More from this issue:

1. Massachusetts State Police Facing Possible Class Action Lawsuit for Illegal Recordings
2. Electronic Monitoring: An Alternative to Incarceration or a Troubling Extension of Punishment?, by David Reutter
3. Cellebrite Asks Law Enforcement Clients to Keep Its Phone Hacking Tech Secret, by Jo Ellen Nott
4. California Court of Appeal: Traffic Stop Prolonged for Drug Dog Sniff Search Unrelated to ‘Mission’ of Stop Violates Fourth Amendment, by Anthony Accurso
5. Maine Supreme Court: Defense Counsel Ineffective for Opening Door to Otherwise Inadmissible Evidence of Bad Character, by Matthew Clarke
6. Eighth Circuit Announces ‘Categorical Approach’ Applies to SORNA Tier Analysis, by Douglas Ankney
7. Pharmacies Are Giving Your Prescription Data to Police Without a Warrant, by Anthony Accurso
8. What Happens When Prosecutors Offer Opposing Versions of the Truth?, by Ken Armstrong
9. New York Court of Appeals Declines to Adopt Per Se Rule That Handcuffed Person Is Always ‘In Custody’ for Miranda Purposes, but Holds the Handcuffed Defendant Was ‘In Custody’ and Suppress Incriminating Statements, by Douglas Ankney
10. Research Shows It Makes Sense to Hire Individuals with Criminal Records, by Jo Ellen Nott
11. Fifth Circuit: Admission of DHS Investigation Form G-166F at Trial Where Preparer of Form Did Not Testify Violates Confrontation Clause and Rule Against Hearsay, by Douglas Ankney
12. AI Disrupts Established Forensic Fingerprint Analysis—Not Every Fingerprint Is Unique, by Jo Ellen Nott
13. Does the Fourth Amendment Protect Cellphones at the Border?, by Douglas Ankney
14. New York Governor Signs Law Sealing Millions of Criminal Records From Public View, by Douglas Ankney
15. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Announces Constructive Denial of Right to Counsel Where Defense Counsel Sleeps for Significant Portion or During Important Aspect of Trial, by David Reutter
16. California Attorney General Issues Memo Prohibiting Out-of-State Sharing of ALPR Data, by Anthony Accurso
17. Utah Supreme Court Announces Communication of Cellphone Passcode Protected by Fifth Amendment and Rules Advising Jury of Defendant’s Refusal to Disclose Passcode Violates Privilege Against Compelled Self-Incrimination, by Anthony Accurso
18. Tracking Your Cellphone Might Be Easier Than You Think, by Michael Thompson
19. Vermont Supreme Court Announces Prejudice Determination for IAC Claim Based on Rejected Plea Offer Limited to Evidence Available at Time Plea Considered—Not Any Subsequent Evidence, by David Reutter
20. Time Served Under the First Step Act: Reduction, Not Revolution, by Jo Ellen Nott
21. One Year of New Orleans Police Department Facial Recognition Data, by Michael Thompson
22. Police Bodycams: If You Film It …, by Michael Thompson
23. The FBI’s Rapidly Expanding DNA Database, by Anthony Accurso
24. Federal Habeas Corpus: Understanding Second or Successive Petitions for State Prisoners, by Dale Chappell
25. ‘Trail ’Em, Nail ’Em, and Jail ’Em’: Issues Private Probation and Parole, by Jo Ellen Nott
26. New York Court of Appeals: Admission of Prior Bad Acts Evidence to Prove Propensity to Commit Crime Harmful Error, by David Reutter
27. Potential Dangers of Medical Monitors, by Michael Thompson
28. FBI’s Bias for Keywords, by Carlo Difundo
29. Crime Scene Context: Bridging the Gap Between Evidence and Reconstruction, by Jo Ellen Nott
30. Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Police Training on How to Violate Constitutional Rights, by Anthony Accurso
31. News in Brief
32. ‘Blatant Miscarriage of Justice’: Oklahoma Man Exonerated of Wrongful Conviction After 35 Years Despite Former Prosecutor’s Attempt to Perpetuate Injustice, by Douglas Ankney

More from Anthony Accurso:

• D.C. Circuit Holds Compelling Suspect to Unlock Cellphone With Thumbprint Is ‘Testimonial’ Act and Violates Fifth Amendment Privilege Against Self-Incrimination, Feb. 15, 2025
• $220,000 Settlement After Woman Dies in Ohio Jail From Drug Withdrawal, Feb. 15, 2025
• Colorado Supreme Court Holds Defendant Was in ‘Custody’ for Miranda Purposes Because She Had Hands Bagged and Zip Tied, Commanded Not to Remove Them, and Questioned Alone in Interrogation Room With Door Closed, Feb. 15, 2025
• First Circuit Holds No Emergency-Aid Exception to Warrant Requirement Where Police Have Information That Subject Is Already Deceased, Feb. 15, 2025
• Police Departments Are Now Using AI to Write Reports, Feb. 15, 2025
• Illinois Supreme Court Announces Odor of Burnt Cannabis Alone Is Insufficient to Establish Probable Cause for a Warrantless Vehicle Search, Feb. 1, 2025
• Mass Spectrometry Being Studied as Way to Analyze Overlapping or Weak Fingerprints, Feb. 1, 2025
• 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
• Childhood Trauma Incidence Higher Among Those Incarcerated, Jan. 15, 2025
• Nevada Supreme Court Announces Incorporated Probable Cause Affidavit Cannot Broaden Scope of Warrant’s Description of Places and Persons to be Searched or Items to Be Seized, Dec. 1, 2024

More from these topics:

• ‘Fictional Pleas’ and ‘Hidden Departures’: Failure to Collect Data on Binding Federal Plea Bargains Hinders Researchers, Feb. 15, 2025. Databases, Disclosure of Records, Public Records Act, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.
• Reining in Police Monitoring of Social Media, Feb. 15, 2025. Police State-Surveillance, Electronic Surveillance, Racial/Ethnic Bias/Profiling, Social Media, Racial Bias Exception.
• Study: DNA Transfer in Social Settings, Feb. 15, 2025. DNA Testing/Samples, Forensic Sciences, DNA Evidence, DNA Evidence/Testing.
• Law Enforcement Obscures Use of Facial Recognition Technology, Feb. 15, 2025. Computer Searches, Police State-Surveillance, Electronic Surveillance, Police/Govt Misconduct.
• A Gift America Can’t Return: The Police State Is America’s New Crime Boss, Feb. 15, 2025. Police State-Surveillance.
• Study Reveals Best DNA Recovery Spots on Drug Baggies, Feb. 15, 2025. DNA Testing/Samples, War on Drugs, DNA Evidence/Testing.
• Colorado Bureau of Investigation Admits Over 1,000 Cases Affected by DNA Test Misconduct, Feb. 1, 2025. Judicial Misconduct, DNA Testing/Samples, junk science, Forensic Sciences.
• Chicago’s Police Body Cam Transparency, Feb. 1, 2025. Videotaping, Police, Police State-Surveillance.
• Careful What You Search For, Feb. 1, 2025. Computer Searches, Police State-Surveillance, Electronic Surveillance.
• Seeking Justice for Two: The DNA Scandal That Shook a Community, Jan. 15, 2025. DNA Testing/Samples, junk science, Wrongful Conviction, DNA Evidence/Testing.