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Third Circuit Rules Pennsylvania Courts’ Application of Federal Law Objectively Unreasonable, Overturns Conviction and Death Sentence, Grants Habeas Relief
by Dale Chappell
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed the grant of habeas corpus relief to a death-sentenced defendant based on the fact the state courts’ application of the governing federal law was objectively unreasonable regarding the defendant’s Sixth Amendment choice-of-counsel right.
It wasn’t that Samuel ...
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More from this issue:
- A Closer Look at Sex Offender Registries, by Casey Bastian
- Eighth Circuit Reiterates Statute of Conviction Determines Eligibility for Sentence Reduction Under First Step Act, Not Actual Conduct, by Dale Chappell
- Why Punishing Bad Prosecutors Won’t Fix a Bad System, by James Doyle
- California Supreme Court Announces Standard of Review and Required Showing for Prejudicial Error Under § 1473.7 to Vacate Plea Due to Lack of Understanding of Immigration Consequences, by David Reutter
- Idaho Supreme Court Announces Whether a Container Is Located Inside or Outside Vehicle When Probable Cause Arises Determines if Container May Be Searched Under Automobile Exception, Joining Conclusion of Several Other States, by Anthony Accurso
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Police Deception That Statements Wouldn’t Be Used Against Defendant Requires Suppression, by Anthony Accurso
- Sixth Circuit Vacates Sentence for Impermissible Triple-Counting of Guidelines Enhancements for Ungrouped Offenses, by Dale Chappell
- SCOTUS Reverses Tenth Circuit’s Denial of Qualified Immunity for Fatal Police Shooting, by Douglas Ankney
- New Jersey Directive Provides Relief for Certain Drug Offenders, by Casey Bastian
- California Court of Appeal: Trial Court Required to Provide Notice and Consider Information Provided by Parties Before Ruling on CDCR Recommendation to Recall Sentence Pursuant to § 1170(d)(1), by Douglas Ankney
- Seventh Circuit Announces Standard of Review for Bond Revocation of Defendant on Pretrial Release, by Douglas Ankney
- Kansas Supreme Court: Counsel Ineffective for Failing to Request ‘Voluntary Act’ Jury Instruction in Trial for Rape of Child Younger Than 14 Where Defendant Argued She Was Forcibly Raped by Purported ‘Victim’, by Douglas Ankney
- Sixth Circuit Announces District Court Has Power to Waive Interest on Restitution Post-Sentencing, Resulting in Circuit Split, by Dale Chappell
- Third Circuit Rules Pennsylvania Courts’ Application of Federal Law Objectively Unreasonable, Overturns Conviction and Death Sentence, Grants Habeas Relief, by Dale Chappell
- Idaho Supreme Court Declares Clarke Merely Memorialized Constitutional Principle That Warrantless Arrest for Misdemeanor Completed Outside Officer’s Presence Violates State Constitution and Applies to Cases Prior to Clarke, by Douglas Ankney
- Second Circuit Announces Defendant Need Only Produce ‘Some Credible’ Evidence for Jury Instruction on Entrapment Defense, Clarifying It’s a Burden of Production, Not Persuasion, by Douglas Ankney
- Snitch Visas: A Pipe Dream, by David Reutter
- New Digital Warrants Undermine Fourth Amendment, by Anthony Accurso
- California Court of Appeal Announces Trial Courts Have Authority to Deny Request for Continuance of Motion to Suppress for Failure to Show ‘Good Cause’ Even if it Results in Dismissal, Rejecting Ferrer, by Douglas Ankney
- FBI Gives Green Light for Use of Rapid DNA Solution in Booking Stations, by Douglas Ankney
- Tenth Circuit Rules Impounding Car Following Arrest on Outstanding Warrant Was Pretextual, Suppresses Evidence Discovered, Reverses Convictions, by Anthony Accurso
- Pushback on Police Lying to Obtain False Confessions, by Jayson Hawkins
