More from this issue:

1. News In Brief
2. When Prosecuting Crimes by Police, Feds Appear to Move Slowly, by Edward Lyon
3. Can Criminal Records Ever Truly Be Expunged in the Internet Era?, by Matthew Clarke
4. Third Circuit: Pennsylvania’s SORNA Requirements Sufficiently Restrictive to Constitute Custody for Habeas Jurisdiction, by Douglas Ankney
5. Nebraska’s Death Row Prisoners Must Bring ‘Repeal Challenges’ Individually, by Douglas Ankney
6. San Francisco Embraces New Technology to Clear Pot Convictions
7. Wisconsin Considers Updating Its Cash Bail System, by Kevin Bliss
8. Birth Pangs of Bail Reform Come to Texas, by Edward Lyon
9. Indiana Supreme Court Announces Trial Court Must Resentence on All Underlying Felonies After Gang Enhancement Sentence Reversed on Appeal, by Derek Gilna
10. $8.4 Million Combined Settlement Reached by ‘Norfolk Four’, by Douglas Ankney
11. Eleventh Circuit Rules DEA’s Definition of Positional Isomer Does Not Apply to Substances on Temporary Schedule, Vacates Possession Conviction, by Matthew Clarke
12. Shooting of Seven-Year-Old Girl in Houston Highlights Problems With Eyewitness Identification, by Matthew Clarke
13. Georgia Supreme Court Announces Defendant May Invoke Rape Shield Statute to Bar State From Offering Evidence of Victim’s Past Sexual Behavior, by Douglas Ankney
14. Kentucky Supreme Court Holds State Statute Defining Intellectual Disability as IQ of 70 or Lower Unconstitutional, Death Row Prisoner Entitled to Hearing, by Matthew Clarke
15. Oregon Supreme Court Clarifies PCR ‘Church Motion’ Practice, by Mark Wilson
16. Death Penalty Usage Trending Downward, Report Reveals, by Betty Nelander
17. Tennessee Supreme Court: Attempting to Secretly Videotape 
Teen Changing Clothes Does Not Support Conviction for Attempted Production of Child Pornography, by Douglas Ankney
18. Georgia Supreme Court Holds Statute Authorizing Lifetime GPS Monitoring of ‘Sexually Dangerous Predator’ Is Unconstitutional, by Douglas Ankney
19. Erie County Convicted 11 People of Violating a Law Ruled Unconstitutional Over 20 Years Ago by Federal Court, by Kevin Bliss
20. Video Simulators Part of Push to Train Police to Shoot Fewer Dogs, Limit Lawsuits, by Derek Gilna
21. FBI Reviewing Four Incidents of Excessive Force at Mesa, Arizona, PD in Just Four Months, by Dale Chappell
22. Law Enforcement and Lobbyists Battle Over Need for Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform, by Kevin Bliss
23. First Circuit: Sentencing Courts May Consider New Career Offender Guideline Amendment 798, Even Though Not Retroactive, by Dale Chappell
24. Nevada Supreme Court Clarifies, Narrows Nonhearsay Rule Under NRS 51.135(2), by Dale Chappell
25. North Dakota Supreme Court Announces Implied Consent Advisory Must be Read After Arrest and Before Administering Test, by Douglas Ankney
26. Counsel Ineffective for Failing to Move for Mistrial When Court Coerces Unanimous Verdict, by Douglas Ankney
27. Fourth Circuit Rules 3 Marijuana Stems Discovered in Single Trash Pull Insufficient for Search Warrant, Suppresses Evidence Found in Residence, by David Reutter
28. Sixth Circuit Rejects Qualified Immunity Claim in Malicious Prosecution Suit for Wrongful Arrest and Conviction Involving Multiple Lies by Police, by Dale Chappell
29. Seventh Circuit: Claim for Unlawful Pretrial Detention Accrues on Date of Release, by Douglas Ankney
30. Connecticut Supreme Court Announces Defense Counsel Has Duty to ‘Promptly’ Notify Defendant of Plea Offer, Failure to Notify Before Testifying Constitutes IAC, by Matthew Clarke
31. In Landmark Civil Asset Forfeiture Case, U.S. Supreme Court Holds Excessive Fines Clause of Eighth Amendment Applicable to States, by Douglas Ankney
32. Ninth Circuit Holds Juror Who Wouldn’t Unequivocally State She Could Be Impartial Should Have Been Excused; New Trial Ordered Because Biased Juror Can’t Be Harmless Error, by Dale Chappell
33. Fourth Circuit Grants Habeas Relief for Death Row Prisoner Because Trial Court Excluded Expert Testimony Defendant Represents Low Risk of Violence in Prison, by David Reutter
34. Supreme Court of Alaska Announces Court System Bears Costs of Expert Evaluation When Insanity or Diminished Capacity Raised as Defense, by Chad Marks
35. Arkansas Supreme Court: Search of Wallet Exceeded Scope of Lawful ‘Terry’ Frisk for Weapons, by Douglas Ankney
36. California Police Privacy Laws Have Been Violating Brady for Years, by Mark Wilson
37. New Jersey Supreme Court: Detention of Motel Room Occupants After Reason for Police Visit Resolved Is Unlawful Seizure, Evidence Subject to Exclusionary Rule, by Richard Resch
38. N.C. Supreme Court: Hiring and Paying a Hit Man Not Overt Act Necessary for Attempted Murder Charge, by Douglas Ankney
39. NYPD’s Controversial Use of Mugshot Database Searches, by Matthew Clarke
40. Conversations With Those Helped by Passage of First Step Act: Provides Relief for Some Federal Prisoners, but More Is Needed, by Chad Marks
41. Appeals court provides new vehicle to challenge registration, by Larry N.
42. The FBI Says Its Photo Analysis Is Scientific Evidence. Scientists Disagree., by Ryan Gabrielson

