Key Convictions Overturned in Killing by New Orleans Police

Dec. 17, 2012, 5:03 p.m.

In a setback for federal prosecutors, an appellate court tosses the convictions of two former cops imprisoned in connection with the killing of Henry Glover.

After Katrina, New Orleans Cops Were Told They Could Shoot Looters

July 24, 2012, 4:35 p.m.

After Katrina, New Orleans police officers circulated orders authorizing them to shoot looters and “take back the city,” but it remains unclear who issued them. 

Former New Orleans Cop Sentenced in Perjury Case

April 11, 2012, 5:22 p.m.

A federal judge today sentenced former New Orleans police officer Ronald Mitchell to 20 months in prison for lying about the circumstances of a fatal shooting that occurred in the tumultuous days after Hurricane Katrina.

California Governor Commutes Sentence in Shaken Baby Case

April 6, 2012, 4:48 p.m.

California Gov. Jerry Brown today commuted the sentence of Shirley Ree Smith, a 51-year-old woman whose 1997 conviction for shaking her infant grandson to death has drawn national attention.

Judge Hits New Orleans Cops with Harsh Sentences

April 4, 2012, 5:31 p.m.

A federal judge today sentenced five former New Orleans police officers for their roles in the Danziger Bridge shootings, which occurred during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, killing two civilians and leaving four wounded.

New Evidence in High Profile Shaken Baby Case

March 29, 2012, 4 a.m.

A doctor at the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office is challenging the forensic evidence at the center of a 1997 murder trial.

Video: Shirley Ree Smith in Her Own Words

March 29, 2012, 3:59 a.m.

Free, But Not Cleared: Ernie Lopez Comes Home

March 5, 2012, 4 p.m.

The case of an Amarillo man, released from prison last week, reflects a larger controversy over the reliability of scientific evidence in child death cases.

Ernie Lopez to Face Charges Again

Jan. 27, 2012, 2:59 p.m.

Despite detailed challenges
to the medical evidence, prosecutor says he sees no change in the facts of the
case.

Texas Court Voids Conviction in Child Death Case

Jan. 25, 2012, 5:56 p.m.

The court set aside the conviction of Ernie Lopez, whose case we explored in our series on flawed death investigations.

A Far Cry From ‘CSI’

Jan. 8, 2012, 12:01 p.m.

The fate of Shirley Ree Smith, convicted of shaking to death her 7-week-old grandson, is in the hands of California’s governor. Child deaths can pose special problems for forensic pathologists. Unfortunately, many forensic pathologists aren’t prepared to deal with the complexity of such cases.

Gone Without a Case: Suspicious Elder Deaths Rarely Investigated

Dec. 21, 2011, 9 a.m.

An investigation by ProPublica and PBS “Frontline” finds the system to examine unusual fatalities often fails seniors, leaving them vulnerable to neglect, abuse and even murder.

New Orleans Police Officer Convicted of Perjury, Obstruction in Post-Katrina Shooting

Dec. 9, 2011, 2:52 p.m.

Mitchell is one of 16 current or former New Orleans officers convicted as part of a far-reaching Justice Department probe into police misconduct before and after the hurricane.

Report Slams Former New Orleans Police Honcho for Mishandling Probe of Post-Katrina Killing

Aug. 26, 2011, 11:18 a.m.

State officials find that Marlon Defillo, formerly the New Orleans Police Department’s second in command, failed to make a reasonable effort to unravel the murder of Henry Glover—in part, by not reading ProPublica’s investigation.

Five New Orleans Cops Convicted for Their Role in Post-Katrina Shootings

Aug. 5, 2011, 3:26 p.m.

The verdict handed down today is likely to be seen as the most significant yet for federal prosecutors trying to clean up the New Orleans Police Department.

The Child Cases

June 27, 2011, 11 p.m.

As part of an ongoing look into the troubled state of death investigation, ProPublica, PBS “Frontline” and NPR identified nearly two dozen cases in the U.S. and Canada in which people have been accused of killing children based on flawed or biased work by forensic pathologists and then later cleared.

Document Timeline: The Case of Ernie Lopez

June 27, 2011, 11 p.m.

Explore the events leading up to and following the conviction of Ernie Lopez. All events are based on medical, law enforcement and court records.

The Hardest Cases: When Children Die, Justice Can Be Elusive

June 27, 2011, 11 p.m.

A joint investigation by ProPublica, PBS “Frontline” and NPR looks into nearly two dozen cases in which people were accused of killing children based on flawed forensic opinions and then later cleared.

Judge Orders New Trial in New Orleans Police Case

May 4, 2011, 5:20 p.m.

An officer accused of sanitizing a police report about the Henry Glover shooting says he has new evidence that he did not.