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Robotic Risk—but Is the Ultimate Answer Still a Human One?
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May 26, 2026
Robotic Risk—but Is the Ultimate Answer Still a Human One?
By: Lauren Scribner
It now goes without saying that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a convenient solution for accomplishing certain tedious tasks, such as planning an upcoming trip, figuring out what to make for dinner with ingredients already on hand, or adding some professional flare to an email. But when it comes to some of the more high-stakes areas of life, such as obtaining financial, medical, or legal advice, the convenience of instantaneous feedback available at the push of the button may not be the be-all and end-all. OpenAI just implemented a new personal finance feature on ChatGPT where users can link their accounts to the application and “get more personalized advice.”[1] The company has advertised a demonstrated need for this feature, stating…
Murdaugh She Wrote
May 21, 2026
Murdaugh She Wrote
By: James Trusty
As the information regarding Alex Murdaugh’s conniving, murderous ways began to spread far beyond the Lowcountry of South Carolina and into the cable and social media airwaves, a curious and ominous thing took root. The temptation of star power and riches slumped stealthily behind the public face of the proceedings, causing a low-level bureaucrat to destroy the notion of an impartial jury in one of…
SPLC’s Informant Program – is Dangerously Unwise the Same as Unlawful?
May 11, 2026
SPLC’s Informant Program – is Dangerously Unwise the Same as Unlawful?
By: Lauren Scribner
THE INDICTMENT On April 21, 2026, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a nonprofit civil rights organization that works to “create a multiracial democracy” by “fight[ing] white supremacy and various forms of injustice”[1] was charged in an 11-count indictment[2] in the Middle District of Alabama. The indictment alleges that the SPLC operated “a covert network of informants who were either associated with violent extremist groups…
When a Guilty Plea is a Bad Gamble: SCOTUS Weighs in on Double Jeopardy and the Dual Sovereignty Rule
June 19, 2019
When a Guilty Plea is a Bad Gamble: SCOTUS Weighs in on Double Jeopardy and the Dual Sovereignty Rule
By: James Trusty
On Monday, the Supreme Court handed down Gamble v. United States, No. 17-646, an interesting decision on Double Jeopardy with practical and predictive ramifications beyond its limited facts. Terance Martez Gamble was caught possessing a loaded handgun in Mobile, Alabama, after previously having been convicted for robbery. He pleaded guilty and received one year in jail. Federal prosecutors then indicted him for felon-in-possession, based upon…
Tyson KO’s Indiana: How a Self-Described Junkie Found Nine New Friends in the Supreme Court
February 20, 2019
Tyson KO’s Indiana: How a Self-Described Junkie Found Nine New Friends in the Supreme Court
By: James Trusty
There’s a saying that many prosecutors know as an exhortation to “take the long view” and to use discretion even where the law seems to permit an aggressive approach—it’s that “bad facts make bad law.” In the case of Indiana prosecutors seeking to cash in on a car seizure from a low-level drug dealer, their failure to back-down from a harsh forfeiture unified the Supreme…
The Cliffhanger – Paul Manafort’s Sentencing Drama
February 14, 2019
The Cliffhanger – Paul Manafort’s Sentencing Drama
By: James Trusty
A hit man walks into a restaurant where Tony Soprano and his family are eating dinner while the jukebox blares a Journey song. The last show of the highly successful series ends with an abrupt cut to black before the audience knows the fate of Tony and his family. The end of The Sopranos series was both ominous and frustrating. In a federal criminal court,…
New York AG Puts Crypto Exchanges in the Crosshairs
December 28, 2018
New York AG Puts Crypto Exchanges in the Crosshairs
By: George Calhoun
Following on the heels of the SEC’s announcement of subpoenas to crypto exchanges and token issuers, yesterday New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced “the Virtual Markets Integrity Initiative,” which he described as “a fact-finding inquiry into the policies and practices of platforms used by consumers to trade virtual or ‘crypto’ currencies like bitcoin and ether.” The first phase of the initiative appears to be…
How One Simple Meeting Presages the Future of Federal Prosecution
September 28, 2018
How One Simple Meeting Presages the Future of Federal Prosecution
By: James Trusty
For many years, it has been the federal government, with its multitude of prosecutorial and regulatory arms, that has been able to throw its policing weight around, causing business owners to snap to attention with a crisp salute. But as the traditional business model has morphed into clouds of technology-driven, international and multinational enterprises, this “cop” may have met his match. Amidst all of the…
