More from this issue:

1. News in Brief
2. Using Technology to Erase Old Pot Convictions is the Buzz in Los Angeles, by Douglas Ankney
3. Criticizing Cops is a Criminal Act in Many States, by Edward Lyon
4. Illinois Data Collection Law Set to Expire; Collected Data Reveal Police Target Black and Latino Drivers, by Douglas Ankney
5. The Many Pitfalls Associated With Police Lineups, by Edward Lyon
6. Tennessee Legislature’s Investigation Finds Inadequate Supervision of Private Probation, by Derek Gilna
7. If You’re Unlucky or Black, Your Prison Sentence Could Be 63 Percent Longer, by Douglas Ankney
8. Prosecutors Regret Man’s Wrongful Conviction in 1983 Florida Rape and Murder
9. New York Court of Appeals: Jury Trial Right Attaches to Deportable Crimes Punishable by Less Than Six Months in Jail, by David Reutter
10. Ninth Circuit: Habeas Petitioner Need Only Show That IAC Claims Are Substantial to Excuse Procedural Default Under Martinez, by Chad Marks
11. Pennsylvania Governor Signs Into Law New Bills to Help Convicts, Extends Postconviction Filing Time Limits
12. Don’t Shoot the Dogs: The Growing Epidemic of Cops Shooting Family Dogs, by John W. Whitehead
13. Dallas County Judge’s ‘Blank Check’ Warrant Questioned; Case Dismissed, by Dale Chappell
14. Ninth Circuit: Washington State Accomplice Liability Drug Offenses Not ACCA Predicates, by Mark Wilson
15. McDNA: The DNA Testing Equivalent to Fast Food, by Edward Lyon
16. Kansas Supreme Court Overturns Sentence for Vindictiveness, by Anthony Accurso
17. Eighth Circuit: Misprision of Felony Conviction of Participant in Underlying Felony Violates Fifth Amendment, by Douglas Ankney
18. DEA Used Decades of Warrantless Phone Data in Building Parallel Construction Cases, by Steve Horn
19. Sixth Circuit Holds IAC When Counsel Fails to Warn of Possibility of Deportation as Result of Plea Bargain, by Dale Chappell
20. Oregon Supreme Court: State Prohibited From Introducing Breath Test Refusal as Evidence of DUI, by Mark Wilson
21. Intoxicated Driving Convictions for Non-Drinking Drivers, by Edward Lyon
22. Appointed Defense Lawyers, Public Defenders: Overworked, Underpaid, Ineffective, by Edward Lyon
23. Supreme Court of Delaware: Lawyer’s Mere Presence the Day of Trial Violates Sixth Amendment Under Cronic Standard, by Chad Marks
24. Sixth Circuit Rejects Kentucky Supreme Court’s Ruling That Defendant-Lawyers Are Never Without Counsel and Not Entitled to Faretta Hearing, by Dale Chappell
25. NJ Supreme Court: Failure to Advise Suspect of Pending Charges Before Waiver of Right Against Self-Incrimination Requires Suppression of Statements, by Douglas Ankney
26. First Circuit Vacates Revocation Sentence for Improperly Considering Rehabilitation, by Anthony Accurso
27. Eighth Circuit Vacates Supervised Release Conditions Prohibiting Alcohol Consumption and Setting Curfew Not Contained in Plea Agreement, by Matthew Clarke
28. Knowing Sexual Offense Facts Important; Paying Attention to Them Critical, by Sandy Rozek
29. Second Circuit Rules 68-Month Delay Violates Speedy Trial Clause, by Douglas Ankney
30. Pennsylvania District Court Explores the Growing Conflict Between Federal Laws, Which Still Prohibit the Use of Any Amounts of Marijuana, and State Laws, Which Increasingly Authorize the Use of Medical Marijuana and Decriminalize the Use of Small Amounts, by Punch & Jurists
31. When Prosecuting Crimes by Police, Feds Appear to Move Slowly, by Edward Lyon
32. Unreasonable Delay in Obtaining Search Warrant after Lawful Seizure Requires Suppression of Evidence, Announces Georgia Supreme Court, by Douglas Ankney
33. Fourth Circuit: 9-Year Increase in Guidelines Range Due to Misclassification as Career Offender Warrants § 2241 Petition to Be Heard on Merits When § 2255 Relief Unavailable, by David Reutter
34. Georgia Supreme Court Says Visually Impaired Defendant Entitled to Appointment of a Reader, by Douglas Ankney
35. The Holloway Doctrine and First Step Act: Federal Judge Issues Order Urging Government to Dismiss One of Two 18 U.S.C. §924(c) Stacking Convictions, by Chad Marks
36. Portion of Illinois Sex Offender Law is Unconstitutional, by Douglas Ankney
37. Third Circuit: Reason for Continuance Must be Given to Exclude Delay from 70-Day Limit of Speedy Trial Act or Dismissal of Indictment, by Douglas Ankney
38. First Circuit: FBI’s Ruse Claiming National Emergency to Obtain Consent to Search Held Unlawful, by Douglas Ankney
39. Illinois Supreme Court: Warrantless Dog Sniff of Apartment Front Door in Locked Building Violates Fourth Amendment, by David Reutter
40. Fourth Circuit Rules District Court Must Provide Individualized Rationale When Denying Motion for Sentence Reduction, by Douglas Ankney
41. Suspected Mishandling of DNA Tests Puts Cases on Hold in Fort Worth, Texas, by Michael Berk
42. Misconduct by prosecutors is rampant — how do we deter it?, by Mike Fawer
43. Nebraska’s Beatrice Six Will Collect $28.1 Million Jury Award, by Edward Lyon
44. Connecticut Supreme Court Rejects Davis and Announces State Constitution Requires Police to Clarify Ambiguous Request for Counsel Before Continuing Interrogation, by Douglas Ankney
45. Habeas Hints: Discovery on Habeas Corpus, by Tara Hoveland, Kent Russell
46. Flipping the Bird, Even Toward a Cop, Is a Constitutionally Protected Right, by Douglas Ankney
47. Prosecutors Dropping Child Porn Charges After Software Tools Are Questioned, by Jack Gillum

