Documents from NJ case confirm DEA, DOT involvement Bush Justice Department should move to eliminate remnants of racial profiling - Washington, DC (December 22, 2000) -- The Justice Department in the new Bush administration should take immediate action to expunge all remnants of racial profiling from law enforcement training materials, in light of recent testimony and documents revealed in New Jersey which establish a pattern of race-based instruction by federal agencies in training state and local police officers, according to the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Authorization bill approved: Congress tells states to improve defense of capital cases, ensure post-conviction DNA testing - Washington, DC (December 11, 2000) -- States should “ensure post-conviction DNA testing” and “improve the quality of legal representation in capital cases” if they want federal forensic science grants, according to an authorization bill passed by the post-election Congress late last week.

Hourly increase still pending: More timely and fair payment likely under new Criminal Justice Act case maximums - Washington, DC (December 8, 2000) -- Criminal defense attorneys appointed by the federal courts to represent indigent defendants under the Criminal Justice Act can now expect to receive more equitable and timely payment for their efforts.

Execution delayed, but issue left for next president; Clinton should be more courageous in action on federal death penalty - Washington, DC (December 8, 2000) -- “President Clinton’s action delaying by six months a decision whether our federal government will resume putting American citizens to death after almost 40 years is disappointing. In light of the overwhelming and uncontradicted evidence of systematic unfairness and the ever-mounting evidence of miscarriages of justice brought to light by post-conviction DNA testing, the only action that should...

Call for moratorium on federal executions - Washington, DC (December 4, 2000) -- Joining a growing movement of former government officials, civil rights and human rights leaders, clergy, and law professors, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers President Edward Mallett has asked President Bill Clinton to order a moratorium on the death penalty at the federal level, and to commute the death sentence of Juan Garza, scheduled to become the first federal execution in almost 40 years on December 12.

If candidates get federal review, so should wrongfully convicted citizens: NACDL president seeks consistency from Bush, Congressional leaders - Washington, DC (December 1, 2000) -- On the day that attorneys for Texas Governor George W. Bush, the Republican presidential candidate, argue that the federal courts should oversee a state court’s decisions regarding the recent presidential election, Edward Mallett, president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, issued the following statement:

Chilling insider view of police misconduct: Rampart plea-bargain testimony of Rafael Perez available on-line - Washington, DC (November 30, 2000) -- Talking a man into blowing his own brains out was a good thing to laugh and joke about, according to Rafael Perez, at least if you were a member of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Rampart Division anti-gang unit at the same time Perez was.

NACDL Board Passes Unanimous Resolution Criminal defense bar calls for end to "War on Drugs" - Washington, DC (November 13, 2000) -- "The ''war on drugs'' is elitist, racist, hypocritical, and stupid," said National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers President Edward Mallett November 4 in New York as the association's board of directors unanimously passed a resolution calling for its end. NACDL released the final version of the resolution to the public today.

Champion of Justice awards presented to Bianca Jagger and PBS Frontline producer Ofra Bikel - New York, NY (November 4, 2000) -- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers presented two Champion of Justice awards during its fall meeting in New York this past weekend.

Treatment, not prison, for drug users NACDL president urges support for California Proposition 36 - Washington, DC (October 31, 2000) -- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers is recommending that California voters support California's Proposition 36, which mandates treatment, rather than the threat or reality of prison, for persons charged the first or second time with non-violent drug possession.

Bush gaffe alarms criminal defense bar - Houston, TX (October 20, 2000) -- In his appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman last night, presidential candidate and Texas Governor George W. Bush said that a person in Texas can't get the death penalty until they've committed two capital (death penalty-eligible) crimes. So maybe the system in Texas isn't as bad as it seems, right? Wrong.

NACDL president calls on Bush to rethink confidence in Texas criminal justice, and Gore to directly address issues - Houston, TX (October 18, 2000) -- "The debate last night indicates Governor Bush still has a misplaced confidence in our justice system here in Texas,” said National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers President Edward Mallett today.

Incoming Criminal Defense Bar President Decries Injustices in Legal System - Washington, DC (August 24, 2000) -- Incoming President Edward A. Mallett of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers targeted criminal laws which are “elitist, racist, and hypocritical” in his inaugural remarks at the NACDL’s annual convention in La Jolla, California last week.

Party Platforms Must Renounce and Reform Police Misconduct - Washington, DC (July 21, 2000) -- “The beating of a suspect by the Philadelphia police is another example of what appears to be a systemic problem within police forces across the nation. This time the beating was televised. I hate to think of how often citizen abuse occurs when the cameras aren’t there,” said William B. Moffitt, president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL).

Reform Coalition Succeeds; Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Clears Congress - Washington, DC (April 11, 2000) -- Innocent citizens will no longer suffer at the hands of overzealous law enforcement officials who unfairly seize property and other assets, thanks to hard-fought reform legislation that the House and Senate have agreed to send to President Clinton to sign into law.

Reform Coalition Succeeds; Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Sails Through the Senate - Washington, DC (March 28, 2000) -- Innocent citizens will no longer suffer at the hands of overzealous law enforcement officials who unfairly seize property and other assets, thanks to hard-fought reform legislation passed unanimously by the Senate last night.

Missouri Lawsuit Against NACDL and Benetton: "Frivolous Political Grandstanding" - Washington, DC (March 2, 2000) -- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) was pleased to sponsor the human rights communications project, “We, On Death Row” funded by the Benetton Group. We believe it presents an important -- and often overlooked -- portrait of the human faces on death row.

Banish Corruption, Not Benetton - Washington, DC (March 2, 2000) -- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) was pleased to assist the Benetton Group with the project, “We, On Death Row.” We believe it presents an important -- and often overlooked -- portrait of the human faces on death row.

Innocence Agenda Needed in Louisiana - New Orleans, LA (February 25, 2000) -- The likely conviction of the innocent which results in prison and even deaths sentences in Louisiana and across the country may be eased and prevented by implementing new reforms including DNA testing legislation, the nation’s preeminent criminal defense bar said today.

Sears and Chicago Dead Wrong About Benetton - Washington, D.C. (February 18, 2000) -- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) was pleased to assist the Benetton Group with the project, “We, On Death Row.” We believe it presents an important -- and often overlooked -- portrait of the human faces on death row.

DNA Testing Reform Legislation Long Overdue - Washington, DC (February 11, 2000) -- Legislation designed to remedy wrongful convictions and reform the capital punishment justice system earned high marks from the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL).

Illinois Governor Takes Courageous First Step - Washington, DC (February 1, 2000) -- The nation's preeminent criminal defense bar association commends Illinois Gov. George Ryan for taking the decisive step of halting executions in that state following the release of 13 innocent men from death row.

Nominee opposed to government-funded drug treatment Ashcroft's political use of justice issues draws fire of criminal defense leaders - Washington, DC (January 14, 2000) -- The board of directors of the nation’s largest professional criminal defense organization has unanimously approved a resolution opposing the confirmation of John Ashcroft as U.S. Attorney General.