The criminal trial of former Oklahoma City police officer Daniel Holtzclaw has entered its third week. Dozens of witnesses have already taken the stand, including many of Holtzclaw’s 13 alleged sexual assault survivors and their families. As the trial progresses, one thing has become clear: Holtzclaw’s defense team is not interested in proving, based on…

C4SS Feed 44 presents James C. Wilson‘s “Same-Sex Marriage is Not Enough: Separate Marriage and State” read by Mike Godzina and edited by Nick Ford. “US law includes 1,138 statutory provisions in which marital status determines benefits, rights, and privileges. These include provisions on taxation, immigration, inheritance, Social Security and death benefits. Granting such a wide range…

In una intervista del ventidue febbraio, il presidente della corte suprema dell’Alabama Roy Moore ha esposto le ragioni che lo hanno portato a bocciare la possibilità che un giudice di quello stato possa sposare persone dello stesso sesso. “Manca la definizione di famiglia,” ha detto. E poi ha aggiunto, preoccupato, che persone bisessuali potrebbero “sposare…

In a February 22 interview, Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore discussed his reasons for nixing issuance of same-sex marriage licenses by probate judges in the state. “You’re taking any definition of a family away,” said Moore. He also expressed fear that bisexuals might “marry two persons, one of the same sex and one of the opposite…

C4SS Media presents Jason Lee Byas‘ “Abolishing Capital Punishment is Not Enough” read by Trevor Hultner and edited by Nick Ford. When we are disgusted by the unnecessary pain inflicted even on those who’ve inflicted unnecessary pain, we are disgusted with retribution. When we are outraged by the horror of a botched execution, we are outraged by the use…

C4SS Media presents Jonathan Carp‘s “How to Kill a Man” read by Trevor Hultner and edited by Nick Ford. But if we can’t face the man on his knees, and if we don’t want to see ourselves as the man holding the pistol, should we be killing at all? Clayton Lockett was tortured to death last night so we…

After yet another terrifying botched execution, questions about whether the death penalty constitutes “cruel and unusual punishment” once again fill the air. Perhaps, though, now may be time to pose even more radical questions about criminal justice. The particular incident sparking national attention this time was a lethal injection in McAlester, Oklahoma that failed to…

The government of Oklahoma did not botch an execution on Tuesday. When the administration of an untested combination of drugs fails, we do not describe the treatment as “botched,” but simply as a failed experiment. Last night, the government of Oklahoma conducted an unsuccessful experiment on a human being without his consent. This man, a…

In our attempts to stop the monsters terrorizing our children, we have ourselves become monsters. We never notice when the transformation occurs. We don’t even fully realize it until years into our rampage. But one day, we wake up and look into the mirror, and the face peering back at us is unrecognizable. On Friday,…

Dear C4SS Readers and Supporters, Yesterday, May 20th, many communities, especially Moore, OK, were devastated by an EF4 tornado estimated to be more than 2 miles wide. As many of you may not realize, Oklahoma is the home of many of the writers and volunteers with C4SS. With more storms on their way, the families of Oklahoma could use all the…