Criminal Justice
Preventing a backlog of sexual assault evidence kits becomes a bipartisan effort again
For 25 years, Jessica Lind has worked with victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking and human trafficking. As the program coordinator for The Women’s Community, Inc., a nonprofit in Marathon County, one of her roles is to respond to the hospital emergency room and provide support as sexual assault victims endure forensic exams for […]
FBI to investigate threats made against school board members, teachers
WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice has directed the FBI to meet with local governments and law enforcement to discuss strategies for dealing with increasing threats to teachers and school board members spurred by a conservative backlash against discussions of race in public schools. “Threats against public servants are not only illegal, they run counter to our […]
Republicans move to further criminalize cannabis extracts
While some Republican legislators won’t support cannabis legalization in Wisconsin, bills to further criminalize cannabis continue to be introduced. On Thursday, the GOP-majority Assembly Committee on Substance Abuse and Prevention held a hearing on a bill (AB-440) that would enhance felony penalties associated with butane hash oil and related products. Hash oil is a form […]
Wisconsin leads nation in referring students to law enforcement
In Wisconsin, public school staff called the police on students at twice the national rate from 2017 to 2018. According to a report by the Center for Public Integrity, nine students out of every 1,000 were referred to police, compared to the national rate of 4.5. The report was based on data from the U.S. […]
ACLU blasts Milwaukee PD over recent stop and frisk report
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Wisconsin is blasting the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) over a recent stop and frisk report. The report, released on Sept. 23, stems from the 2018 settlement requirements of a stop and frisk lawsuit. The ACLU says it shows an increase in racial disparities. “We’re at a critical moment […]
Attorney General and lawmakers introduce gun control bills
Attorney General Josh Kaul joined state legislators to announce two new bills on gun control. One bill would expand background checks. The other aims to establish an extreme risk protection order system in the state. “You have heard about these bills before,” said Kaul during a press conference Thursday. “You know that the vast majority […]
Detective who labeled Wauwatosa Tosa mayor a “higher value target” is now sergeant
Recently, the Wisconsin Examiner learned that a detective who created a PowerPoint presentation which labeled Wauwatosa’s mayor as a “higher value target” was promoted after an internal investigation of the matter was completed. The PowerPoint, which was obtained through open records requests in January, shone a light on how police viewed those who supported protests […]
Riot bill’s penalties are as broad as they seem
A bill that would create a felony penalty for people who were part of a protest where rioting broke out appears to be as broad as it sounds. During a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, on Thursday, questions persisted as to who exactly the bill would apply to if […]
Gymnasts urge U.S. Senate to investigate Larry Nassar sexual abuse after botched FBI inquiry
WASHINGTON — Olympic gold medalists including Simone Biles and Aly Raisman on Wednesday detailed for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee the failure of the FBI to investigate dozens of complaints of sexual abuse committed by Larry Nassar, the disgraced team doctor for USA Gymnastics and a former Michigan State University physician. The gymnasts also urged […]
He beat her repeatedly. Family court tried to give him joint custody of their children
ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. Jennifer Moston was about seven months pregnant when, she said, her husband grabbed her by the arms, picked her up and threw her against the staircase. Each time she tried to […]
Moore Omokunde presses for bill to prevent police job-hopping
For Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde (D- Milwaukee), the legislative struggle to hold police accountable hits home. As a young man growing up in Milwaukee, he’d too found himself caught in the web of seemingly discriminatory traffic stops. To a certain degree, however, Moore Omokunde had a layer of protection in these encounters. “I’d be driving […]
Bell sues Kenosha for release of police bullet that killed his son
The father of a man shot by Kenosha Police in 2004 is suing the city of Kenosha for withholding the bullet that was used to kill his son. Michael M. Bell says he wants an independent ballistics analysis of the bullet to help ascertain whether the police description of the shooting was wrong in a […]