More from this issue:

1. Jurors Showing More and More Savvy Toward Trial Evidence, by Edward Lyon
2. News in Brief
3. Minnesota Sees Rising Tide of Payouts for Epidemic of Police Misconduct, by Derek Gilna
4. Government Snitches: Incentivized Witnesses Are the Leading Cause of Wrongful Convictions, by Dale Chappell
5. NYPD Gang Database Lacks Transparency, Limits Due Process, by Kevin Bliss
6. $175,000 Settlement to Public Protester with Profanity-laced Sign Tased by Police Officer
7. Study: Racial Bias Inherent in the Jury Selection Process, by Kevin Bliss
8. Agencies: Bite-mark Forensics Outdated Science, by Kevin Bliss
9. Algorithm-dictated Freedom? Vet California’s New Pretrial Risk Assessment Tool, by Virginia Griese
10. San Francisco DA Candidate Chesa Boudin Puts Criminal Justice Reform Front and Center
11. New California Laws Peel Back Secrecy Surrounding Police Discipline Amid Pushback, by Betty Nelander
12. Facebook Tells Law Enforcement to Quit Using Phony Accounts, by Dale Chappell
13. ‘Ban the Box’ Movement Expands in New Direction, by Edward Lyon
14. Forensic Entomology Helps Nevada Murder Convictee Get Exonerated After 17 Years in Prison, by Edward Lyon
15. Massachusetts Drug Lab Scandal: Thousands More Cases Likely Affected, by Kevin Bliss
16. NY Election Websites Tell Parolees They Can’t Vote, Even Though They Can, by Dale Chappell
17. Police Use of ‘Undercover Friending’ Investigative Technique Unregulated, by Kevin Bliss
18. Nebraska Supreme Court Clarifies Applicable Standard for Mandatory Testing Under DNA Testing Act, Reverses District Court for Applying Wrong Standard, by Chad Marks
19. Hawaii Supreme Court Finally Complies with SCOTUS’ Apprendi Decision, Vacates Enhanced Sentence Based on Fact Determined by Judge, Not Jury, by Christopher Zoukis
20. Sexual Assaults and Harassment by Members of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Costing Taxpayers Millions, by Edward Lyon
21. Sixth Circuit Vacates a Witness Tampering Conviction, Principally on the Ground that the District Court Erroneously Instructed the Jury on the Intent Element of Witness Tampering, by Punch & Jurists
22. Bronx Prosecutors Trained to Manipulate System to Delay Trials, by Matthew Clarke
23. Deputy U.S. Attorney General Rosenstein Defends Junk Science Forensics, by Matthew Clarke
24. SCOTUS Clarifies Scope of Generic Burglary Under the ACCA, by Richard Resch
25. Report: Wisconsin Crime Labs Face Multitude of Problems, by Edward Lyon
26. Custodial Interrogation Must Cease When Suspect Unambiguously Invokes Right to Remain Silent, Says Fourth Circuit, by Douglas Ankney
27. Fifth Circuit: Introduction of Deposition Video Without Making Good-Faith Effort to Secure Witnesses’ Presence at Trial Violates Confrontation Clause, by Douglas Ankney
28. Oklahoma Supreme Court Announces Drug Court Dismissal of Charges After Successful Completion of Drug Program Entitles Defendant to Immediate Expungement, by Douglas Ankney
29. Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Clarifies Proper Evidentiary Standard and Type of Evidence for Informal Competency Hearing, by Christopher Zoukis
30. Third Circuit Orders Habeas Relief Based on Trial Counsel’s Failure to Present or Even Investigate Mental Health and Juvenile Records in Pennsylvania Death Penalty Case, by Matthew Clarke
31. Third Circuit: Summons Is Not an Arrest for USSG Criminal History Calculation, by Mark Wilson
32. Sixth Circuit Reverses 60-Month Upward Variance Sentence Based on News Article Provided to Parties by Court at Beginning of Sentencing Hearing, by Matthew Clarke
33. Ninth Circuit Announces Expert Testimony on Battered Woman Syndrome Not Categorically Excludable, Relevant to Duress Defense, by Richard Resch
34. Fifth Circuit Holds Special Conditions in PSR Appendix but Not Orally Pronounced by District Court Must Be Removed From Sentence Where Conflict With Written Judgment, by David Reutter
35. SCOTUS: Florida’s Robbery Statute Satisfies Physical Force Requirement of Armed Career Criminal Act, by Douglas Ankney
36. Idaho Supreme Court: Temporary and Isolated Crossing of the ‘Fog Line’ Not Enough to Support a Traffic Stop, by Christopher Zoukis
37. Louisiana Supreme Court Vacates Conviction for Batson Violation, by Christopher Zoukis
38. First Circuit Announces No Joint Participation Exception to Spousal Testimonial Privilege, by Matthew Clarke
39. Minnesota Supreme Court Holds Sentencing Guidelines 
at Time of Offense, Not Time of Sentencing, Controls for Purposes of Calculating Criminal History Score, by Matthew Clarke
40. Eighth Circuit Rules Search Warrant Based on Affidavit That Failed to Link Target to Criminal Activity Lacked Probable Cause, Not Saved by Good-Faith Exception, by David Reutter
41. Seventh Circuit Reverses Denial of a Certificate of Innocence Needed as a Prerequisite for Damages for an Unjust Conviction and Imprisonment, by Punch & Jurists
42. California Court of Appeal: Using Criminal Process to Collect Fines That Indigent Defendants Cannot Pay Is Unconstitutional, by Douglas Ankney
43. Ninth Circuit Announces SCOTUS’ Rodriguez Opinion Requires Overturning ‘Reasonableness Standard’ Precedent in Traffic Stop Prolongation Cases, by Richard Resch
44. U.S. Government Lab Withheld Groundbreaking Study for 5 Years That Can Help Defendants Question the Reliability of Certain DNA Evidence, by Steve Horn
45. Cops Are At War Out There, by Jacobin, Brian Platt
46. New York Mass Bail Out Action Targets Bail System Manipulation, by Virginia Griese
47. From the Editor, by Richard Resch

