House Committee approves CHINS bill returning power to prosecuting attorneys
A bill giving prosecuting attorneys the ability to file a Child in Need of Services petition continues to garner strong support in the Indiana General Assembly.
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Spotlight: Change of venue case requires planning, preparation and packing
Moving a trial from one court to another can be cumbersome and brings with it logistical matters that have to be worked out so the lawyers can focus on presenting their case. Transporting office supplies, reserving hotel rooms, securing conference rooms and learning the demographics of the community before selecting the jury are among the tasks that have to be addressed.
Overhaul of Criminal Code approved by House
The bill rewriting Indiana’s Criminal Code gained approval of the House of Representatives Monday by an 80 to 13 vote. The measure now moves to the Senate.
Prosecutor requesting life without parole for 3 defendants in Indianapolis explosion
Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry has decided to request life sentences without parole, instead of the death penalty, for the three defendants charged in the Richmond Hill subdivision explosion.
DWD, prosecutor team up to target unemployment insurance fraud
Indiana Department of Workforce Development Commissioner Scott Sanders and Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry announced a new partnership between the offices Monday to investigate and prosecute individuals accused of fraudulent unemployment insurance claims.
State may drop Bei Bei Shuai murder charge after adverse ruling
A judge’s ruling last week barring a medical examiner’s testimony that rat poison ingested by Bei Bei Shuai caused the death of her newborn daughter should cause the state to consider dropping all charges, Shuai’s defense attorney said.
3 charged in Indianapolis home explosion
Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry announced Friday that three people have been arrested in connection with a home explosion in an Indianapolis suburb that killed two people last month and damaged dozens of homes.
Low pay leads to high job turnover
Salaries in the public sector are causing the criminal justice system to suffer.
Prosecutor error insufficient to reverse murder conviction
A prosecutor improperly presented facts that were not in evidence and inflamed the passions and prejudices of jurors in a murder trial, but his improper conduct didn’t rise to the level of reversible error, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Friday.
Indiana Department of Child Services urged to set course for new direction
With a new governor taking over Indiana’s executive branch in January, what changes, if any, will come to the Department of Child Services are unknown. However, some contend that should not stop the agency from addressing criticism and implementing new policies or programs now.
Judges’, prosecutors’ pension funds receive split of surplus reserves
Indiana’s Judges’ Pension Fund and Prosecutors’ Pension Fund will receive nearly 30 percent of the $360 million in surplus money from the state reserves, the governor’s office announced Thursday.
DCS launching pilot to address children with mental health issues
The Department of Child Services announced Monday that it will fund a two-month pilot program that will utilize local services to provide help for juveniles with mental health issues.
The case against Bei Bei Shuai
Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry never expected the prosecution of Chinese immigrant Bei Bei Shuai to become a cause célèbre. It also has become a battleground over prosecutorial discretion and how far a defense attorney can go in representing her client.
Appeals court affirms molestation conviction
A child molestation conviction will stand after the Indiana Court of Appeals on Monday rejected a defendant’s arguments that the conviction should be reversed because of a prosecutor’s references to the defendant's failure to testify and that the evidence was insufficient.
Attorney can’t recast untimely 4th Amendment claim against prosecutor
The Muncie attorney who sued former Delaware County Prosecutor Mark McKinney, alleging due process violations following his arrest and acquittal on conspiracy to commit bribery charges, lost his appeal before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. The judges found the attorney was trying to recast an untimely false arrest claim into a due process claim.
Justices reduce caregiver’s sentence in child’s killing
The Indiana Supreme Court reduced the sentence of a woman who, along with her boyfriend, was convicted in the events that led to the murder of the woman’s 2-year-old cousin while in her care.
Justices order new trial for Ripley County man
A Ripley County man convicted of conspiring to commit burglary is entitled to a new trial due to ineffective assistance of his trial counsel and prosecutorial misconduct, the Indiana Supreme Court held.
LaPorte deputy prosecutor to serve during Szilagyi’s suspension
The Indiana Supreme Court named Robert D. Neary to serve as interim LaPorte County prosecutor beginning Aug. 1, when prosecutor Robert C. Szilagyi will start serving a 60-day suspension for forgery.
Lawyers relax and find camaraderie in softball league of their own
The Lawyer League softball is an annual summertime league in Indianapolis that’s been around for more than 30 years.
COA: Prosecutor had ability to provide use immunity
The Indiana Court of Appeals relied on state Supreme Court precedent to find a Shelby County prosecutor could compel parents to testify by providing use immunity. The parents argued the prosecutor couldn’t grant use immunity because there were no grand jury proceedings and they hadn’t been charged with a crime.