More from this issue:

1. Prosecutorial Extortion: Alleged Drug Dealer Agrees to $300,000 Seizure in Face of Charges Threatened Against Entire Family, by David Reutter
2. Seventh Circuit Vacates Sentence Because Government Failed to Meet Its Burden to Support Uncharged Drug Quantity Under Rule 32, by Douglas Ankney
3. Drug Detection Dogs Are Unreliable and Reflect the Vicious Heritage of Their Slave-Hunting Dog and Police-Dog Predecessors, by Matthew Clarke
4. Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Clarifies Prejudice Standard for IAC Based on Faulty Probation Eligibility Advice Is an Effect on Defendant’s Decision Making, Not Different Outcome, by Mark Wilson
5. Everybody’s Guilty: To the Police State, We’re All Criminals Until We Prove Otherwise, by Nisha Whitehead, John W. Whitehead
6. Colorado Supreme Court Announces ‘Reasonable Likelihood’ Framework for Determining Whether Trial Court’s Comments to Prospective Jurors Lowered Prosecution’s Burden of Proof, by Douglas Ankney
7. Iowa Supreme Court: Warrantless Entry Into Home for Misdemeanor Arrest Violates Both U.S. and Iowa Constitutions and Requires Suppression of Evidence, by Mark Wilson
8. Police Often Use ‘Cover Charges’ to Mask False Arrests and Police Brutality, by Casey Bastian
9. Eighth Circuit: Government Breached Plea Agreement by Relying on Pre-Plea Conduct to Dispute Acceptance of Responsibility Despite Acknowledging Defendant Qualified for Credit in Agreement, by Richard Resch
10. California Supreme Court Announces Uncharged Lesser Firearm Enhancement May Be Substituted Under § 12022.53, by Mark Wilson
11. California Court of Appeal: Gang Enhancements Remanded for Retrial Under AB 333; Sameness Requirement Satisfied
12. Maryland Court of Appeals: Kazadi Applies to Cases Where Issue Was Preserved at Trial but Appeal Not Yet Noted at Time Kazadi Decided, by Douglas Ankney
13. Third Circuit Suppresses Evidence Found After Police Created Safety Concern to Justify Prolonging Traffic Stop, by Anthony Accurso
14. Fifth Circuit: District Court Miscalculated Sentencing Guidelines Range by Implausibly Finding Defendant Would Use All Cash Proceeds of Drug Sales Seized to Purchase More Meth to Resell, by Douglas Ankney
15. California Supreme Court Announces Conspiracy to Commit Home Invasion Robbery Not Subject to Enhancement to Indeterminate Life Sentence Under Penal Code § 186.22(b)(4), by Matthew Clarke
16. Commentary: Exploring Implications of the Supreme Court’s Expansion of Second Amendment Rights, by Professor Douglas A. Berman
17. Third Circuit: District Court’s Focus on Substance of Defendant’s Meritless Arguments in Denying Request to Represent Himself Resulted in Inadequate Inquiry Prior to Denial in Violation of Sixth Amendment, by Matthew Clarke
18. Fourth Circuit: South Carolina Marijuana Law Not a Categorical Match to Federal Law for ACCA Sentencing, by David Reutter
19. Hawai’i Supreme Court Holds Randomness and Violent Nature of Crime Alone Insufficient to Establish Exigent Circumstances for Warrantless Entry Into Suspect’s Home, by Anthony Accurso
20. Tenth Circuit: Guilty Plea Not Knowing and Voluntary Because Sentencing Court Failed to Ask Follow Up Questions After Defendant Said He’s Off His Medication and ‘Mind Isn’t Right’, by David Reutter
21. Sixth Circuit: COA Not Required to Appeal Order Denying Rule 4(a)(5) Motion for Extension of Time to File Notice of Appeal, by Douglas Ankney
22. Pennsylvania Supreme Court Clarifies Ex Post Facto Analysis Focuses on When, Not Where, Crime Occurred and Does Not Require Showing of Disadvantage to Defendant, by Douglas Ankney
23. The War in Ukraine Raises Awareness About Secure Communications During a Crisis, by Douglas Ankney
24. Inflation Transforming Petty Offenses Into Felonies, by Douglas Ankney
25. Ohio Justice Calls for Plea Bargaining Reform to End ‘Sentencing by Ambush’, by David Reutter
26. Your Data Is For Sale and Anonymization Is Meaningless, by Anthony Accurso
27. Michigan Supreme Court Announces Punishment for Second-Degree Murder and Involuntary Manslaughter When Based on Same Conduct Violates Prohibition Against Double Jeopardy, by Anthony Accurso
28. NYPD Continues Its Longstanding Tradition of Thwarting Misconduct Investigations and Evading Accountability, by Douglas Ankney
29. FBI’s ‘Rich Neighborhood’ Breach Practice, by Jayson Hawkins
30. Nebraska Company Providing Digital Wiretaps of Messaging Platforms to Law Enforcement Agencies, by Anthony Accurso
31. Quattrone Center Reveals Lack of Transparency Concerning Prosecutorial Misconduct Claims Report identifies over 7,000 instances of state attorney conduct that ‘did not comport’ with ethical, procedural, or legal rules, by Casey Bastian
32. Chicago PD Emphasizing Facial Recognition for Investigations, by Anthony Accurso
33. Illinois Limits Police Access to Data Stored by Third Parties, by Anthony Accurso
34. Border Patrol Agents Track and Spy on U.S. Journalists and Unidentified Members of Congress, by Douglas Ankney
35. ‘Freedom Commons Academy’ Provides Former Prisoners Housing and Structured Re-entry Services in Syracuse, by Casey Bastian
36. Maine’s Law Enforcement Agencies, Like Those of Most States, Don’t Track Complaints Against Police Officers, by Douglas Ankney
37. Prosecutor’s Sentencing Message to Defendant: Insist on Trial, Pay with Your Liberty, by David Reutter
38. News in Brief

