Erica Zunkel
@ezunk.bsky.social
Director, Criminal & Juvenile Justice Clinic, Univ. of Chicago Law School
Reposted by Erica Zunkel
NPR’s WBOI profiled Dion Walker, a client of the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Clinic. Clinical Prof. @ezunk.bsky.social spoke with the station about his case.
The continued effect of harsh holdovers of old federal drug policy
A Fort Wayne man convicted of a drug offense in 2005 received two mandatory life sentences. He's out of prison now, and advocating for expansion of clemency and sentence correction.
www.wboi.org
July 24, 2025 at 9:47 PM
NPR’s WBOI profiled Dion Walker, a client of the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Clinic. Clinical Prof. @ezunk.bsky.social spoke with the station about his case.
Reposted by Erica Zunkel
Latest: A DOJ inspector general report found that a federal inmate had to have one of their limbs partially amputated after being kept in restraints for two days.
Another died after being pepper sprayed and left in a restraint chair for hours reason.com/2025/07/02/a...
Another died after being pepper sprayed and left in a restraint chair for hours reason.com/2025/07/02/a...
A federal inmate had a limb partially amputated after being kept in restraints for two days
An inspector general report found there were no limits on how long federal inmates could be kept in restraint chairs or strapped to beds.
reason.com
July 2, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Latest: A DOJ inspector general report found that a federal inmate had to have one of their limbs partially amputated after being kept in restraints for two days.
Another died after being pepper sprayed and left in a restraint chair for hours reason.com/2025/07/02/a...
Another died after being pepper sprayed and left in a restraint chair for hours reason.com/2025/07/02/a...
Reposted by Erica Zunkel
If the GOP reconciliation bill passes, ICE gets through FY2029:
- $45 billion for detention, on top of the current annual budget of $3.4 billion
- $14.4 billion for transportation and removal, on top of the current annual budget of $750 million
- $8 billion for hiring/retention
- Billions more.
- $45 billion for detention, on top of the current annual budget of $3.4 billion
- $14.4 billion for transportation and removal, on top of the current annual budget of $750 million
- $8 billion for hiring/retention
- Billions more.
June 28, 2025 at 10:07 PM
If the GOP reconciliation bill passes, ICE gets through FY2029:
- $45 billion for detention, on top of the current annual budget of $3.4 billion
- $14.4 billion for transportation and removal, on top of the current annual budget of $750 million
- $8 billion for hiring/retention
- Billions more.
- $45 billion for detention, on top of the current annual budget of $3.4 billion
- $14.4 billion for transportation and removal, on top of the current annual budget of $750 million
- $8 billion for hiring/retention
- Billions more.
Reposted by Erica Zunkel
The JCPOA was one of the greatest diplomatic achievements of the 21st century. Multiple nations, several powerful blocks, a ton of oversight and the entire time diplomats were working it out domestic American media & politicians were demonizing it, lying about it, and trying to sabotage it. They won
Reminder that none of this would've been possible if not for the neocons manipulating Trump's hatred of Obama to kill the JCPOA. From there, safeguards became unconstrained enrichment and all the scary things they're trotting out became possible.
Be careful buying what these guys are still selling.
Be careful buying what these guys are still selling.
June 22, 2025 at 5:38 AM
The JCPOA was one of the greatest diplomatic achievements of the 21st century. Multiple nations, several powerful blocks, a ton of oversight and the entire time diplomats were working it out domestic American media & politicians were demonizing it, lying about it, and trying to sabotage it. They won
Reposted by Erica Zunkel
Please do it less quietly, Europe. US political leadership needs to be more rattled by this!
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
How Europe is quietly stealing America’s scientists
www.politico.com
April 25, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Please do it less quietly, Europe. US political leadership needs to be more rattled by this!
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
Reposted by Erica Zunkel
Aided by the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Clinic and an alumnus working pro bono, April Rice had her prison sentence commuted by President Biden in December.
Presidential Clemency: Alum and Clinic Helped Secure Justice for Mother of Two | University of Chicago Law School
April Rice became a methamphetamine user at a young age in Galesburg, Illinois, and had many scrapes with the law, including a felony conviction for meth possession. So, when she pleaded guilty to a…
buff.ly
March 12, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Aided by the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Clinic and an alumnus working pro bono, April Rice had her prison sentence commuted by President Biden in December.
Reposted by Erica Zunkel
Three clinic clients were among those who received Biden commutations. “I will say that I’ve been overjoyed at all three of these commutations and having the opportunity to be involved, and have my students be involved, in something so life-changing,” Clinical Prof. @ezunk.bsky.social said.
Three Clinic Clients Among Those Who Received Biden Commutations | University of Chicago Law School
On the evening of Saturday, January 18, Clinical Professor Erica Zunkel received a phone call that produced “one of the most powerful moments of [her] professional career.” The caller was DeAnna…
buff.ly
March 3, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Three clinic clients were among those who received Biden commutations. “I will say that I’ve been overjoyed at all three of these commutations and having the opportunity to be involved, and have my students be involved, in something so life-changing,” Clinical Prof. @ezunk.bsky.social said.
Reposted by Erica Zunkel
One bad commutation produces ten thousand times the outrage of thousands of unnecessary incarcerations.
If you are chiming in only now, ask yourself why you are demanding perfection here, but not on those we lock up in our sadistic prisons?
Why does mercy anger you but cruelty does not?
If you are chiming in only now, ask yourself why you are demanding perfection here, but not on those we lock up in our sadistic prisons?
Why does mercy anger you but cruelty does not?
December 15, 2024 at 4:27 AM
One bad commutation produces ten thousand times the outrage of thousands of unnecessary incarcerations.
If you are chiming in only now, ask yourself why you are demanding perfection here, but not on those we lock up in our sadistic prisons?
Why does mercy anger you but cruelty does not?
If you are chiming in only now, ask yourself why you are demanding perfection here, but not on those we lock up in our sadistic prisons?
Why does mercy anger you but cruelty does not?
Reposted by Erica Zunkel
Exclusive: 60+ lawmakers call on Biden to use his clemency powers to help "the elderly and chronically ill, those on death row, people with unjustified sentencing disparities, and women who were punished for defending themselves against their abusers.” theappeal.org/biden-commut...
U.S. Reps Urge Biden to Use Clemency to Correct “Extreme Use of Incarceration”
U.S. Congressmembers, including Ayanna Pressley, say Joe Biden should grand pardons and commutations before Donald Trump takes office.
theappeal.org
November 20, 2024 at 5:29 PM
Exclusive: 60+ lawmakers call on Biden to use his clemency powers to help "the elderly and chronically ill, those on death row, people with unjustified sentencing disparities, and women who were punished for defending themselves against their abusers.” theappeal.org/biden-commut...