More from Steve Horn:

• Lack of Academic Research in U.S. on Secondary DNA Transfer Affects Criminal Defendants, Oct. 14, 2019
• Opioid Epidemic Impacts Prisons and Jails, Sept. 5, 2019
• Report Finds Lack of Reporting on Deaths in Law Enforcement Custody, Even After Landmark Legislation, July 17, 2019
• New Study Finds Mass Incarceration Impacts Over Half of U.S. Families, July 2, 2019
• HRDC Files Public Records Suits, Argues GEO Group is a De Facto Public Agency, June 3, 2019
• DEA Used Decades of Warrantless Phone Data in Building Parallel Construction Cases, May 15, 2019
• Inspector General: California Prison Guards Violate Use of Force Policies Half the Time, May 2, 2019
• Vermont Prisoner Sexually Abused at Private Prison in Michigan Receives $750, May 2, 2019
• California Prison Psychiatrists Blow Whistle on Poor Mental Healthcare, Falsified Records, April 2, 2019
• Ohio County Jail Settles PLN Censorship Suit for $45,000, April 2, 2019

More from these topics:

• The FBI’s Rapidly Expanding DNA Database, April 15, 2024. DNA Testing/Samples, Databases, Police State-Surveillance.
• FBI’s Bias for Keywords, April 15, 2024. Government Misconduct, FBI, Police State-Surveillance, Electronic Surveillance, Social Media.
• New York Court of Appeals Reverses Conviction Because Testifying Criminalist Not Shown to Have Requisite Involvement in DNA Testing Process and Provides Guidance to Avoid Future Sixth Amendment Confrontation Clause Violations, March 15, 2024. DNA Testing/Samples, Eyewitness Testimony, Crime Lab Reports.
• FBI Searches of NSA Data Extended Until April, Despite Admission of Unconstitutionality, March 15, 2024. Government Misconduct, FBI, FISA-Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, Police State-Surveillance, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), Cell-Phones, Electronic Surveillance, Electronic Communictions Privacy Act.
• Suspicion of Government Surveillance Increasing, March 15, 2024. Government Misconduct, FBI, Police State-Surveillance, Electronic Surveillance.
• “Unethical At Best”: Hawaii Budget Director Charged With Financing New Prison is Former CoreCivic Lobbyist, March 1, 2024. Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Contractor Misconduct, Government Misconduct, Lobbying.
• No Jail Time for Former Arizona Prisons Director After Armed Standoff With Cops, March 1, 2024. Government Misconduct.
• Pennsylvania County Found Skimming Prisoner-Designated Funds from ViaPath Kickbacks, March 1, 2024. Jail Misconduct, Government Misconduct, Kickback Scheme, Private Phone Contractors.
• North Carolina Prison Official Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Program Fraud, March 1, 2024. Government Misconduct, COVID-19, Fraud and Deceit, Fraud and Theft Loss.
• Steady Improvement in Techniques for the Analysis of Degraded DNA, Feb. 15, 2024. Commentary/Reviews, DNA Testing/Samples.