Crime News
The Daily Signal reports on crime news with analysis and commentary on policies, crime rates, and policing debates.
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news
Maria Butina’s Attorney Says Feds Withheld Exculpatory Information Given by FBI Informant
A lawyer for Russian national Maria Butina is accusing federal prosecutors of withholding exculpatory information about her that the CEO of a multibillion-dollar company provided to the FBI. Robert Driscoll, the Butina lawyer, sent a letter Thursday to Justice Department officials requesting an investigation into possible misconduct by prosecutors and the FBI in handling information… -
news
UK Knife Crime Hits Record High, Despite London Mayor’s ‘Knife Control’
The U.K., most notably London, has experienced a sharp increase in knife-related crime, despite “knife control” efforts to curb the violence, newly released figures detail. Knife crime in both England and Wales is up 8% from April 2018 to May 2019. U.K. police reports from 43 departments recorded 47,136 incidents involving sharp objects, an Office… -
news
Murder, Rape, Assault, Burglary: 6 Examples of California’s Sanctuary Policies Leading to More Crimes
Illegal immigrants released by local police in California after their arrests for minor offenses go on to be charged with more serious crimes such as murder, rape, and assault, according to a new government report. Those crimes could have been prevented if these sanctuary jurisdictions had turned over those accused to federal immigration officials for… -
news
‘Helping People Avoid Justice’: Border Patrol Union President Reacts to Clinton’s Advice to Illegal Aliens
National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd blasted Hillary Clinton for publicly coaching illegal immigrants on how to avoid apprehension from Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. “I’m amazed that somebody … that ran for president of the United States—that was willing to promise to uphold the laws of the United States, the Constitution of the… -
opinion
The Opioid Epidemic and the Overcriminalization Impulse
During the first round of the recent Democratic primary debates, Sen. Cory Booker seemed at first to appreciate the dangers of overcriminalization. “Our country has made so many mistakes by criminalizing things … . We know that this is not the way to deal with problems,” the New Jersey Democrat said June 26. But then,… -
opinion
Corruption and Violence Are Crippling Haiti
Haiti is trapped in yet another cycle of violence. In recent months, ongoing street demonstrations protesting government corruption have resulted in a chaotic flurry of vandalism, fires, gunshots, injuries, and death. Blocked roads create difficulties for the distribution of food, water, medicines, and utilities, causing an already-impoverished people even more hardship. This latest round of… -
news
ICE Releases List of Murderers and Rapists Protected Under Sanctuary City Policies
Immigration and Customs Enforcement released a list of criminal illegal aliens who were released from jail due to sanctuary city policies, many of whom went on to commit other crimes. Washington and Oregon, two states under Democratic Party control, have enacted some of the strongest sanctuary laws in the country that protect illegal immigrants from… -
news
Democrats Move to Make Gun-Makers Liable for Gun Crimes
Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation Tuesday to hold gun manufacturers liable for crimes committed with their products. The measure, introduced in both the House and Senate, seeks to repeal legislation passed in 2005 that enacted litigation protections for the gun industry, National Public Radio reported. “Responsible actors in the gun industry don’t need this limitation on liability…. -
news
DC Theater Cancels Strzok-Page Play, ‘FBI Lovebirds: UnderCovers’
A Washington, D.C.-based theater recently canceled a reading of a new play–a dramatic recitation of the text messages between embattled former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page–just two weeks before opening night. “This is censorship of facts that they want to keep hidden from the American people,” Phelim McAleer, playwright of “FBI Lovebirds: UnderCovers,”… -
news
Al Gore Tells Harvard Students ‘Assault on Science’ Threatens Humanity’s Survival
Former Vice President Al Gore said President Donald Trump’s “assault on science” threatens “the capacity of the human species to endure” on Earth. Gore issued his warning in a speech to Harvard University students and faculty Wednesday, stressing “reason” and “rational debate,” indeed democracy itself, were under threat from the “ideology of authoritarianism.” Science “is… -
news
Mueller: Indicting Trump ‘Not an Option’ Because of DOJ Rules
Special counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday that his report speaks for itself and he doesn’t plan to speak again about his nearly two-year investigation, even as many Democrats in Congress clamor to hear more. Mueller, a former FBI director as well as federal prosecutor, also made a subtle reference to impeachment of President Donald Trump… -
opinion
Against Liberal Assaults, Barr Proves Unflappable
Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee—some of them candidates for their party’s presidential nomination and hungry for TV exposure—battered Attorney General William Barr Wednesday with hostile and often insulting questions when he testified about his handling of the report by special counsel Robert Mueller. But Barr remained unflappable in his testimony about the Mueller report,… -
opinion
A Mom’s Fight Against Illegal Immigrant Criminals
Life hasn’t been the same for Mary Ann Mendoza since she lost her son Brandon in 2014 due to a car accident caused by an illegal immigrant. She shares her experience, and how she’d like our country’s border security polices to change. Read the transcript, posted below, or listen to the interview on the podcast:… -
news
Attorney General Says Mueller Found No Collusion, but 10 Instances of Possible Obstruction
Special counsel Robert Mueller’s report highlights 10 episodes that could be construed as obstruction of justice, although his investigation found no underlying conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russian government to affect the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. Attorney General William Barr held a press conference Thursday morning to lay out the conclusions… -
news
3 Keys to Understanding the Attorney General’s Move to Limit ‘Catch and Release’
Attorney General William Barr has announced a new asylum policy to curb the government’s practice of catching illegal immigrants and then releasing them into the nation’s interior. The American Civil Liberties Union already has vowed to challenge the change in court even as President Donald Trump seeks to use all legal tools at his disposal… -
news
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for Running Elaborate Prostitution Operation
Luis Bonilla-Hernandez, an illegal migrant from El Salvador, was sentenced to two years of prison on Friday for running a criminal sex operation right in the heart of the Washington, D.C., area. “Bonilla-Hernandez profited from the sexual exploitation of women who found themselves in difficult and vulnerable places,” G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. attorney for the… -
news
Mark Meadows Expects Criminal Referrals in DOJ Watchdog’s Report
North Carolina Republican Rep. Mark Meadows said Sunday that he expects the Justice Department’s inspector general to issue criminal referrals as part of an investigation into the FBI’s possible abuse of the surveillance courts during the Trump-Russia probe. “We’re fully anticipating that the [inspector general’s] report will come out, as Attorney General Barr said, in… -
opinion
US Must Remain Wary of International Criminal Court Even After Decision to Not Target Americans
After nearly 18 months of deliberations, the Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court decided on April 12 to reject the request from ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to open an investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Afghanistan since May 2003. This is a long overdue and welcome decision for the… -
news
4 Big Issues in Attorney General’s First Hearing After Getting Mueller Report
The special counsel’s report on Russia’s election meddling will be released with redactions within a week, and the results of a separate probe into alleged Justice Department misconduct is coming within two months, Attorney General William Barr told a House panel Tuesday. House Democrats, who weren’t happy to hear about redactions in special counsel Robert… -
opinion
Commanders Play a Vital Role in Sexual Assault Prosecutions
It’s important that we get military sexual assault policy correct for the sake of justice and efficacy of the armed forces. The role of commanders in the military justice system is unique, as I’ve written in the past, and they play a critical part in addressing the issue of sexual assault. The House Armed Services…