With fewer public defenders, indigent defendants pay the price
Texas lost nearly a fourth of its indigent-defense attorneys in a decade, a crisis echoed in Oregon, Pennsylvania, Kansas and New Mexico, researchers find.
Criminal Justice
Ramaswamy campaign puts convicted child sex offender in TV ad, removes him after reporters expose past
His sexual predator registry photo appears to show the same patriotic shirt Ramaswamy complimented at a county fair before the ad was produced.
Seneca County jury convicts Hossler of rape, sexual battery, attempted rape
A fourth attempted rape count was severed from the case and remains unresolved, with a plea hearing and sentencing set for Oct. 20.
Ohio GOP lawmaker accused of child sex abuse posts critic’s number, asks supporters to ‘blow up’ phone
Rep. Rodney Creech posted a critic’s phone number after receiving a “We believe your daughter” text and urged supporters to “blow up” the person’s phone.
New court filings reveal more details of undercover agents’ surveillance of anti-ICE protesters
A defense attorney's filing shows agents used chat-capturing software on Signal groups and subpoenaed website registrars to unmask anti-ICE organizers.
More on Criminal Justice
Suspect in custody after Gibsonburg police officer stabbed, hourslong manhunt
Scott Dodd Jr., 25, may be wounded from an exchange with the officer's weapon, as two nearby school districts lock down during the search.
Fostoria resident indicted in Tiffin man's hit-and-run death
Keith Wagner, 37, of Tiffin died after a driver reported hitting a body on County Highway 9 in April 2025, months before Tuesday's indictment.
Flock Safety tightens safeguards as states, cities question surveillance network
The ACLU says the changes, prompted by 50-plus canceled contracts and officers caught tracking exes, still fall short of real privacy protections.
Ramaswamy family bodyguard pleads guilty to fentanyl trafficking after raid finds 132,000 lethal-dose equivalents
Campaign finance records show Ramaswamy's campaign kept paying ARK Protection $14,000 after the arrest, with a final payment clearing four days after cutting ties publicly.
Dads Against Predators’ first criminal case dismissed after prosecutors and defense say group destroyed evidence
Prosecutors and Callahan's attorney jointly told the court Dads Against Predators destroyed evidence, and the charge could still be refiled.
Ohio Supreme Court: Victim can’t file delayed appeal, despite initial legal confusion
The Cuyahoga County woman lost restitution for a 2017 break-in after dismissing her first appeal amid unclear Marsy's Law rules, the court ruled 30-day filing was required.
States expand fight against organized retail crime, gift card fraud
More than a dozen states passed laws this year targeting hijacked freight, gift card tampering and fraud rings, as California reports $260 million recovered since 2023.
More Ohio agencies deploy Flock AI cameras, including workers comp and the fire marshal
State agencies investigating workers’ compensation fraud, suspicious fires, and crimes in state prisons are all turning to Flock’s AI-powered, license plate reading cameras. Ohio’s cities, meanwhile, have considered pulling back amid concerns over privacy the cameras’ use in deportations.
Gibsonburg stabbing charges escalate: 16-year-old now faces 2 attempted-murder counts — prosecutor moves to try him as an adult
Both stabbed adults remain hospitalized in Toledo as prosecutors say the teen's charges grew after an initial single felonious-assault count filed hours after the attack.
States split on whether juvenile justice should prioritize punishment or rehabilitation
Maryland prosecutors call the state's new rehabilitation-focused law a step backward, while Louisiana expands youth prison capacity after ending case-by-case adult charging.
Immigration agents are still shooting people in cars
Video evidence has repeatedly contradicted ICE accounts of these shootings, yet federal agents are rarely investigated or named after using deadly force.
Seneca County sheriff releases bodycam video of fatal deputy shooting of Jeffrey Sergent
The state's investigation remains open and the deputies unnamed, while the sheriff's legal citation on vehicles as deadly weapons misstates the Ohio statute it quotes.
We asked Ohio’s death row what they think of governor’s death penalty reversal
Sixteen condemned Ohio prisoners told The Marshall Project the death penalty never deterred them, while questioning why DeWine has commuted only one sentence.
Changes to immigration program for domestic violence victims impede safety, advocates say
Trump administration tightened VAWA rules in December, requiring stricter proof of marriage and abuse, leaving survivors with limited documentation at risk.
Police use of artificial intelligence grows as rules lag behind
Civil liberties advocates warn AI tools could amplify surveillance and introduce hidden biases, even as most states lack consistent regulations on police use of the technology.
