Law
Ousted Secret Service Agents May Ask For Jobs BackTwo Secret Service employees forced to resign for their role in the Cartagena prostitution scandal last month are fighting back. They say the agency had a permissive culture that overlooked similar behavior when agents were traveling. U.S. Attorney Who Tried Blagojevich Stepping DownPatrick J. Fitzgerald, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, is leaving his position at the end of June. Fitzgerald has put two Illinois governors in prison and has handled other high-profile prosecutions, including that of Scooter Libby and Conrad Black. Exoneration List Shows Patterns In False ConvictionsWhile we assume our judicial system occasionally makes mistakes, until recently no one had been tracking the number people in this country who are convicted and later exonerated. Now the National Registry of Exonerations has begun compiling these cases. Audie Cornish talks with the registry's editor, Samuel Gross, about some of the group's findings from the over 2,000 exonerations they've compiled. Do Credit Card Laws Not Value Homemakers?Stay-at-home mom Holly McCall says she manages her family's finances and has perfect credit. But due to a federal law, she was denied a credit card because she doesn't make an income. McCall wants the law changed, but Aracely Panameno with the Center for Responsible Lending says the law is necessary. Host Michel Martin speaks with both women. Lighter Sentence In Clementi Bullying CaseOn Monday, Dharun Ravi was sentenced to a 30-day jail term for using a webcam to spy on his roommate Tyler Clementi. Clementi was having an intimate encounter with another man in their dorm room, and a few days later, he committed suicide. Host Michel Martin discusses the sentence with Paul Butler, a law professor and former federal prosecutor. How Much Can Potential Employers Ask About You?Over the past decade, employee background checks have become a billion-dollar business. Some lawmakers think companies that want to know not just about criminal backgrounds but social media passwords have gone too far. Supreme Court Lets Stand Music Download VerdictThe Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear the case of a former Boston University student sued for illegally downloading music. Joel Tenenbaum was charged with downloading 30 songs in 2007 from an unlicensed file-sharing service, and then ordered to pay damages of $675,000. Prosecutor Links Rajat Gupta To Raj RajaratnamThe insider trading trial of Rajat Gupta is underway in New York. Gupta is a former Goldman Sachs board member, who prosecutors say provided inside information to hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam. Gupta's lawyer told the jury that the case against his client was based on guesswork and speculation. Court: No Benefits For Kids Conceived After Dad DiedThe case focused on a set of Florida twins who were conceived using in vitro fertilization. Their father had frozen his sperm before he died of cancer. His wife applied for Social Security benefits for the twins, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that state law bars inheritance for children conceived posthumously. How Should Online Bullying Be Prosecuted?Former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi faced up to 10 years in prison for spying on his roommate with a webcam. The roommate, Tyler Clementi, committed suicide after Ravi broadcast footage of his encounter with another man on the Internet. On Monday, a New Jersey Superior Court judge sentenced Ravi to 30 days in jail, plus three years of probation. Audie Cornish talks with legal expert Emily Bazelon about the case. SEC's Investigation Unit 'Outgunned, On A Roll'The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) — once accused by a whistle blower of not being able to find ice cream at a Dairy Queen — is experiencing something of a culture shift. Last year the agency filed a record 735 enforcement actions and collected nearly a billion dollars in penalties from companies with SEC violations. Audie Cornish talks to Devin Leonard, staff writer for Bloomberg Businessweek, about his article, "The SEC: Outmanned, Outgunned, and On a Roll." Ex-Rutgers Student Sentenced In Webcam Spying CaseA judge on Monday sentenced former Rutgers student Dharun Ravi with 30 days in jail for using a webcam to spy on his roommate. Tyler Clementi committed suicide days after Ravi saw him kissing another man. What Happens When Justice Fails?Defense attorneys recently argued that the men convicted of a 1985 murder should be exonerated or given a new trial. Patrice Gaines reported on the crime, and had doubts about the police version. Years later, she re-investigated and talks about the case with host Michel Martin. Advisory: This segment may not be comfortable for some listeners.
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