Alabama: A former Huntsville, Alabama police officer, William “Ben” Darby, was sentenced again on October 26, 2024, to 25 years for the fatal shooting of a suicidal man in 2018, according to the Slate Report. Darby was convicted for the second time in May 2024 of shooting Jeffrey Parker, who had called 911 expressing suicidal intentions and was holding a gun to his own head. The shooting, captured on police body camera footage, has been highly controversial and contested. Darby claimed he feared for the safety of his fellow officers, but prosecutors argued that he escalated the situation and used excessive force. The victim’s family and friends have expressed anger and disbelief, questioning the need for lethal force when Parker posed no immediate threat to others. It was the second conviction for Darby in the Parker shooting. In 2021, he was convicted then spent 20 months in prison before his conviction was overturned by a court of appeals in March 2023. A civil case brought forth by Parker’s family is now proceeding under U.S. District Judge Liles Burke after being on hold for six years as the criminal case worked its way through the courts.

California: A former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy, Remin Pineda, was sentenced to two years of probation for the fatal shooting of David Ordaz Jr., age 34, according to the Los Angeles Public Press. The lenient sentence, which includes community service and psychological counseling, has sparked outrage from Ordaz’s family and community members. The sentence was issued after Pineda agreed to plead guilty to two felonies of assault with a firearm and assault under color of authority. Ordaz, who was experiencing a mental health crisis, was shot 12 times by multiple deputies in March 2021. His sister had called 911 for help because Ordaz was threatening suicide and holding a knife. As the incident unfolded, two deputies in the group fired beanbag rounds at Ordaz, with deputies Pineda, Navarrete, Trujillo, and Romero following seconds later with gunshots. Pineda kept firing after the other deputies stopped shooting, even as Ordaz Jr., lay on the ground motionless. Pineda was the only deputy charged in the death of Ordaz. Not surprisingly, the judge who approved the plea deal, Mark S. Arnold, is a former sheriff’s deputy himself. The Ordaz family expressed disappointment and anger with the sentence, arguing that it does not reflect the gravity of the crime. They have called for a trial and a more substantial punishment for Pineda.

Colorado:  A former Aurora Police Department (APD) officer, Douglas Harroun, has been partially acquitted in a controversial on-duty shooting that left a man seriously injured, according to KUSA. A jury found Harroun, 33, not guilty of first-degree assault but hung on a charge of second-degree assault. The District Attorney’s Office plans to retry the second charge in January 2025.  The shooting occurred on December 31, 2022, when Harroun and another officer responded to a domestic disturbance call. Upon arriving at the scene, they encountered Duvan Jamir Fernandez Zuluaga and several others in a basement.  Body camera footage shows that after the primary suspect was handcuffed, Zuluaga began walking towards the stairs. Harroun allegedly ordered Zuluaga to “get back” before shooting him at point-blank range, knocking him to the floor. Duvan underwent extensive surgery on his right ankle and months of rehabilitation after the event. This is not the first time Harroun has faced legal trouble. In a separate incident, he was charged with multiple counts of assault for allegedly attacking a disabled woman. On September 27, 2024, he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of reckless endangerment and was sentenced to two years of probation.

Colorado: Linda Stanley, the former District Attorney for Colorado’s 11th Judicial District, was disbarred in October 2024 for serious misconduct related to the high-profile Barry Morphew murder case. Stanley’s actions, which included inappropriate media comments, failure to supervise prosecutors, discovery violations, and a retaliatory investigation against a judge, led to the dismissal of the charges against Morphew. In the wake of Stanley’s disbarment, which took effect on November 1, 2024, Judge Amanda Hunter appointed Jeff Lindsey, a former prosecutor and current candidate for the position, as the interim District Attorney. Lindsey, who was set to assume the role in January, will now take over immediately. Stanley’s disbarment made Colorado legal history, marking the first time a sitting district attorney has been involuntarily removed from office. In an effort to remain in office until January, Stanley had requested a delay of her disbarment. On October 18, Colorado’s Supreme Court denied her request. The court rejected arguments that immediate disbarment would harm the public and disrupt the work of the DA’s office. Despite Stanley’s claims, the court ruled that elected officials are not exempt from professional standards.

