Trials

Judge Rules Against Opa-locka's Friends & Family Water Plan

The Names

Justice Undone: Part 3

Even as her prosecutors prepare their murder case against Andrew Morello's friends, Janet Reno insists she's keeping an open mind

Reno Reconsidered (Part B)

The evidence was not there. The kids' stories were outrageous beyond belief. But that didn't stop Janet Reno from trying to destroy Bobby Fijnje.

The public was shocked. Country Walk parents demanded action. An election was near. Janet Reno was going to send someone to jail. No matter what.

Reno Consideration ( Part A) If she is confirmed as U.S. Attorney General, Janet Reno's ability to maintain discipline and impartiality among a vast bureaucracy of prosecutors will be tested like never before. The notorious cases examined here, drawn from

The Further Adventures of Willy and Sal

Being thrown in jail was supposed to bring down the curtain on Miami drug lords Willy Falc and Sal Magluta. But there was an encore: Death threats, clandestine cameras, illegal searches, and major security violations.

Mosaic of a Murder

Raul Rodriguez said he killed a man during a 1991 holdup at Malaga restaurant. At his trial this spring, the jury didn't see it that way.

The Collector, Convicted

A Swiss jury finds art connoisseur/embezzler Robert Polo guilty as charged A thirteen times over

Crime & Politics

The continuing success of lobbyist Ron Book: Perverse proof of how much lawmakers need lawbreakers

The Trial of Willy & Sal

Smuggling coke by the ton and making money by the bushel. Getting tortured in Panama and eating smoked pork loin in Houston. The courtroom show is riveting, but like Al says, where's the justice?

Fool Me Thrice

A South Florida company caught stealing twice surfaces under a new name and gets a lucrative government franchise.

Jurors Gone Wild

The feds slink away from a flubbed Internet pharmacy case.

RIP for the CIP?

The police watchdog group's right to do its job is challenged

Run-On Sentence

Critics say draconian drug laws held over from the Eighties pack prisons, force plea deals, and hit one errant lawyer harder than the dealers he defended

Thug Meets Pug, Part 3

In which North Bay Village Commissioner Bob Dugger displays exceptional flair as a businessman

Under Fire

She says he ordered her to sue a local resident, and then fired her. He says that's a lie. Being Key Biscayne police chief isn't the hassle-free job Michael Flaherty thought it would be.

A Moveable Feast of Lawsuits

In his crusade to force compliance with federal law, Martin Marcus isn't winning many friends, but he is influencing people

The Assassin Next Door, Part 2

Chile demands that former secret police agent Armando Fernandez Larios face justice for his role in the murderous Caravan of Death. But he seems to be safe in Miami -- thanks to the U.S. government.

The Assassin Next Door

Chile's infamous undercover operative Armando Fernandez Larios has lived a quiet life in Miami. But his past is about to catch up with him.

If the Suits Fit

The mayor of Hialeah Gardens has a taste for vulgarity, revenge -- and for costing the city big bucks in legal fees

DeFede

The Riddle That Cracked the Case

In Pursuit of Willy and Sal, Part Two

Having lost their case against the drug kingpins, federal prosecutors vowed to convict jury foreman Miguel Moya of bribery. Didn't quite work out that way.

The Imperfect Murder

Stanley Cohen's wife went to prison for arranging to have him killed. Years later a Miami journalist reveals a secret. Now the entire case may be unraveling.

Arresting Developments

A landmark court case could force cops to jail any man who violates a domestic violence injunction. Period.

News of the Weird

A landmark court case could force cops to jail any man who violates a domestic violence injunction. Period.

Witness for the Prosecution

Bruce Udolf spent seven years arguing public corruption cases for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami. A report from the front lines.

News of the Weird

Bruce Udolf spent seven years arguing public corruption cases for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami. A report from the front lines.

Flunk City

Cops are giving Miami's promotions exam a failing grade -- in court

When Vicki Met Syl, Part Two

Accused of bribery and public corruption, this power pair finds that love and justice prevail

Juris Without Prudence

What litigant is willing to take Madonna, the CIA, and Governor Chiles to court? It's Alfredo F. de Castro, Miami's one-man suit factory.

News of the Weird

What litigant is willing to take Madonna, the CIA, and Governor Chiles to court? It's Alfredo F. de Castro, Miami's one-man suit factory.

The Impossible Victory

The feds spent years building their case against drug kingpins Willy Falc centsn and Sal Maglutaa. Life in prison was assured. Too bad the jury didn't see it that way.

