More from this issue:

1. The Debunking of Forensic Science: A Decade of Increased Scrutiny Reveals Forensic Processes Prone to Bias and Error, by Casey Bastian
2. California Court of Appeal: At Felony-Murder Resentencing Hearing, Court May Not Deny Relief Based on Findings That Are Inconsistent With Previous Acquittal, by Douglas Ankney
3. You’d Better Watch Out: The Surveillance State Is Making a List, and You’re On It, by Nisha Whitehead, John W. Whitehead
4. Montana Supreme Court: Odor of Marijuana by Itself Insufficient to Prolong Traffic Stop, by Anthony Accurso
5. Fifth Circuit: ‘Nonsubstantial Overcrowding’ of Vehicle Used in Transporting Illegal Aliens Insufficient for Imposition of Sentencing Enhancement Under Guidelines § 2L1.1(b)(6), by Douglas Ankney
6. California Court of Appeal: Kill-Zone Theory Principles Articulated in Canizales Are Retroactive to Judgments That Were Final at Time of Decision, by Jacob Barrett
7. Florida Supreme Court Announces Completed ‘Purchase’ of Drugs Under Trafficking Statute Requires Exchange of Money and Possession, by David Reutter
8. Police Digitally Frame Activists in India, but It Can Happen Anywhere, by Jayson Hawkins
9. Eleventh Circuit: Prosecutor Denied Absolute Prosecutorial Immunity for Failure to Ensure Cancellation of Material Witness Warrant, by David Reutter
10. Fifth Circuit: District Court Erred in Finding That a Fourth Amendment Stop Did Not Occur, by Harold Hempstead
11. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Where Trial Counsel Believed, Erroneously, He Had Ethical Duty to Tell Prosecution Location of Key Incriminating Evidence Not in Counsel’s Possession, by Douglas Ankney
12. Los Angeles: Police Union Resists Changes to Pretextual Stops, by Jayson Hawkins
13. Police Find It Easier to Influence Public Opinion Than to Protect and Serve, by Benjamin Tschirhart
14. Tenth Circuit: Unreasonable Determination of Downward Variance of Guidelines Resulted in Plain Error, by David Reutter
15. Ninth Circuit Suppresses Evidence as Fruit of the Poisonous Tree Where Officer Lacked Probable Cause to Arrest Man Who Displayed Handgun in Open Carry State, by Douglas Ankney
16. California Court of Appeal Announces the People Are Not Entitled to Have Privately Retained Psychological Expert Testify at Trial of SVPA Petition, by Douglas Ankney
17. Connecticut Supreme Court Announces ‘John Doe’ Warrant Based on Suspect’s General Description and Partial DNA Profiles, Which May or May Not Include Suspect’s DNA, Fails to Satisfy ‘Particularity Requirement’ of Fourth Amendment, by Douglas Ankney
18. Tenth Circuit: Prisoner Convicted of Covered Drug Offense but Sentenced to Mandatory Life Sentence Via Cross Reference for Murder Under Pre-Booker Guidelines Has Standing to Request First Step Act Sentence Reduction, by Douglas Ankney
19. NYC: The First DNA Gun Crimes Unit in America, by Harold Hempstead
20. Sixth Circuit: Unarmed Bank Robber Who Ordered Tellers to Get on the Floor Not Subject to Enhancement for Physical Restraint, by Matthew Clarke
21. Traditional Forensic Ballistics Comparisons Giving Way to Virtual 3D Methods, by Casey Bastian
22. The National Registry of Exonerations 2021 Annual Report: 161 Exonerations Comprising 1,849 Years of Wrongful Imprisonment, by Casey Bastian
23. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Ends Practice of Juvenile Courts Granting Continuances for Sole Purpose of Extending Delinquent’s Period of Detention, by Douglas Ankney
24. Mislabeling of Marijuana Products Is a National Problem, by Kevin Bliss
25. Review of Prior Research Identifies Three Main Sources of Bias in Jury Decision-Making Processes, by Casey Bastian
26. Police Foundations: The Impossible Task of Separating the World of Policing From the World of Corporate Money, by Casey Bastian
27. People Convicted of Sex Crimes Remain Incarcerated 25 Years After Completing Their Prison Sentences, by Douglas Ankney
28. Charlotte Is Ground Zero for New FBI Asset Forfeiture Tip Line Program, by Casey Bastian
29. News in Brief
30. Theft of Public Funds or Accounting Incompetence? Kansas Police Agencies Can’t Accurately Track Property Forfeitures, by Jacob Barrett

