More from this issue:

1. Federal Sentencing Guidelines Undergo Substantial Amendments, by David Reutter
2. California Court of Appeal: Probation Condition Prohibiting Possession of Pornography Impermissibly Vague, by Douglas Ankney
3. FBI Access to FISA Database Includes Some Accountability, by Anthony Accurso
4. DOJ Spending Over $6 Billion in Firms to Seize Innocent Citizens’ Property Via Civil Asset Forfeiture, by Douglas Ankney
5. Indiana Supreme Court Suppresses All Evidence Related to Polygraph Exam for Examiner’s Failure to Disclose Unilater-ally Changing Exam Results From ‘Admissible’ to ‘Inadmissible’ Due to Defendant’s Mental State, by Anthony Accurso
6. Survey: Why Defendants Cooperate with the Government in a Process Described as ‘Unfair’ by Defense Attorneys, by Douglas Ankney
7. West Virginia University Forensic Scientists Provide a Benchmark for Analyzing Duct Tape Fracture Edges, by Jo Ellen Nott
8. FBI Buys Software to Enslave Your Phone, by Michael Thompson
9. The White House Goes Rogue: Secret Surveillance Program Breaks all the Rules, by Nisha Whitehead, John W. Whitehead
10. House Judiciary Committee Investigates Major Banks for Unauthorized Sharing of Private Financial Information With the FBI, by Jo Ellen Nott
11. Second Circuit: Money Concealment Guilty Plea Vacated for Lack of Evidence to Support Factual Finding of Required Mens Rea, by David Reutter
12. Oregon Supreme Court Announces Overruling of Precedent on ‘Attempted Transfer’ of Drugs, by David Reutter
13. Maryland Supreme Court Announces Expectation of Privacy Covers Electronic Data, Not Physical Devices, Thus War-rantless Search of Government’s Copy of Defendant’s Hard Drive After Consent Revoked Violated Fourth Amendment, by Douglas Ankney
14. Fifth Circuit Affirms Habeas Relief Granted to Capital Defendant Where Counsel Failed to Impeach State’s Pivotal Wit-ness with Available Forensic Evidence, by Douglas Ankney
15. First Circuit Announces It Has Authority to Raise Claim of Error Sua Sponte for Violation of ‘Mandate Rule’ by Sentenc-ing Court on Remand, by Richard Resch
16. Human DNA Retrieved From Dogs Might Provide Evidence, by Douglas Ankney
17. Sixth Circuit: Trial Judge’s Personal and Condemnatory Remarks Directed Toward Defendant Requires Recusal, by Douglas Ankney
18. Police Requests to Google Replacing Old Fashioned Detective Work, by Anthony Accurso
19. One Solution to Jurors Giving Too Much Weight to Improper Forensic Testimony: 4-Minute Training Video Based on DOJ Guidelines, by Matthew Clarke
20. California Court of Appeal: Defendants Who Plead Guilty to Stipulated Sentence Eligible for Resentencing Under Amended § 1170.91, by Douglas Ankney
21. California Bans Bogus ‘Excited Delirium’ Diagnosis as Cause of Death, by Douglas Ankney
22. New Mexico Supreme Court Clarifies When Reviewing Double Jeopardy Claims, Court to Apply Blockburger’s Strict-Elements Test or Modified Strict-Elements Test—Not Both, by Douglas Ankney
23. FBI Lost Count of Its Snitches at Capitol on January 6, 2021, by Douglas Ankney
24. U.S. Supreme Court Apparently Prioritizes Ideology Over Guilt or Innocence, by Douglas Ankney
25. Jesse Johnson: 194th Person Exonerated While on Death Row, by Jordan Arizmendi
26. Kansas Supreme Court Announces State Must Prove Defendant Specifically Intended to Enter Dwelling in Which There Was a Person to Sustain Conviction for Attempted Aggravated Burglary, Overruling State v. Watson, by Douglas Ankney
27. Oregon Supreme Court Clarifies Test to Determine When Person Becomes Agent of the State and Rules Jailhouse Snitch Was Agent, Requiring Suppression of Defendant’s Statements, by Anthony Accurso
28. NYPD’s Solution for Abusive Cops Who Cost Taxpayers Millions of Dollars in Civil Suits—Promote Them, by Douglas Ankney
29. Eleventh Circuit Announces Supervised Release Term Not Tolled When Defendant Absconds, Deepening Circuit Split, by Anthony Accurso
30. California Court of Appeal: Confrontation Clause Violated Where Defense Prohibited From Cross-Examining Prosecution Witness About Biased Motivation and Fabrication, by Douglas Ankney
31. Fourth Circuit: Evidentiary Hearing Required Where Prisoner’s Allegation of Mental Illness, if True, Is Sufficient to Demonstrate ‘Extraordinary Circumstances’ Warranting Both Rule 60(b)(6) Relief and Tolling of Habeas SOL, by Douglas Ankney
32. Study Reveals That Aging Federal Judges May Experience Cognitive Impairment Affecting Their Opinions, by Douglas Ankney
33. News in Brief