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:

• Tennessee Finalizes New One-Drug Execution Protocol, Feb. 15, 2025. Death Penalty/Death Row, Drugs - Determination of, Lethal Injection Method of Execution.
• Hawaii Guard One of Four Convicted in Smuggling Scheme at Honolulu Prison, June 1, 2023. Guard Misconduct, Cell Searches, Drugs - Determination of.
• Prisoner Health Update: K2, May 1, 2023. Cell Searches, Drug Testing, Drugs - Determination of, Detention of Goods Exception.
• Ohio Supreme Court: Amendment to Statute That Shifts Burden of Proof to State Regarding Self-Defense Applies to All Pending and New Trials After Effective Date, Regardless of When Alleged Crime Occurred, Sept. 15, 2022. Retroactivity, Burden of Proof.
• Meth “Kiss of Death” Kills Tennessee Prisoner; Girlfriend Charged with Murder, Sept. 7, 2022. Wrongful Death, Drugs - Determination of, Methamphetamine.
• Colorado Supreme Court Announces ‘Reasonable Likelihood’ Framework for Determining Whether Trial Court’s Comments to Prospective Jurors Lowered Prosecution’s Burden of Proof, July 15, 2022. Jury Instructions in Jury Room, Burden of Proof, Improper Comment.
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Announces Coty’s ‘Inference-of-Falsity’ Framework Extended to Apply to Police Officers With Established History of Falsifying Evidence in Drug Cases, June 15, 2022. Police/Govt Misconduct, Drugs - Determination of, Fabrication of Evidence, False Exculpatory Statements.
• South Carolina Supreme Court Rejects U.S. Supreme Court’s Shifting of Burden to Defendant to Prove Absence of Exigent Circumstances in DUI Cases, June 15, 2020. Exigent Circumstances, Warrantless Searches, Burden of Proof.
• Fifth Circuit Finds IAC for Failure to Object to Court’s Jury Instructions that Constructively Amended Indictment by Lowering Government’s Burden of Proof, May 15, 2020. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Jurors and Juries, Burden of Proof.
• Lobbins v. U.S., No. 15-6386 (6th Cir.) (900 F.3d 799) (August 21, 2018) (Judge Raymond M. Kethledge), Dec. 17, 2018. Punch And Jurists, Burden of Proof.