by Michelle Sparrow | Jun 16, 2015 | Criminal Law Blog, Violent Crimes
Comedian/satirist John Oliver opened an immense can of worms with his criticism of the American bail system. The segment garnered the attention of the Washington Post, Slate.com, Time magazine and other, perhaps less revered news outlets. Oliver explained the way bail... by Michelle Sparrow | Jun 2, 2015 | Criminal Law Blog, Violent Crimes
Many people may not realize it, but an assault charge can end up impacting someone’s life for years to come. Not only are there the criminal consequences that can come from a conviction, but having a conviction on one’s record can limit housing, employment... by Michelle Sparrow | Mar 27, 2015 | Violent Crimes
In 2011, we posted about two men found innocent of second-degree murder after they had served 10 years in prison. Their exonerations were the result of appeals to the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission. What cleared them? What else? DNA. The first use of DNA... by Michelle Sparrow | Mar 23, 2015 | Violent Crimes
A couple we know was expecting their first child, and they had all sorts of plans. The baby, they said, would grow up to be a doctor. They just knew it. They could feel it in their bones. This child — a boy — was destined for medicine. But, just to be... by Michelle Sparrow | Mar 14, 2015 | Criminal Law Blog, Violent Crimes
If you are old enough to remember 1968, you may be more than a little uneasy about the increasingly violent confrontations about race. It is a little hard to think that this will all be resolved somehow. That Ferguson will be made right, that the deaths of young black...