DOJ announces new policy for prosecution of white-collar crimes News
DOJ announces new policy for prosecution of white-collar crimes

[JURIST] The US Department of Justice (DOJ) [official website] on Wednesday unveiled a new policy [text, PDF] for white-collar crimes, which targets individuals accused of crimes instead of the companies. The guidelines were sent [USA Today report] to all US Attorneys effective immediately. Previously, the DOJ made a priority of targeting corporations because it allowed larger financial recovery. Companies will now be required to turn in any employees accused of illegal activity in order to earn any credit for cooperation. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates [official profile], speaking at New York University Law School, said [remarks] that Americans should not be under the impression that any individuals would go unpunished for crimes just because they acted on behalf of a corporation and spoke of the importance of public perception towards fairness in the criminal justice system. Other benefits to the new policy, Yates said, are that it will deter illegal activity and encourage companies to change their behavior.

Many fraud cases continue to be litigated in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered [JURIST report] Bank of America [corporate website] to pay $727 million for its illegal credit card practices. The DOJ criticized [JURIST report] the US Sentencing Commission in March after a federal panel introduced a proposal which would reduce prison time for white-collar criminals. Last July Citigroup, Inc. [corporate website] agreed [JURIST report] to pay USD $7 billion to settle a federal inquiry into mortgage-backed securities sold by the bank prior to the financial crisis. The US Supreme Court [official website] granted certiorari [JURIST report] in April to hear a mortgage lending case in which Countrywide failed to provide required information and the borrowers attempted to rescind the loan. In February the Supreme Court heard oral arguments [JURIST report] on a subprime mortgage fraud case. Earlier that month JPMorgan Chase [corporate website] paid [JURIST report] a USD $614 million settlement to the US government for its role in approving unqualified mortgages for government insurance.

THIS DAY @ LAW

US Supreme Court ruled Indians not US citizens

On November 3, 1884, the US Supreme Court ruled in Elk v. Wilkins that John Elk, an American Indian who had tried to vote in a federal election in Omaha, Nebraska, was not a US citizen entitled to the protection of the 14th and 15th Amendments of the US Constitution. Native Americans became eligible for citizenship in 1887 under the Dawes Act, but only in 1924, under the Indian Citizenship Act, were all Native Americans born in the US made citizens.

Last public execution at Tyburn Gallows in London

On November 3, 1783, the last public execution took place at Tyburn Gallows in London, when John Austin was hanged for highway robbery. From the hanging of William Fitz Osburn in 1196 until Austin's execution, Tyburn served as London's primary location for public executions.

Learn more about the trial of John Austin.