Florida's legacy of harsh criminal sentencing is under the microscope lately as the Florida Senate Criminal Justice Committee concluded recently that too much state taxpayer money is being spent on people who have committed minor criminal offenses. The committee voted unanimously for SB 290, which ends minimum mandatory sentences for non-violent crimes. Liberal and conservative advocates have been pushing to reform Florida's historically harsh mandatory minimums for non-violent crimes for some time now, as these types of statutes have bogged down the judicial system and crowded prisons around the state.
Florida Prosecutors Can Still Seek Death Penalty Despite Constitutional Issues
Florida court cases involving the death penalty have been in a state of limbo since January 2016 when the United States Supreme Court ruled that the state's death penalty sentencing law was unconstitutional due to the fact that it gave too much power to judges with regards to sentencing. Since that ruling, capital punishment cases around the state have been on hold, as the state legislature and state Supreme Court have been working to establish a constitutional standard for capital punishment in the state of Florida. However, recently the Florida Supreme Court made a surprising ruling regarding current cases.
Founders of Law Firm Arrested in Worldwide Money-Laundering Scheme
White Collar Crime is a term that commonplace in news outlets across the globe. These criminal acts include such offenses as embezzlement, bribery, money laundering, racketeering, and other financial crimes related to financial or property gain. It can also include the avoidance of a loss of finances or property and other deceptive acts from businesses and government professionals.
Florida Supreme Court Overturns Three Death Sentences
There is a growing conflict surrounding the new Florida death penalty law due to some individuals receiving overturned death sentences. Known inmates charged with first-degree murder, who previously were sentenced to death, may now only face life imprisonment. Re-sentencing hearings have already taken place and more are being scheduled to determine whether the death sentence they hold still stands.
