Conrad Wilson

Oregon’s federal public defender reports government attorneys confirmed the strike on Monday, while Bureau of Prison spokesperson says those in custody are now “accepting their meals.”

Earlier this year, Malik Fard Muhammad, 25, pleaded guilty to throwing Molotov cocktails at police and smashing the Oregon Historical Society’s windows. He was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday.

President Biden has nominated Natalie Wight for Oregon's U.S. Attorney. If confirmed, Wight would be the first African American and second Asian American to serve as Oregon’s U.S. Attorney. Wight currently heads the organized and violent crime section of the U.S. Attorney's Office.

A group of adults in custody who contracted COVID-19 first sued the state in April 2020, This spring a federal magistrate deemed the lawsuit a class action. Oregon appealed the class certification to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. On Thursday, a three-judge panel rejected Oregon's arguments, allowing the case to move forward.

Despite a constitutional right to an attorney, approximately 500 people charged with crimes have been denied a public defender, according to a lawsuit filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court.

Across the country, defendants are languishing in custody because there aren't enough defense attorneys to assign to cases. In Oregon, hundreds of cases have been postponed.

According to a February poll conducted by DHM Research for OPB, 15% of voters said partisanship in politics was the most important issue facing Oregon today, while 22% of voters said the most pressing issue was government leadership. Those are among the top concerns, according to the poll, along with homelessness and public safety.

In a matter of weeks, a wealthy Portlander named Aaron Boonshoft, largely unknown in progressive political circles, has become the largest financial backer to challengers hoping to unseat district attorneys in Washington and Marion counties. He's also backed a measure that would decriminalize sex work in Oregon.

Gary Edward Franklin, 58, pleaded guilty on Jan. 4 to two counts of threatening communications by mail. On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Michael McShane sentenced Franklin to four years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for mailing threatening letters to a community college professor who identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Prosecutors say Joseph Mahmoud Dibee was a member of the Earth Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front. The attacks targeted places that were thought to be harming animals and their habitats.