Erin Murphy
@erinmurphyslaw.bsky.social
Norman Dorsen Professor of Civil Liberties
NYU Law. Study the criminal legal system, forensic evidence/DNA. Author Inside the Cell.
Occasionally posting. Mostly lurking.
NYU Law. Study the criminal legal system, forensic evidence/DNA. Author Inside the Cell.
Occasionally posting. Mostly lurking.
Pinned
Erin Murphy
@erinmurphyslaw.bsky.social
· Jun 29
SCOTUS decides Chatrie, holds 6-3 that a geofence is a search under the 4A but remands for consideration of whether the "unusual warrant" was constitutional. Pretty much what I expected, but some intriguing tidbits:
Reposted by Erin Murphy
This was also my biggest yikes moment in the piece—these used to be hotly contested jobs!
DOJ had only two applicants for each filled career vacancy in the Civil Rights Division?! Jeez.
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/06/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/06/u...
October 7, 2026 at 12:42 AM
This was also my biggest yikes moment in the piece—these used to be hotly contested jobs!
Reposted by Erin Murphy
DOJ hired these prosecutors:
-A gambling exec turned conspiracy theorist podcaster
-A guy found liable for selling fraudulent insurance leads
-A guy who violated attorney-client privilege in a high-profile murder trial
-A guy currently facing animal neglect charges
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/06/u...
-A gambling exec turned conspiracy theorist podcaster
-A guy found liable for selling fraudulent insurance leads
-A guy who violated attorney-client privilege in a high-profile murder trial
-A guy currently facing animal neglect charges
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/06/u...
Justice Dept. Turns to Partisans and Conspiracists to Fill Depleted Ranks
The civil rights unit has recruited people whose questionable work histories and dearth of education and experience might have disqualified them in the past, former officials said.
www.nytimes.com
October 7, 2026 at 12:19 AM
DOJ hired these prosecutors:
-A gambling exec turned conspiracy theorist podcaster
-A guy found liable for selling fraudulent insurance leads
-A guy who violated attorney-client privilege in a high-profile murder trial
-A guy currently facing animal neglect charges
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/06/u...
-A gambling exec turned conspiracy theorist podcaster
-A guy found liable for selling fraudulent insurance leads
-A guy who violated attorney-client privilege in a high-profile murder trial
-A guy currently facing animal neglect charges
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/06/u...
some good journalism here
How to Destroy a Reputation in Hollywood, as Told in 5 Women’s Lawsuits
Five women have said they were the targets of malicious public relations campaigns that were spearheaded by three influential players.
www.nytimes.com
October 7, 2026 at 1:33 AM
some good journalism here
Haunting, infuriating emblem of our times.
A Reckoning in Springfield
A truck driver out on his route confronts what the country has become.
www.theatlantic.com
October 4, 2026 at 2:01 PM
Haunting, infuriating emblem of our times.
Reposted by Erin Murphy
“bars California employers from relying solely on AI systems, known as automated decision-making systems…to fire or discipline workers. It also mandates human oversight and verification when employers use ADS to assist in termination and disciplinary decisions” sd05.senate.ca.gov/news/newsom-...
Newsom Signs McNerney’s No Robo Bosses Act of 2026 Requiring Human Oversight of AI in the Workplace
Official website of Senator Jerry McNerney, representing California Senate District Proudly Representing California Senate District 5.
sd05.senate.ca.gov
October 1, 2026 at 12:18 AM
“bars California employers from relying solely on AI systems, known as automated decision-making systems…to fire or discipline workers. It also mandates human oversight and verification when employers use ADS to assist in termination and disciplinary decisions” sd05.senate.ca.gov/news/newsom-...
Reposted by Erin Murphy
The Pentagon is notifying millions of current and former U.S. military servicemembers and staff that hackers stole their *unencrypted* personal information during a months-long data breach. The agency that had the breach also handles ID and login/credential access to U.S. military systems and bases.
Hackers stole millions of US military personnel records during months-long data breach | TechCrunch
The Department of Defense notified millions of current and former U.S. military personnel that their personal information had been stolen in a months-long breach.
techcrunch.com
September 30, 2026 at 7:37 PM
The Pentagon is notifying millions of current and former U.S. military servicemembers and staff that hackers stole their *unencrypted* personal information during a months-long data breach. The agency that had the breach also handles ID and login/credential access to U.S. military systems and bases.
