Acts that deliberately degrade or inflict pain or injury on prisoners and punishments that are disproportionate to the crime are considered cruel and unusual punishments under the Eighth Amendment.
Minnesota's Safe Harbor Law protects child sex trafficking victims from criminal prosecution and allows victims to come forward and testify against perpetrators without fear of criminal reprisal.
In Minnesota, carjacking is charged as a simple or aggravated robbery with a possible prison sentence of up to 10 years. If aggravating factors apply, the prison sentence can double.
Acquittal in a criminal case does not mean a defendant is innocent of the crime, only that the prosecutor failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year's is one of the most dangerous times of the year for drivers and pedestrians due to drunk driving.
Addiction to psychoactive substances such as drugs and alcohol can increase the threat of violent behaviors due to impaired judgment, low impulse control, and distorted reality.
Police misconduct, such as hiding or falsifying evidence, witness tampering, and violent interrogation, is responsible for the majority of wrongful convictions.
Under the First Step Act which instigates prison reforms, nearly 2,400 crack cocaine offenders charged with federal crimes have received sentence reductions.
A recent decision by the Minnesota Supreme Court states the government must disclose non-identifying information regarding a police officer's source of information that leads to arrest.
