More from this issue:

1. Dallas County Private Bail Hearings Leave People Languishing Behind Bars, by Kevin Bliss
2. New App Makes It Simple for Civilians to Record Police Encounters
3. Sex Offender Registration Biased Against Blacks, by Kevin Bliss
4. Arizona Supreme Court Strikes Law Categorically Banning Bail for Sexual Assault as Unconstitutional, by Dale Chappell
5. $384 Million Paid Out by New York City in Last Five Years for Police Misconduct, by Derek Gilna
6. ACLU Report: A Tale of Two NYCs When It Comes to Policing, by Derek Gilna
7. Fourth Circuit Affirms District Court Ruling that Man Committed as ‘Sexually Dangerous’ Should be Released, by Christopher Zoukis
8. Increase in Crime Registries Nationwide Not a Benefit to Society, by Kevin Bliss
9. Ninth Circuit Grants Habeas for Appellate Lawyer’s Failure to Raise Denial of Self-Representation Claim, by Matthew Clarke
10. Tenth Circuit Grants Habeas Relief When ACCA Predicate Offense No Longer Qualifies as ‘Violent Felony’, by Christopher Zoukis
11. Chicago Judge Grants No-Money Bond in Murder Case, But Cook County Still Has a Long Way to Go, by Dale Chappell
12. FBI Admits Vastly Inflating Number of Unsearchable Mobile Devices
13. Oklahoma’s Railroading its Citizens into Prison, by Edward Lyon
14. Second Circuit Announces Prisoners Have First Amendment Right Not to Snitch or Provide False Information to Prison Officials, by Richard Resch
15. Under Fire, Long Beach Police Suspend Use of Self-Deleting Message App, by Betty Nelander
16. Michigan Supreme Court Announces New Rule for Appointing Expert Witness for Indigent Defendants, No Longer Left to Trial Judge’s Discretion, by Dale Chappell
17. Oregon Enhanced Drug Penalty ‘For Consideration’ Element Requires Proof of Drug Sale or Agreement to Sell, by Mark Wilson
18. Orlando Police Continue to Test Amazon’s Facial Recognition Software Despite Privacy Concerns
19. Pennsylvania State Senator Sends the Cops to Collect on Overdue Trash Bills Owed to His Company, by Christopher Zoukis
20. Colorado Supreme Court Holds Ameliorative Amendments Apply Retroactively to Non-Final Convictions, by Dale Chappell
21. First Circuit Orders Resentencing Where Trial Counsel Failed to Secure Three-Level Reduction Under Sentencing Guidelines, by David Reutter
22. Federal Death Penalty Prosecutors Accuse One Another of Destroying Evidence and Other Misconduct in Discrimination Lawsuit, by Shawn Musgrave, Brooke Williams
23. Ninth Circuit Rules Detective’s Persistent Questioning After Invocation of Right to Counsel Entitles California Prisoner to Habeas Relief, by Richard Resch
24. Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Reverses Conviction for Improper Lesser-Included-Offense Determination, by Christopher Zoukis
25. Washington Supreme Court Announces State’s Death Penalty Is Unconstitutional, by Richard Resch
26. Snarky Facebook Post Not True Threat; Officers Denied Qualified Immunity, by David Reutter
27. Sixth Circuit Grants Habeas Relief When Juror Failed to Disclose History of Sexual Abuse in Sexual Assault Case, by Christopher Zoukis
28. New York Court of Appeals: Excited Utterance Must Be Based on Personal Observation to Be Admissible as Exception to Hearsay Rule, by Dale Chappell
29. Three Reasons Why the Supreme Court Should Eliminate the Doctrine of Qualified Immunity, by Christopher Zoukis
30. Seventh Circuit: Habeas Petition Challenging § 841 Recidivism Sentence Enhanced with Vacated State Convictions is Not Time-Barred by § 851(e) Statute of Limitations, by Christopher Zoukis
31. California Court of Appeal Rules 17-Year Delay in SVP Trial Violated Right to Speedy Trial, by Kevin Bliss
32. Warning: Integrity of Judicial Process at Risk, by Sandy Rozek
33. Kentucky Supreme Court Declares Law Defining Intellectual Disability Unconstitutional, Overturns Death Sentence, by Dale Chappell
34. Is Blue Privilege at Work in Texas Police Killings?, by Betty Nelander
35. Pennsylvania Supreme Court Holds FTA Does Not Affect Independent Speedy Trial Violation by Prosecutor, by Dale Chappell
36. Habeas Hints: Evaluating and Initiating IAC Claims, by Kent Russell, Tara Hoveland
37. Should the Minimum Age for the Death Penalty be Bumped Up to 21?
38. Colorado Supreme Court Announces ‘Preponderance of the Evidence’ Standard for Determining Voluntariness of Consent to Search, by Dale Chappell
39. Free at Last! California Modifies Its Felony Murder Law, Helping up to 800 Prisoners Currently Serving Life Sentences, by Edward Lyon
40. Arkansas Supreme Court Reverses Negligent Homicide Conviction Where Evidence Obtained Via Warrantless Blood Draw Used, by Christopher Zoukis
41. News in Brief
42. Eyewitness (Mis)Identification in the Criminal Justice System: Powerful, Persuasive, and Problematic, by Christopher Zoukis