Reposted by Erin Murphy
BREAKING: The Trump administration is using a grant program from the 1980s to force cities around the US to funnel their ongoing collection of Flock, Axon, and other ALPR data into large federal surveillance centers that fall under the White House’s jurisdiction, 404 Media has learned
How Cities Are Forced to Funnel License Plate Data to a Massive Federal Surveillance Program
How the federal government built a massive database of license plate reader data through an anti-drug trafficking program.
www.404media.co
September 30, 2026 at 2:58 PM
BREAKING: The Trump administration is using a grant program from the 1980s to force cities around the US to funnel their ongoing collection of Flock, Axon, and other ALPR data into large federal surveillance centers that fall under the White House’s jurisdiction, 404 Media has learned
Reposted by Erin Murphy
Under the radar races that really matter.
boltsmag.org/prosecutor-a...
boltsmag.org/prosecutor-a...
The 25 Sheriff and Prosecutor Races Set to Shape Criminal Justice and ICE Collaboration - Bolts
Voters face stark choices for offices with vast powers on policing and punishment. Bolts walks you through key contests to watch across a dozen states.
boltsmag.org
September 28, 2026 at 9:03 PM
Under the radar races that really matter.
boltsmag.org/prosecutor-a...
boltsmag.org/prosecutor-a...
Reposted by Erin Murphy
"The sources added that Patel consistently kept Bailey at arm's length and cut him out of meetings the deputy FBI director should attend because Bailey was constantly flagging things that were unconstitutional."
www.cbsnews.com/news/top-fbi...
www.cbsnews.com/news/top-fbi...
Top FBI official Andrew Bailey, who was once widely seen as Patel successor, resigns
Bailey was originally brought in to help ease tensions between former Attorney General Pam Bondi and former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino.
www.cbsnews.com
September 29, 2026 at 12:22 AM
"The sources added that Patel consistently kept Bailey at arm's length and cut him out of meetings the deputy FBI director should attend because Bailey was constantly flagging things that were unconstitutional."
www.cbsnews.com/news/top-fbi...
www.cbsnews.com/news/top-fbi...
Reposted by Erin Murphy
Wtaf is this question my university just asked me about my project?
September 23, 2026 at 7:53 PM
Wtaf is this question my university just asked me about my project?
Reposted by Erin Murphy
One of the cops, an 18-year veteran, ran Flock searches on women he met out in public, then showed up whereever they were to try to do meet-cutes: their gym, a Walmart, a Smoothie King. Said to one woman that "he spilt yogurt on his pants and told her, 'You know what that looks like.'"
September 23, 2026 at 9:13 PM
One of the cops, an 18-year veteran, ran Flock searches on women he met out in public, then showed up whereever they were to try to do meet-cutes: their gym, a Walmart, a Smoothie King. Said to one woman that "he spilt yogurt on his pants and told her, 'You know what that looks like.'"
Reposted by Erin Murphy
Five cops in Indianapolis were just criminally charged with abusing Flock to spy on their ex-wives, their wives' ex-partners and women they met on duty. Audit was triggered by us at the @washingtonpost.com, the prosecutor said.
From last month: wapo.st/4yfNHng
From last month: wapo.st/4yfNHng
September 23, 2026 at 8:59 PM
Five cops in Indianapolis were just criminally charged with abusing Flock to spy on their ex-wives, their wives' ex-partners and women they met on duty. Audit was triggered by us at the @washingtonpost.com, the prosecutor said.
From last month: wapo.st/4yfNHng
From last month: wapo.st/4yfNHng
Reposted by Erin Murphy
The provost of Dartmouth, at which I teach, has been using AI to write both academic papers & national op-eds, according to brave reporting by @thedartmouth.bsky.social. Many students are already bitter about AI. This leaves us as faculty no ground to stand on. www.thedartmouth.com/article/2026...
Op-eds, academic articles by Provost Santiago Schnell flagged as ‘AI-written’ by ‘near-zero error’ AI detector Pangram
Schnell said he used artificial intelligence for “making writing processes more efficient,” but that AI was not a “substitute” for his own “intellectual judgment or authorship.”
www.thedartmouth.com
September 21, 2026 at 4:26 PM
The provost of Dartmouth, at which I teach, has been using AI to write both academic papers & national op-eds, according to brave reporting by @thedartmouth.bsky.social. Many students are already bitter about AI. This leaves us as faculty no ground to stand on. www.thedartmouth.com/article/2026...