Illinois: On August 27, 2024, an unnamed judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court dismissed Chelsey Lowe’s case from a 2022 incident involving controversial cop Sean Grayson, 30, a former Logan County Sheriff’s Deputy. Illinois Public Media reported that just a few months earlier, Lowe had been convicted of charges including possession of meth and faced a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years. Lowe alleged that Grayson acted inappropriately during her arrest and detention, including ordering her to remove drugs and expose her body. Despite filing a complaint, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) deemed the allegations “unfounded.” The reason why Lowe’s case was dropped was not mentioned for the record. Grayson came into the national spotlight after killing Sonya Massey in July 2024. Massey, an unarmed Black woman and mother of two, was shot in the head by Grayson in her home. ABC News discovered shortly after Massey’s death that Grayson had worked for six law enforcement agencies over the last four years. Grayson’s history of misconduct, including two DUIs, a discharge from the Army for misconduct, a spotty work history, questionable reports and arrests, involvement in a high-speed chase and dropped cases, has put LCSO in the hot seat. 

Iowa: KTIV out of Sioux City reported that on November 8, 2024, former Plymouth County Sheriff’s Deputy was sentenced to no more than 15 years in prison for a string of crimes, including theft and unlawful possession of prescription drugs. This sentencing follows Aaron Leusink’s guilty plea in July 2024, when he admitted to multiple charges, including burglary, theft, misconduct while in office, and drug possession. As part of the plea agreement, one charge of second-degree burglary was dismissed, and Leusink was ordered to pay $760.50 in restitution to the crime victim compensation program.  This sentencing is the second related to the 45-year-old’s criminal activities, which began with a string of burglaries and thefts between 2017 and 2020 to obtain prescription drugs from homes, pharmacies, and the sheriff’s office, including evidence pills. In June 2022, Leusink received his first sentence of 40 years in prison which was vacated in November 2020 after the court determined his defense attorney had provided ineffective counsel. Leusink had originally pleaded guilty to eleven counts of stealing prescription painkillers in April 2022. However, after the vacating of his 2020 conviction, the court granted him a new trial, which led to the 2024 sentencing.

Mississippi: NBC News reported that Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba pleaded not guilty to federal bribery charges on November 7, 2024, stemming from a scheme involving a proposed hotel project. The indictment alleges that Lumumba, along with Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens and former City Council President Aaron Banks, conspired to accept bribes from undercover FBI agents posing as developers.  The charges outline the corruption:  manipulating the bidding process, accepting bribes, and using political influence to benefit the developers. The indictment details specific instances of the bribery including a trip to Florida where Lumumba allegedly accepted $50,000. The indictment also details how Owens allegedly used his position to facilitate the scheme and leverage his influence over city council members. The trial is scheduled for January 6, 2025, just days before the qualifying period for the city’s mayoral election. The poorest state in the nation has a history of public corruption, including a high-profile welfare fraud case that led to multiple convictions. Despite the serious allegations, Lumumba intends to continue serving as mayor and is running for re-election.

