Bipolar disorder, which used to be called manic depressive illness or manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by wide mood swings from high (manic) to low (depressed). Periods of high or irritable mood are called manic episodes.
James Byrd, Jr. was not engaged in a federally-protected activity when he was lynched and killed. The Matthew Shepard Act expanded the 1969 Federal Hate Crime Law to cover these and other types of brutal murders.
This comprehensive Guide will aid prosecutors and other professionals in applying criminal statutes of limitations for sex crimes occurring after July 1, 1984, in Illinois and determining whether an older sex crimes case is still viable.