More from Douglas Ankney:

• Third Circuit Upholds Award of $265,000 to Prisoner 
Who Was Sexually Assaulted Twice by the Same Guard, Aug. 1, 2025
• Fifth Circuit Announces When Initial § 2255 Petition Not Decided on Merits and Appeals Court Later Recalls Mandate Dismissing Direct Appeal and Affirms Conviction, Subsequent § 2255 Petition Not ‘Second or Successive’ Under AEDPA, Aug. 1, 2025
• $340,000 for Former Massachusetts Prisoner 
Whose Baby Was Stillborn, July 15, 2025
• New Jersey Supreme Court Refuses Guard’s Challenge to Firing 
for Failing to Report Kiss with Prisoner, July 15, 2025
• New York City Loses Bid to Withhold Jail Records, July 15, 2025
• Eleventh Circuit Announces New Deliberate Indifference 
Framework in Dismissing Georgia Prisoner’s Claim 
for Skipped Anti-Seizure Meds, July 15, 2025
• Washington Jail Settles DOJ Allegations of ADA Noncompliance 
in Failure to Treat Opioid Use Disorder, July 15, 2025
• Ohio Supreme Court Says Sheriff Must Get and Disclose 
Records of Private Contractors, July 15, 2025
• Third Circuit Rejects U.S. Sentencing Commission 
Amended Compassionate Release Policy, July 15, 2025
• South Carolina Prisoners Granted Class-Action Status in Suit 
Over Low Wages in Prison Industries Jobs, July 15, 2025

More from these topics:

• SCOTUS Announces Sentence ‘Has Not Been Imposed’ 
for Purposes of First Step Act Retroactivity Upon Resentencing When § 924(c) Offender Sentenced Prior to Act’s Enactment 
but Sentence Subsequently Vacated, Aug. 1, 2025. Retroactivity, First Step Act, Resentencing, Recidivist Enhancements, Stacking Mandatory Minimum Sentences.
• California Court of Appeal: Trial Court Misconstrued Elements 
of Implied Malice Theory of Provocative Act Murder Under Current Law and Reverses Denial of Petition for Resentencing, Aug. 1, 2025. Murder/Felony Murder, Resentencing, Failure to Prove.
• News in Brief, July 15, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, Jail Misconduct, Failure to Protect (General), Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, halfway houses, New Trial/Judgment of Acquittal, Bribery/Extortion/Theft, Fraud and Deceit.
• Florida Prisoner Returns to Custody After Overturned Conviction Reinstated, May 1, 2025. False Statements/Perjury, Resentencing, Witnesses - Prior Statements/Testimony, Effect of Vacatur, Brady/Giglio/Jencks Act Issues.
• Arkansas Supreme Court Rules § 16-93-609(b)(2)(B), Relating to Parole Eligibility for Residential Burglary Conviction, Applies Retroactively to Defendant, April 15, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Resentencing, Bank Fraud/Robbery/Theft, Probation, Parole & Supervised Release, Eligibility for Parole.
• Alabama Governor Commutes Death Sentence, April 1, 2025. Death Penalty/Death Row, Resentencing.
• California Court of Appeal Announces Defendants May Obtain Brady Evidence From Police Officers’ Personnel Files in Advance of § 1172.6 Hearing Requesting Vacatur of Conviction and Resentencing for Certain Types of Murder Convictions, Feb. 15, 2025. Disclosure of Records, Police, Brady Violations, Murder/Felony Murder, Resentencing, Prior Conviction/Sentence/Incarceration, Evidence - Admissibility.
• Massachusetts Supreme Court Vacates Threat-Based Conviction on First Amendment Grounds Because Jury Instructions Failed to Include Mens Rea Element Mandated by Counterman for ‘True-Threat’ Conviction, Feb. 15, 2025. Jury Instructions, Resentencing, Threats, Negligence/Reckless Endangerment.
• First Step Act Linked to Modest Reductions in Time Served by Federal Prisoners, Feb. 1, 2025. First Step Act, Resentencing, Credits.
• Ninth Circuit Announces ‘Clear Error’ Review Applies to District Courts’ Factual Findings for Brady Challenges and Affirms District Court’s Mid-Trial Order Excluding Witness Testimony and Imposing Monetary Sanctions for Government’s Brady Violation, Feb. 1, 2025. Sanctions, Eyewitness Testimony, Brady Rule violations, Witnesses - Prior Statements/Testimony, Factual Disputes/Findings, Legal or Factual Challenges - assertion of.