Duane Buck is a convicted murderer. The jury did not doubt that he killed his ex-girlfriend and another man; crimes for which they convicted him and subsequently sentenced him to death for committing. The legal question that went all the way on appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was not whether or not Buck deserves to be executed for the crimes he committed, but does he deserve to be executed because he is black?

In August 2008, Eugene Robinson, a plumber in his late fifties returned home form work and was informed by his neighbors the police were looking for him. His photo and name also appeared in the “Week’s Most Wanted” section of the Philadelphia Daily News, stating he was wanted for rape. At the urging of a local politician and his own family, Robinson turned himself in, confident in his innocence, and believing he would be cleared of all charges.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) final regulations to implement the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) are now available on the Federal Register website. Like the law they implement, the regulations are designed to simplify the determination of who has a “disability” and make it easier for people to establish that they are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)…

Family files lawsuit against Ridgewood BOE for alleged student discrimination – January 25, 2011. RIDGEWOOD — At the same high school that Tyler Clementi attended, the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights is suing the Ridgewood Board of Education over alleged sexual orientation discrimination against a student, according to a report on NorthJersey.com.

The lawsuit claims that a 16-year-old student faced months of bullying from both teachers and peers, including being asked by a teacher if he was out of the closet, and being told by another that homosexuality was caused by “abnormal genes,” the report said. An internal investigation last spring found that no staff member had done anything wrong, the school said.

December 09, 2010. PITTSBURGH (AP) — The new U.S. attorney in Pittsburgh has created a five-attorney civil rights unit to handle criminal and civil cases involving hate crimes, police misconduct, and other civil rights issues in the 25-county western district of Pennsylvania. “It is hard to believe that in 2010 we are still fighting for equality of all Americans,” U.S. Attorney David Hickton said at a news conference Tuesday.

The unit will also target sexual exploitation of children and human trafficking, and civil rights issues more likely to prompt lawsuits than criminal prosecutions, such as biased lending and housing practices.

October 18, 2010. Pennsylvania Law Allows Babies to be Taken From Moms Who Test Positive for Drugs. Mother had eaten a bagel with poppy seeds the same day her baby was born and tested positive for opiates. ACLU-PA To File Civil Rights Lawsuit Against New Castle Jameson Hospital For Drug Test Resulting In Seizure Of Newborn.

(Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) Legislation prohibiting discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in housing, employment, and public accommodations has been introduced in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.