Jerry Seper

3 New Orleans cops convicted; man shot, burned in car

Three current and former New Orleans police officers have been convicted by a federal jury in connection with the post-Katrina shooting death of a Louisiana man who was shot in the back and left to die in the back seat of a car, which later was burned by police with the man's body still in it. Published December 10, 2010

Holder slams ban on Guantanamo detainee transfers

Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. on Thursday said congressional efforts to prohibit the transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the United States for any purpose, including to stand trial, "would unwisely restrict" the government's ability to prosecute terrorism suspects. Published December 9, 2010

Bank of America to pay $137M, avoid conviction

Bank of America agreed on Tuesday to pay $137.3 million in restitution to federal and state agencies for its role in a conspiracy to rig bids in the municipal bond derivatives market and as a condition of its admission to a Justice Department leniency program allowing it to avoid criminal convictions and fines. Published December 7, 2010

Civil rights panel faults Justice on Panthers

The Justice Department stonewalled efforts by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to investigate the dismissal of a civil complaint against the New Black Panther Party, leaving open the question of whether the department is willing to pursue civil rights cases in which whites are "the perceived victims and minorities the alleged wrongdoers." Published December 6, 2010

Justice targets investment fraud

A federal law enforcement task force investigation targeting financial fraud cases nationwide has led to charges against 532 criminal and civil defendants involving $10.4 billion in total losses for more than 120,000 victims, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. announced Monday. Published December 6, 2010

532 charged in huge fraud crackdown, involving $10 billion

A federal law-enforcement task force targeting financial fraud cases nationwide has led to charges against 532 criminal and civil defendants involving $10.4 billion in total losses for more than 120,000 victims, Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr., announced on Monday. Published December 6, 2010

Panel finds Justice reluctant to take cases of white victims

The Justice Department stonewalled efforts by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to investigate the dismissal of a civil complaint against the New Black Panther Party, leaving open the question of whether the department is willing to pursue civil rights cases "in which whites were the perceived victims and minorities the alleged wrongdoers." Published December 6, 2010

Inspector general leaves after 10 years

Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine, who emerged as the government's most independent watchdog, announced his resignation on Monday in letters to President Obama and Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., saying it was time to "pursue new professional challenges." Published November 29, 2010

U.S. hits online sellers of fake goods

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have executed seizure orders against 82 domain names of commercial websites engaged in what the agency called the illegal sale and distribution of counterfeit goods and copyrighted works as part of Operation In Our Sites v. 2.0. Published November 29, 2010

Sheriff cranks up the Christmas carols despite his cranky inmates

The self-proclaimed "toughest sheriff" in America, Phoenix's Joe Arpaio, who has survived six separate inmate lawsuits trying to stop him from playing Christmas music, will begin playing the tunes again this year - starting Monday with "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Frosty the Snowman" and "Feliz Navidad." Published November 28, 2010

DeLay convicted of money laundering

Once one of the most powerful and feared Republicans in Congress, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay was convicted Wednesday in a Texas court on two charges related to the illegal funneling of $190,000 in corporate donations to Texas legislative races. Published November 24, 2010

DEA shuts down ‘fake pot’ products

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has temporarily shut down access to five chemicals used to produce "fake pot" products now being marketed in stores and online, making the possession and sale of the chemicals or the products that contain them illegal in the U.S. for at least a year. Published November 24, 2010

Hate crimes drop 15% from 2008

Hate crimes reported last year by police agencies nationwide were down by 15 percent compared with 2008 and hit their lowest point in 15 years, the FBI said Monday. Published November 22, 2010

Audit finds fault with courthouse security

An audit of government efforts to protect more than 400 federal courthouses in 12 judicial districts nationwide says there are weaknesses not only among the court security officers assigned to keep guns, contraband and other prohibited items out but in the oversight of the courts' security programs and systems. Published November 19, 2010

Verdict raises hackles over trying terror suspects in civilian courts

The Justice Department on Thursday said it was committed to a policy of taking some terrorism suspects before civilian courts, although several critics - Republicans and one high-ranking Democrat - said the verdict in the civilian trial of Ahmed Ghailani showed that military commissions were needed to try terrorism detainees. Published November 18, 2010

‘Toughest sheriff’ recruits big names for border ‘posse’

"America's toughest sheriff," Phoenix's Joe Arpaio, is creating an armed "Immigration Posse" to combat illegal immigration, and Hollywood actors Steven Seagal and Lou Ferrigno, along with Dick Tracy and Wyatt Earp, have signed up. Published November 17, 2010

Arizona sheriff Arpaio forms armed ‘immigration posse’ with Hollywood actors

"America's toughest sheriff," Phoenix’s Joe Arpaio, is creating a new armed "Immigration Posse” to combat illegal immigration, and Hollywood actors Steven Seagal and Lou Ferrigno, along with Dick Tracy and Wyatt Earp, have signed up. Published November 17, 2010

Convicted Abramoff ally Ring faces long sentence

Kevin A. Ring, the former "Team Abramoff" lobbyist who decided to fight the government in its influence-peddling investigation and was convicted Monday on five felony counts, is facing a lengthy prison sentence when he appears before U.S. District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle on March 1. Published November 16, 2010

‘Merchant of Death’ extradited to U.S.

International arms dealer Viktor Bout, the so-called "Merchant of Death," was extradited Tuesday by Thailand to the United States to stand trial on an indictment unsealed in New York accusing him of conspiracy to finance a fleet of aircraft to arm bloody conflicts and support rogue regimes worldwide. Published November 16, 2010

Report: Gun flow to Mexico unabated

A Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives initiative to reduce the flow of weapons from the United States to Mexico has "significant weaknesses" that undermine its effectiveness, including ATF's failure to share intelligence information with Mexican authorities and some of its U.S. law enforcement partners, a report said Tuesday. Published November 9, 2010