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Equal Justice under Law
Co-founder of Equal Justice under Law, a nonprofit civil rights organization; former public defender
PROFILE
Alec Karakatsanis
Guest
FROM Alec Karakatsanis
To the Point
From Selma to Ferguson: Criminal Justice Reform Fifty years ago in Selma, Alabama, it was white sheriff's deputies and soldiers brutally attacking civil rights marchers. Today, in Ferguson and other cities, its systemic police abuse of black people, and the use of fees and fines to finance unequal judicial systems. The Department of Justice has issued a scathing report on systemic racism in Ferguson's police department and judicial system. It's negotiating with city officials for change — with the threat of federal court action. Now there's a movement for reform on the local and federal levels, from police stops to excessive prison sentences. Two billionaires, progressive George Soros and right winger Charles Koch, have joined forces against "over-criminalization."
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To the Point
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
To the Point
What is Trump's plan for Middle East peace? On his first foreign tour, President Trump has promised "peace" between Israel and the Palestinians. Are there any details for re-starting talks that have been stalled for the past three years?
To the Point
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.