With New Jersey courts enduring indefinite delays to hold jury trials, the state’s top court is considering temporarily releasing up to 1,100 county jail inmates awaiting trial, despite prosecutors protests that the move would be dangerous and illegal.
In a virtual hearing Wednesday, the state Supreme Court heard arguments to free all but the most serious offenders whose cases have wallowed for longer than six months due to the pandemic. Out of fairness to the accused, attorneys for the state Office of the Public Defender and the American Civil Liberties Union asked that the high court to develop new criteria to re-weigh the risks the inmates pose to society in order to release as many as possible.
News by Jessica Marszalek
Premium Content  New child safety laws stemming from the Mason Jett Lee tragedy that encourage the adoption of neglected or abused children could leave them in new traumatic situations, MPs have been told. Their concerns come as new figures show 197 children were sexually, physically, emotionally abused or neglected while in care last year. A parliamentary inquiry is considering legislation that makes it clear adoption should be seriously considered in cases where a child cannot be returned to their family and can t be granted a long-term guardianship to another suitable person, like their grandparents. Tragic toddler Mason Jett Lee
News by Jessica Marszalek
Premium Content  New child safety laws stemming from the Mason Jett Lee tragedy that encourage the adoption of neglected or abused children could leave them in new traumatic situations, MPs have been told. Their concerns come as new figures show 197 children were sexually, physically, emotionally abused or neglected while in care last year. A parliamentary inquiry is considering legislation that makes it clear adoption should be seriously considered in cases where a child cannot be returned to their family and can t be granted a long-term guardianship to another suitable person, like their grandparents. Tragic toddler Mason Jett Lee