More from Richard Resch:

• From the Editor, Dec. 15, 2024
• New York Court of Appeals Overturns Harvey Weinstein’s Convictions Based on Trial Court Rulings That Admitted Prejudicial ‘Prior Bad Acts’ Into Evidence and Violated His Right to Testify in His Own Defense, June 15, 2024
• SCOTUS: Reiterates Jury Verdict of Acquittal for Any Reason Bars Retrial Under Double Jeopardy Clause of Fifth Amendment, May 15, 2024
• Fourth Circuit: Defendant Entitled to Discovery and Evidentiary Hearing on § 2255 Petition to Withdraw Guilty Plea Because It Was Not Knowingly and Voluntarily Made, March 15, 2024
• New York Court of Appeals Announces Traffic Stop of Bicyclist Is Seizure Under Both Fourth Amendment and State Constitution Requiring Reasonable Suspicion of Crime or Probable Cause of Traffic Violation, March 15, 2024
• First Circuit Announces It Has Authority to Raise Claim of Error Sua Sponte for Violation of ‘Mandate Rule’ by Sentenc-ing Court on Remand, Jan. 15, 2024
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Clarifies Application of ‘Estoppel’ in Plea Bargain Context and Holds Trial Court Lacked Jurisdiction to Revoke Community Supervision After Statutory Term Expired, Dec. 15, 2023
• Seventh Circuit Announces Procedures for Addressing ‘Facially Questionable Warrant’ Due to ‘Material Handwritten Alterations’ Unsigned or Initialed by Issuing Judge, Dec. 15, 2023
• Colorado Supreme Court Announces ‘Self-Serving Hearsay’ Statements Introduced Under Rule of Completeness Not Hearsay and Do Not Render Defendant Impeachable, Nov. 1, 2023
• New York Court of Appeals Suppresses Evidence Because Police Lacked Reasonable Suspicion Necessary for Level 3 Stop and Frisk Under De Bour Framework, Oct. 1, 2023

More from these topics:

• Fourth Circuit Decision on Claim of Retaliation for Exercising First And Sixth Amendment Rights Highlights Police Corruption, Feb. 15, 2025. Police Misconduct, Retaliation for Filing Grievances.
• Police Departments Are Now Using AI to Write Reports, Feb. 15, 2025. Police Misconduct, Computer Searches, Electronic Surveillance, Police/Govt Misconduct, Police Reports.
• Third Circuit Grants Habeas Relief to Prisoner on Confrontation Clause and Ineffective Assistance Claims Based on Trial Court Reading Entire Criminal Information Into the Record of Co-Conspirator Who Pleaded Guilty, Feb. 15, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Exculpatory No Doctrine, Confrontation Clause/Rights, Witnesses - Prior Statements/Testimony, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Grants Habeas Relief in ‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’ Case, Feb. 1, 2025. junk science, Habeas Corpus, Forensic Sciences, Child Abuse/Abusers, Evidence - Admissibility.
• California Prisoner Awarded Over $1.26 Million in Suit Challenging Withheld Legal Mail Which Resulted in Habeas Loss, Jan. 15, 2025. Settlements, Habeas Corpus, Mail Regulations, Legal Mail.
• Georgia Supreme Court Grants Habeas Relief Where Both Trial and Appellate Counsel Provided Ineffective Assistance by Failing to Challenge Indictment for Residential Burglary That Failed to Allege Defendant Illegally Entered a ‘Dwelling’, Jan. 15, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Constitutional Challenges/Law.
• Colorado Supreme Court Announces When Deciding Defendant’s Pro Se Motion Requesting Counsel on Postconviction Review, Trial Court Must Either Deny Entire Motion or Permit All Claims If Any Have Arguable Merit, Dec. 15, 2024. Appointment of Counsel, After Request for Counsel, Pro Se Issues.
• Ninth Circuit Holds District Courts Have No Authority Under Rule 4 of Rules Governing § 2254 Cases to Dismiss Habeas Petition on the Merits, Dec. 15, 2024. Habeas Corpus, Dismissal, Authority and Jurisdiction.
• $25 Million Contempt Fine Prompts Release of Pretrial Detainees from Philadelphia Lockups, Dec. 15, 2024. Appointment of Counsel, Contempt (Civil Procedure), Bail/Pretrial Release, Fines.
• Corruption Charges Dropped Against Maryland Sheriff, Former Virginia Sheriff Headed to Trial, Dec. 15, 2024. Guard Misconduct, Police Misconduct.