More from Douglas Ankney:

• Fourth Circuit: Maryland’s First-Degree Assault Statute Is Indivisible so Conviction Is Not an ACCA Predicate for Sentencing Enhancement Purposes, May 15, 2024
• Tenth Circuit: Plea Not Knowing and Voluntary Where Plea Counsel Materially Misrepresented Defendant’s Right to Impartial Jury Selected Through Racially Nondiscriminatory Means, May 15, 2024
• New York Court of Appeals: SORA Designation Violates Defendant’s Due Process Rights Where Crime Involved No Sexual Contact or Motivation and Defendant Was Not a Sex Offender and Posed No Risk of Sexual Threat, May 15, 2024
• Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Announces Defendants Under Age 21 Ineligible for LWOP Sentences, May 15, 2024
• New Jersey Supreme Court Announces Extension of Eyewitness Identification Safeguards of Henderson to Pretrial Preparation Sessions and Provides Framework for Showing Photos During Pretrial Phase, May 15, 2024
• $175,000 Awarded to Former California Detainee Whose Suit Prompted DOJ Investigation and Settlement Requiring Structural Changes at Jail, April 26, 2024
• Eighth Circuit Announces ‘Categorical Approach’ Applies to SORNA Tier Analysis, April 15, 2024
• 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, April 15, 2024
• 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, April 15, 2024
• Does the Fourth Amendment Protect Cellphones at the Border?, April 15, 2024

More from these topics:

• Oregon Supreme Court Announces Overruling of Precedent on ‘Attempted Transfer’ of Drugs, Jan. 15, 2024. State Statutes, Possession in Furtherance of Drug Offense, Conspiracies, Attempts, Solicitations, Attempts/Incomplete Acts, Substantial Step Towards Completion, Completion of All Acts.
• California Court of Appeal: Defendants Who Plead Guilty to Stipulated Sentence Eligible for Resentencing Under Amended § 1170.91, Jan. 15, 2024. State Statutes, Guilty Plea, Resentencing, De Novo Resentencing, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.
• California Bans Bogus ‘Excited Delirium’ Diagnosis as Cause of Death, Jan. 15, 2024. Medical Misconduct, junk science, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Police--Excessive Force, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), State Statutes.
• West Virginia High Court Decides Medical Practice Liability Act Not Applicable to Prison System, Jan. 1, 2024. Primecare Medical, State Law Claims, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Drug Treatment/Rehab, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), State Statutes.
• Aversion to Error: Americans View Wrongful Acquittals and Wrongful Convictions to Be Errors of Equal Magnitude, Dec. 5, 2022. Wrongful Conviction, Sufficiency of Evidence.
• Free at Last! California Modifies Its Felony Murder Law, Helping up to 800 Prisoners Currently Serving Life Sentences, Nov. 28, 2018. Criminal Prosecution, State Statutes.
• ‘Serious Bodily Harm’ Does Not Include Animals, Massachusetts Supreme Court Holds, May 22, 2018. Criminal Prosecution, Juveniles, State Statutes.
• North Dakota Supreme Court Announces Interpretation of Restitution Statutes, May 22, 2018. Restitution, State Statutes, Constitution, state.
• Ohio Supreme Court Holds State Cannot Prove ‘Bulk Amount’ of Fentanyl Under Statute, May 22, 2018. Criminal Prosecution, War on Drugs, State Statutes.
• Alabama: State Agencies Have Absolute Immunity in a Court of Law or Equity, May 8, 2018. Immunity/Liability, Sovereign Immunity, State Statutes.