Missouri: Two former law enforcement members have been indicted on federal charges for allegedly abusing their authority to search the cell phones of multiple women—one from the Florissant Police Department and the other from the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP).  The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri, reported that Julian Alcala, a former Florissant police officer, was indicted on November 14, 2024, on charges of destroying records and deprivation of rights under color of law. He is accused of searching the cell phones of 20 women between February and May 2024, supposedly to verify insurance information or vehicle registration. However, the indictment alleges that Alcala used this pretext to search for nude photos, taking pictures of the images with his personal phone or forwarding videos to his personal phone. In a similar case, David McKnight, a former MSHP trooper in Cape Girardeau County, was indicted on November 12, 2024. He faces charges of destroying records and deprivation of rights for allegedly searching the cell phones of nine women between September 2023 and August 2024. Both officers’ alleged actions are an abuse of power and a violation of the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Missouri: KMBC reported that police shot and killed Maria Pike and her two-month-old daughter, Destiny, in their Independence apartment on November 7, 2024. Police have yet to identify the killer cop or release any body camera footage of the incident. Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman said the officer who opened fire followed training because Pike allegedly had a knife. The family and eyewitnesses vehemently disagree with the police department’s version of events. Mitchell Holder, Destiny’s father and Maria’s partner, witnessed the shooting and insists Maria had nothing in her hands. The tragedy began when Holder’s mother called the police for a welfare check on the infant after an alleged altercation with her daughter-in-law. Despite having a mental health responder on-site, police rushed the apartment with guns drawn, even entering the wrong apartment initially in such a hurry that they held neighbor Bug Arnold at gunpoint. When the officers found the correct apartment, Holder recalled seeing his daughter shot. “I know she died instantly,” the young father said. “It looked like her head exploded. Her blood splattered across my glasses and all over me.” Family and community members are outraged by the killings and the lack of transparency from police. A vigil was held on November 15 demanding justice and calling for the release of body camera footage. Chief Adam Dustman has stood by his officer’s decision. Three officers, including the officer who fired their gun, are on administrative leave while the investigation continues. Blue Springs Police Department Capt. Kyle Flowers is heading up the eastern Jackson County Police Incident Investigation Team that will look into the tragic use of force. The aunt of the murdered baby posted a GoFundMe page to collect $7,000 dollars for the infant’s funeral.

New York: WABC-TV reported that a Rockville Centre police detective, John Murphy Jr., was charged with a hate crime on November 13, 2024, after allegedly harassing and assaulting a Black cell phone company worker in Manorville, New York. The incident, captured on video, shows Murphy, 40, using racial slurs and physically attacking field tech engineer Derick Anhwere, after kicking the technician’s car, ripping off the amber light on top and throwing it at him. Murphy, who was off-duty at the time, allegedly identified himself as a law enforcement officer and refused to acknowledge the worker’s identification. The charges against Murphy include criminal mischief as a hate crime and aggravated harassment. He has been suspended from the Rockville Centre Police Department pending the outcome of the case. This incident has sparked outrage and condemnation from local officials, who have emphasized zero tolerance for hate crimes. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney and County Executive Ed Romaine have vowed to pursue the case to the fullest extent of the law.

Ohio: A jury in Columbus, Ohio, awarded $1.6 million on November 15, 2024, to a former Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent, who was wrongfully detained and assaulted by two City of Columbus Division of Police officers in 2020. The incident occurred when agent James Burk, on-duty and properly identified, responded to a call to retrieve an illegally owned shotgun. Upon arrival, he was immediately confronted by Officers Joseph Fihe and Kevin Winchell, who drew their weapons and ordered him to the ground. Despite Burk’s repeated assertions of his federal agent status, the officers tased and handcuffed him. After the unwarranted assault, Burk’s lawyers said he discovered Fihe and Winchell made him a target of ridicule using evidence from the incident. “Defendants shared body camera footage of the incident broadly within the Columbus Police Department and others outside CPD,” the complaint read. “The footage was shared not for any proper purpose, but rather to ridicule and embarrass Agent Burk.” The officers’ actions were deemed excessive and unjustified, especially considering Burk’s cooperation and clear identification. The jury determined that the officers’ conduct directly caused Burk to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder and other significant harm. 

