosecution of the case. Kenney believes that Brian Dugan, who has admitted the crime, is the guilty party. Burris says the prosecutor does not have the power to put his judgment in place of the jury's.

Ethical aspects, Public prosecutors, Prisoners, Prisoners' rights, Kenney, Mary Brigid

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Courts side with moms in drug cases; Florida woman's conviction overturned for delivering cocaine via umbilical cord

Article Abstract:

The supreme courts of Florida and Connecticut have held that pregnant women are not criminally liable for exposing their children to drugs in utero. The Connecticut court ruled that child abuse statutes did not pertain to prenatal behavior. The Florida court ruled that the legislative intent of the drug trafficking law was not to prosecute women for bearing drug-exposed children. Legal action against pregnant drug abusers for damage to their unborn children's health has been going on since the mid-1980s.

Prenatal care, Drug abuse in pregnancy

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Hazelwood's conviction overturned; Alaska appeals court says federal law promised immunity for reporting oil spills

Article Abstract:

The Alaska Court of Appeals overturned the conviction of the captain of the Exxon Valdez, Joseph Hazelwood, on July 10, 1992. The ship's running aground in Prince William Sound, Alaska, in Mar 1989 had caused an 11-million gallon oil spill. The judges held that Hazelwood received blanket immunity for reporting the spill under the federal law requiring him to do so. The immunity provision has since been amended by Congress.

Cases, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Disaster, 1989, Liability for oil pollution damages, Hazelwood, Joseph J.

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