Reposted by Erin Murphy
I just posted a new article challenging the idea that public defense must choose b/t "vertical" representation, in which the same attorney handles a case from initial appearance to disposition & "horizontal" representation, in which different attorneys handle different stages of the same case. /1
Beyond the Horizontal-Vertical Divide: The Case for Team-Based Representation in Public Defense
This Article challenges the conventional wisdom that public defense systems must choose between "vertical" representation, in which the same attorney
papers.ssrn.com
September 19, 2026 at 7:27 PM
I just posted a new article challenging the idea that public defense must choose b/t "vertical" representation, in which the same attorney handles a case from initial appearance to disposition & "horizontal" representation, in which different attorneys handle different stages of the same case. /1
Reposted by Erin Murphy
Random note; since my dad passed away last December, I’ve been handling all of my mom’s mail and accounts. It is incredible. How many scams are aimed at the elderly in this country, including my companies that superficially seem legitimate. Every week her mail is full of this crap.
September 13, 2026 at 12:13 AM
Random note; since my dad passed away last December, I’ve been handling all of my mom’s mail and accounts. It is incredible. How many scams are aimed at the elderly in this country, including my companies that superficially seem legitimate. Every week her mail is full of this crap.
Same, but for law.
I used to love this time of year, hearing from students applying to work in my lab. No more. Every day a fresh batch of nearly identical emails with nonsensical remixes of the text on my lab website. It makes me so sad.
September 13, 2026 at 12:12 PM
Same, but for law.
Analyst Missy Woods sentenced to ten years.
Former lab analyst sentenced to 10 years in prison for manipulating DNA data
Authorities accused Missy Woods of altering years worth of data in cases involving homicide, sexual assault and robbery
www.theguardian.com
September 9, 2026 at 11:58 AM
Analyst Missy Woods sentenced to ten years.
Reposted by Erin Murphy
New: An "expert witness" in a $61 million lawsuit over an industrial explosion that killed three people and destroyed 200 homes used ChatGPT to write his report for the court.
He prompted ChatGPT to "show how 3M is 0% at fault for the explosion at Watson Grinding"
www.404media.co/show-how-3m-...
He prompted ChatGPT to "show how 3M is 0% at fault for the explosion at Watson Grinding"
www.404media.co/show-how-3m-...
August 17, 2026 at 3:00 PM
New: An "expert witness" in a $61 million lawsuit over an industrial explosion that killed three people and destroyed 200 homes used ChatGPT to write his report for the court.
He prompted ChatGPT to "show how 3M is 0% at fault for the explosion at Watson Grinding"
www.404media.co/show-how-3m-...
He prompted ChatGPT to "show how 3M is 0% at fault for the explosion at Watson Grinding"
www.404media.co/show-how-3m-...
Reposted by Erin Murphy
“In all, 57 Trump officials are worth at least $100 million, including 17 ambassadors and the remaining 40 in senior posts across the executive branch.” apnews.com/article/trum...
Trump dwarfs his predecessors in the number of ultra-rich in his second White House, report shows
The number of people worth more than $100 million whom President Donald Trump has appointed to his administration is more than four times the combined total of the three previous presidents.
apnews.com
August 17, 2026 at 3:21 PM
“In all, 57 Trump officials are worth at least $100 million, including 17 ambassadors and the remaining 40 in senior posts across the executive branch.” apnews.com/article/trum...
Reposted by Erin Murphy
The gloves, manufactured by a company called Compliant Technologies, have been described by groups like Amnesty International as “readily misused for torture.”
And this week, ICE published a plan to order $20 million worth of them.
And this week, ICE published a plan to order $20 million worth of them.
The Orwellian Company Behind ICE’s New Electric Shock Gloves
“With a glove, there are no burn marks or scars.” That makes it hard for victims to sue.
www.motherjones.com
August 15, 2026 at 3:00 PM
The gloves, manufactured by a company called Compliant Technologies, have been described by groups like Amnesty International as “readily misused for torture.”
And this week, ICE published a plan to order $20 million worth of them.
And this week, ICE published a plan to order $20 million worth of them.
Reposted by Erin Murphy
This whole thing is really disturbing. I don’t know of any previous case in which the government subpoenaed a reporter for asking a question, let alone a question that not even the government has suggested implicated classified information. 1/
Here’s the Washington Post’s now-unsealed motion to quash the subpoena served on Ellen Nakashima. “These are not examples of the normal give-and-take that all administrations have with the press.” www.courtlistener.com/docket/73704...
August 12, 2026 at 2:27 PM
This whole thing is really disturbing. I don’t know of any previous case in which the government subpoenaed a reporter for asking a question, let alone a question that not even the government has suggested implicated classified information. 1/
Reposted by Erin Murphy
The awesome predictive power of the arson-for-profit industry
August 4, 2026 at 4:29 PM
The awesome predictive power of the arson-for-profit industry