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Announces Driver Who Leaves Scene of Accident Subject to Only One Hit-and-Run Violation, Regardless of How Many Victims, by Douglas Ankney
- Civil Forfeiture Under Fire in Massachusetts, by Jayson Hawkins
- Why Won’t the State of Missouri Release Innocent Men From Prison?, by Casey Bastian
- ShotSpotter Acoustic Detection System Another Example of a Forensic Tool Shrouded in Secrecy and Prone to Questionable Results, by Casey Bastian
- Oregon Bill Makes it More Difficult to Hide Police Misconduct, by Jacob Barrett
- New Study Reveals Digital Forensic Examiners Inclined to Biasability, by Casey Bastian
- Some Cities Taking Holistic Approach to Public Safety, by Casey Bastian
- Criminal Justice Legislation Signed by North Carolina Governor, by Ashleigh Dye
- Government Keyword Searches Revealed, by Jayson Hawkins
- Who You Gonna Call When You Don’t Want the Cops? There’s a Website for That, by Casey Bastian
- D.C. Circuit: Government Breached Plea Agreement by Violating Ambiguous Terms, Ambiguities Resolved in Favor of Defendants, Sentence Vacated, by David Reutter
- Eleventh Circuit: Georgia Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon Only Requires Mens Rea of Recklessness Thus Not a ‘Violent Felony’ Under ACCA, by Dale Chappell
- News in Brief
- Minnesota Police Hand Out ‘Not-Reaching’ Pouches to Reduce Police Shoot-ings of Motorists, by Dale Chappell
More from Dale Chappell:
- Federal Habeas Corpus for State Prisoners: Proving Unreasonableness Under AEDPA, Feb. 1, 2025
- Federal Court Rules Michigan’s Sex Offender Registration Laws Violate Constitution, Dec. 1, 2024
- Refuting the Government’s Argument Against Nonretroactive Changes in Law as Grounds for Compassionate Release, Oct. 1, 2024
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Getting Around Procedural Default, July 15, 2024
- The Death of the Savings Clause, May 15, 2024
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Understanding Second or Successive Petitions for State Prisoners, April 15, 2024
- Fourth Circuit Reinstates Relief From Death Penalty, Citing State’s Forfeiture of Argument Against Relief, May 15, 2023
- Federal Habeas Corpus: The Evidentiary Hearing for Federal Prisoners, April 15, 2023
- Federal Habeas Corpus: How to Raise a Fourth Amendment Claim, Feb. 15, 2023
- Will Overturning Roe v. Wade Kill the Right to Abortion Under BOP Policy?, Jan. 1, 2023
More from these topics:
- Federal Withdrawal of Single-Drug Execution Protocol Follows Challenges in Indiana, Arizona, March 1, 2025. Death Penalty/Death Row, Lethal Injection Method of Execution.
- Tennessee Finalizes New One-Drug Execution Protocol, Feb. 15, 2025. Death Penalty/Death Row, Drugs - Determination of, Lethal Injection Method of Execution.
- Indiana Resumes Executions, Feb. 15, 2025. Death Penalty/Death Row, Lethal Injection Method of Execution.
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Clarifies Trial Court Must Conduct Inquiry Whether Defendant Knowingly and Voluntarily Waived Right to Counsel at ‘Any Stage of a Case,’ Including Arraignment or Plea Hearing, Feb. 1, 2025. Counsel - Right to, Knowingly and Voluntarily Made.
- With Eleventh Circuit Okay, Alabama Executes Third Prisoner by Nitrogen Hypoxia, Jan. 15, 2025. Death Penalty/Death Row, Cruel and Unusual Punishment.
- Biden Commutes Sentences of Most Federal Prisoners on Death Row, Jan. 15, 2025. Alternative Sentencing, Death Penalty/Death Row, Resentencing.
- Alabama Shrouds Executioners in Secrecy, Dec. 15, 2024. Death Penalty/Death Row, Lethal Injection Method of Execution.
- San Quentin Brings in Hollywood, Moves Out California Death Row Prisoners, Dec. 15, 2024. Death Penalty/Death Row, Media.
- SCOTUS Stays Texas Execution With 20 Minutes to Spare, Nov. 15, 2024. DNA Testing/Samples, Death Penalty/Death Row, Stays, Lethal Injection Method of Execution.
- 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.
