Newly appointed “pardon czar” Alice Marie Johnson’s role has been met with cautious optimism from decarceration advocates, given President Donald Trump’s unpredictable stance on criminal justice reform. Johnson, a prominent figure in efforts to reform federal mandatory minimum sentences, will advise Trump on clemency decisions, multiple media outlets have reported. “I am deeply grateful for […]
Christina Carrega
Christina Carrega is the criminal justice reporter at Capital B. Follow her on Bluesky @chriscarrega.bsky.social.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Why Holding Prosecutors Accountable Is as Hard as Prosecuting Police
As the five-year anniversary of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder approached, his family had been awaiting the final stage in their pursuit of criminal accountability — but the trial of a former prosecutor took an unexpected turn. Just before the jury was set to receive instructions on Feb. 5, the presiding state court judge dismissed the indictment […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Gun Violence
White Homeowner Who Shot Ralph Yarl Dies Just Weeks Before Sentencing
Andrew Lester, the 86-year-old Missouri man who shot a Black teenager who rang his doorbell by mistake in 2023, died Wednesday, just weeks before he was to be sentenced. The 86-year-old pleaded guilty to second degree assault on Feb. 14 in the shooting of Ralph Yarl. The investigation had frustrated Kansas City, Missouri, activists and […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Incarceration, Politics & Policy
Despite Pardons, Many Formerly Incarcerated Black People Still Face Uncertainty
Michelle West waited 32 years. Convicted in 1994 of nonviolent drug offenses, she was ordered to federal prison for two life sentences, plus an additional 50 years. On Sunday, former President Joe Biden commuted her sentence, meaning she will walk away from a low-security correctional facility in Danbury, Connecticut, this week as a free woman. […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
What a Second Trump Presidency Could Mean for Pending DOJ Investigations
The clock is ticking for the Justice Department and federal prosecutors trying to resolve civil rights investigations and complaints against law enforcement agencies accused of mistreating Black and brown communities. This form of accountability can produce a court-ordered agreement — a consent decree — to enforce departments to overhaul their policing practices that Black Americans […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
Why Has Qualified Immunity Excused Officers’ Misconduct for Decades?
The movement to increase accountability for police officers who use excessive force may have seen its most significant setback yet with the second election of Donald Trump as president. Trump has promised the nation’s police officers that he will grant them “immunity from prosecution,” a move that legal experts say would deal a severe blow […]
Posted inCourts, Politics & Policy
Biden Appoints 40 Black Women as Federal Judges, Breaking Record
Capital B is a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to reporting on the issues that shape Black life in America. Our commitment to keeping this journalism free and accessible to all relies on your support. If you believe in our mission to inform and uplift Black communities, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. Thank you! President-elect […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing, Public Safety
Justice Eludes Survivors as Former Detective Dies Amid Abuse Allegations
This story contains discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. For more than 25 years, prosecutors say, white homicide Detective Roger Golubski terrorized Black women in Kansas City, Kansas. His accusers said he would kidnap them, he would sexually abuse them, […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
A White Man Pleads Guilty in the Shooting of a Black Teen — but Not for Killing Him
For more than two years, Megan Reed has awaited some form of justice for her son, Sinzae. The 13-year-old was shot and killed just yards from the front door of his home by a man who says he opened fire in self-defense even though, police say, there is no evidence that the child had a […]
Posted inMaternal Health, Politics & Policy, Reproductive Health
Post Election, Black Women Strategize to Ensure Reproductive Rights for All
Nearly 90% of Black women in America voted for Vice President Kamala Harris to be the first among them to ascend to the highest office in the nation. And while her loss is hard for her supporters to accept, many of them say the patchwork collection of laws that is emerging after this month’s election […]