More from Chad Marks:

• Use of Solitary Confinement During Pandemic Detrimental To Prisoners and Not Slowing Spread of COVID-19, May 1, 2021
• COVID-19 Inspired Ban on Prison Visits in Texas Ends, April 1, 2021
• Sequel: Three Additional Federal Executions Before Trump Left Office, March 1, 2021
• Connecticut: Summary Judgment Denied in Deliberate Indifference Case Where Facial Lesion Turned Out To Be Skin Cancer, Nov. 1, 2020
• Ford Foundation President’s Support to Replace Rikers With Other Jails Criticized, Oct. 1, 2020
• Wisconsin: Court Dismisses Prisoners’ Suit Over Asbestos, Mold on Procedural Grounds, Sept. 1, 2020
• New Jersey: Commission Recommends State Take 100 Steps to Improve Re-Entry for Ex-Prisoners, Sept. 1, 2020
• New York: Prisoner Kills Himself After Brutal Beating by Guards, Aug. 1, 2020
• Jury Award $700,000 to Maryland Prisoner Assaulted by Guards, Aug. 1, 2020
• Is the Death Penalty Slowly Dying Across the Nation?, June 15, 2020

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.
• 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.
• Georgia Supreme Court Grants Habeas Where Defense Counsel Failed to Understand State Self-Defense Statute Provides Complete Defense to Felony Murder Based on Felon-in-Possession Charge, Oct. 1, 2024. Habeas Corpus, Felon in Possession Statute, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Murder/Felony Murder.
• Third Circuit Orders Evidentiary Hearing on State Prisoner’s Petition Seeking Federal Habeas Relief Because Both State and Federal Courts Denied Relief Without Holding Hearing on IAC Claim That, if Proven, Would Entitle Him to Relief, Aug. 1, 2024. Evidentiary Ruling, Habeas Corpus, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Counsel - Effective Assistance of.