More from Douglas Ankney:

• Community Supervision: America’s Hidden Wellspring to Mass Incarceration, Feb. 15, 2025
• Rikers Island Continues Long Practice of Denying Education to Young Adults, Feb. 15, 2025
• Monterey County Pays $1 Million to Settle Suit Over Detainee Suicide by Toilet Tissue; Wellpath Pays Another Undisclosed Sum, Feb. 15, 2025
• Sixth Circuit Revives Challenge by Kentucky Prisoner Left Three Weeks in “Rancid” Paper Undershorts, Feb. 15, 2025
• California Court of Appeal: Evidence Insufficient to Show Robbery Victim Moved ‘Substantial Distance’ to Support Simple Kidnapping Conviction and Amendments to § 186.22 Require Vacatur of Gang Enhancements, Feb. 15, 2025
• Fourth Circuit Revives Claims Against Virginia Jailers by Detainee They Allegedly Manhandled While Handcuffed, Feb. 15, 2025
• Fourth Circuit Reinstates North Carolina Prisoner’s Failure-to-Protect Claim Against Guard in Stabbing, Feb. 15, 2025
• Minnesota Supreme Court Announces No Duty to Retreat When Using Reasonable Force in Defense of Another and Provides Framework for Analyzing Such Claims, Feb. 1, 2025
• NIJ Partners With Doctor to Develop Better Screening Method to Detect and Identify Drugs Postmortem, Jan. 15, 2025
• Fines and Fees Destroy the Impoverished and Perpetuate Mass Incarceration, Jan. 15, 2025

More from these topics:

• 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.
• 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.
• Tennessee Attorney Sues Federal Court Over Gag Order in CoreCivic Suit, Dec. 15, 2024. Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Attorneys, Gag Order.
• Ninth Circuit Grants Habeas Relief to California Prisoner on Napue Claim Because Prosecution Failed to Correct Informant’s False Testimony That He Did Not Receive Any Benefit In Exchange for His Testimony, Dec. 1, 2024. Informants, Habeas Corpus, Informants and Paid Witnesses, False Testimony.
• Public Defender Files Habeas Petitions for Detainees at “Horrific” Baltimore Lockup, Nov. 15, 2024. Failure to Treat, Conditions of Confinement, Hygiene Supplies, Disclosure of Records, Habeas Corpus.
• Ninth Circuit Denies Habeas Relief to Prisoner Who Invoked Fifth Amendment Right to Counsel During Custodial Interrogation but Made Incriminating Statements to Undercover Informant Posing as Fellow Prisoner Because Right to Counsel Not Violated, Nov. 1, 2024. Habeas Corpus, Custodial Interrogations/Statements, Counsel - Right to.
• California Bar Accuses L.A. Lawyer of Deceiving Prisoners Seeking Resentencing, Oct. 15, 2024. Attorney Misconduct, Malpractice (Attorneys), False Statements/Perjury.