Pennsylvania: The North Central Pennsylvania website reported that former Williamsport Bureau of Police officer Eric Bradley Derr, 40, avoided prison time on November 13, 2024, despite being convicted of 28 felonies for abusing Pennsylvania’s Justice System Network (JNET). He was sentenced to probation, with the first year under house arrest. Derr used the system 93 times to illegally search information on 28 women, including co-workers and acquaintances, over several years. JNET was designed for authorized use by law enforcement and other agencies to streamline information sharing. Misuse of the platform violates confidentiality agreements and can result in severe penalties, including termination and legal action. Derr had signed such agreements and passed a JNET training exam in 2013, but investigators found he used the system for personal reasons. Derr’s offenses included stalking and intimidating women, sharing explicit images of himself in uniform, and abusing his authority to manipulate personal relationships. His actions extended to searches of co-workers’ romantic partners, courthouse employees, and even a relative’s acquaintances. Officer Ericka Heath, a colleague with seven years of experience in Lycoming County law enforcement, defended Derr. Heath alleged that other officers similarly misuse JNET, suggesting Derr’s convictions were a targeted attack. Williamsport Police Chief Justin Snyder said his department strictly followed JNET policies and promised to address any violations swiftly. The case raises questions about oversight, however, as Derr’s abuses persisted unchecked for years.

Pennsylvania: The state Supreme Court suspended a public defender on November 7, 2024, the Eries Times-News reported. Nathaniel Edmond Strasser has been suspended for a year and a day after appearing in court under the influence of cocaine two years ago. Strasser, 45, a lawyer since 2007, is also a former assistant district attorney for Erie County. Strasser was not charged criminally for his cocaine-fueled court appearance. The incident occurred during a 2022 preliminary hearing, where Strasser exhibited signs of drug use, including dilated pupils and a bleeding nose. A drug test later confirmed cocaine use. Despite these clear indications of impairment, Strasser maintained that the drug had a positive impact on his performance and argued during disciplinary proceedings that cocaine enhanced his cognitive abilities. The disciplinary board rejected Strasser’s claims, citing his lack of remorse and failure to acknowledge the harm caused by his actions. The board also dismissed his request to reopen the case to present evidence of past substance abuse treatment. Strasser has worked in private practice during the disciplinary proceedings.

South Dakota: The state Supreme Court overturned an aggravated assault conviction on October 24, 2024, due to the ineffective performance of a court-appointed attorney, the South Dakota Searchlight reported. The case involved Christopher Schocker, 59, who was convicted in 2019. Schocker had a heated argument with a game warden after the warden seized a poached deer. Schocker refused to cooperate, cursed at the warden, and even approached him with a knife, though he eventually put it down. Despite initial charges related to firearm possession, he was ultimately convicted of aggravated assault and sentenced to 25 years in prison, with 15 years suspended. Schocker appealed the conviction to the state Supreme Court, claiming insufficient evidence. The appeal argued that the original attorney, Robert Doody, had missed a crucial defense: Schocker was holding the knife to cut a legitimate tag off the poached deer, not to threaten the officer. The appeal also argued that Doody had failed to interview key witnesses and did not adequately communicate with his client. The Supreme Court agreed and found that Doody’s performance fell below the standard of reasonable legal assistance. The October decision comes as broader efforts to address the issue of ineffective public defense in South Dakota are occurring. The state has established a statewide public defender’s office to improve representation for indigent defendants. Rural areas, where resources and qualified attorneys are limited, present the most challenges to securing adequate defense.

Tennessee: A former McNairy County Sheriff’s Deputy has been charged with multiple felonies after fatally shooting seven dogs while responding to an animal welfare call. On November 4, 2024, Connor Bracking, 24, responded to a home in Bethel Springs to assess the condition of several dogs according to WBBJ out of Jackson. Despite releasing one dog to the homeowner, the deputy with one month on the job proceeded to shoot and kill the remaining seven dogs, both inside and outside the trailers where the owner lived. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) launched an investigation into the incident after receiving a request from the local District Attorney. Based on the evidence, including body camera footage, Brackin was charged with seven counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and eight counts of reckless endangerment. The willful destruction of animals has sparked outrage and raised serious concerns about police use of force. McNairy County Sheriff Guy Buck said the decision made by the deputy was one that should have never been made. The McNairy County Sheriff’s Department has condemned Brackin’s actions and emphasized that his decision-making was both illegal and unjustified. Brackin was scheduled to appear in court on November 21, 2024.  

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