Hugh and Cry

St. Hugh Oaks plaintiffs lose the first round of their battle against the City of Miami and maybe their lawyer, too

The Collector

What do Armando Valladares, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Miriam Alonso, Xavier Suarez, Alex Penelas, Steve Clark, and the Miami Herald editorial board have in common? They're just a few of the big names enlisted by accused embezzler Roberto Polo in his fight to a

The Case From Hell, Part II

What do Armando Valladares, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Miriam Alonso, Xavier Suarez, Alex Penelas, Steve Clark, and the Miami Herald editorial board have in common? They're just a few of the big names enlisted by accused embezzler Roberto Polo in his fight to a

Janet Reno's Greatest Hits

What do Armando Valladares, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Miriam Alonso, Xavier Suarez, Alex Penelas, Steve Clark, and the Miami Herald editorial board have in common? They're just a few of the big names enlisted by accused embezzler Roberto Polo in his fight to a

Attack of the Chinese Drywall

Homeowners look for someone to blame for the material that's wrecking houses.

From Bolivia: Massacre victims get no justice

Homeowners look for someone to blame for the material that's wrecking houses.

Richard von Houtman is Out For Dwyane Wade's Blood (and Urine)

Richard von HoutmanRemember Dwyane Wade's baron nemesis Richard von Houtman? You know, Wade's incessantly inflammatory former business partner with a sketchy past, sued by the Miami Heat superstar last May after he claimed in an e-mail to Heat coach and president Pat Riley that Wade was using cocain ... More >>

Thirty Killed in Raids of Dudus' Kingston Camp

​The extradition saga of Jamaican druglord Christopher "Dudus" Coke, leader of the ultra-violent South Florida-connected Shower Posse, has become yet more bloody today. The Associated Press is reporting that at least 30 people have been killed in gunfights between bandits, soldiers, and cops in th ... More >>

First Ever Class-Action Suit Over Toxic Chinese Drywall Certified In Miami

As we reported in a January investigation, toxic Chinese drywall is forcing thousands around Florida to make an impossible choice between abandoning brand new homes or exposing their families to dangerous fumes. ​The state continues to drag its feet, protecting politically connected builders. ... More >>

China Grill, Prime One Twelve Latest to Be Sued by Ex-Employees for Tip Skimming

China Grill in South Beach is in hot water over a recent lawsuit​When we head to most South Beach restaurants, we customers expect to get fleeced: $200 steaks, $50 sushi rolls, $15 mineral water. But the employees? According to two lawsuits filed earlier this summer, fancy South Beach restaurants ... More >>

DeVito South Beach tip scandal

China Grill in South Beach is in hot water over a recent lawsuit​When we head to most South Beach restaurants, we customers expect to get fleeced: $200 steaks, $50 sushi rolls, $15 mineral water. But the employees? According to two lawsuits filed earlier this summer, fancy South Beach restaurants ... More >>

Operation Streamline treats migrants like cattle

China Grill in South Beach is in hot water over a recent lawsuit​When we head to most South Beach restaurants, we customers expect to get fleeced: $200 steaks, $50 sushi rolls, $15 mineral water. But the employees? According to two lawsuits filed earlier this summer, fancy South Beach restaurants ... More >>

Class Action Suit Filed Against University of Miami for Racially Discriminatory Hiring Practices

The University of Miami touts its diverse student and faculty population proudly, but a new lawsuit filed against the school claims it practices racial discrimination in its hiring policies. Though, there's no complaint that UM is judging applicants directly on the color of their skin, rather the sc ... More >>

Trailer Park Resident Sues WikiLeaks, Julian Assange for $150M in Miami Court

​Julian Assange and WikiLeaks are currently knee deep in a heap of legal concerns. And their latest, and most ridiculous, comes from a Florida man named David Pitchford who has sued the organization and its figurehead for emotional distress. Pitchford, who lists a Key West trailer park as his addr ... More >>

Miami waiter Eddie Santana is a restaurant rebel

​Julian Assange and WikiLeaks are currently knee deep in a heap of legal concerns. And their latest, and most ridiculous, comes from a Florida man named David Pitchford who has sued the organization and its figurehead for emotional distress. Pitchford, who lists a Key West trailer park as his addr ... More >>

Kids claim abuse and violence at juvenile lockup Thompson Academy

​Julian Assange and WikiLeaks are currently knee deep in a heap of legal concerns. And their latest, and most ridiculous, comes from a Florida man named David Pitchford who has sued the organization and its figurehead for emotional distress. Pitchford, who lists a Key West trailer park as his addr ... More >>

Shaquille O'Neal wages war against a Miami computer geek

​Julian Assange and WikiLeaks are currently knee deep in a heap of legal concerns. And their latest, and most ridiculous, comes from a Florida man named David Pitchford who has sued the organization and its figurehead for emotional distress. Pitchford, who lists a Key West trailer park as his addr ... More >>

Rhett Fuller spent 21 years running from murder charges; now he's coming home

​Julian Assange and WikiLeaks are currently knee deep in a heap of legal concerns. And their latest, and most ridiculous, comes from a Florida man named David Pitchford who has sued the organization and its figurehead for emotional distress. Pitchford, who lists a Key West trailer park as his addr ... More >>