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Defense Fails to Present Diminished Capacity, Ninth Circuit Vacates Murder Convictions
Loaded on March 16, 2018
by Christopher Zoukis
published in Criminal Legal News
April, 2018, page 22
Filed under:
Criminal Prosecution,
Wrongful Conviction,
Habeas Corpus,
Criminal Procedure.
Location:
California.
by Christopher Zoukis
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit granted a California state prisoner’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus and vacated the prisoner’s convictions for first degree murder. The Court, in a 2-1 panel decision, found that the trial attorney failed to provide effective ...
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More from this issue:
- Indigent Defense in America: An Affront to Justice, by Christopher Zoukis
- News in Brief
- Mississippi Supreme Court Caps Attorney’s Fees in Wrongful Conviction Cases at 25%
- West Virginia Supremes: Previous Nonviolent Crimes, Life Sentence Unconstitutional, by Dale Chappell
- Fourth Circuit: No Qualified Immunity for Deputies in Shooting of Armed Suspect, by Dale Chappell
- California Court of Appeal Holds State Must Prove Stolen Car’s Value for Felony Theft of Vehicle Conviction, by Dale Chappell
- Don't Take a Genetic Test Without Reading This First
- “Get Out of Jail” Free Cards for Cops’ Family, Friends Cut, by Christopher Zoukis
- Even Prosecutors Can’t Get Secret List of L.A. Cops With Credibility Problems, by Dale Chappell
- Sixth Circuit: Sentence Enhancement Inapplicable, Sales of Guns and Drugs Separate, by Dale Chappell
- Philly Decriminalizes Possession of Small Amounts of Marijuana, by Christopher Zoukis
- Magistrate Judge: Change Rule of Evidence That Allows Prior Conviction to Impeach Witness, by Derek Gilna
- New York Court of Appeals: Defendant Denied Right to Speedy Trial After 6-Year Delay, by Richard Resch
- Texas Supremes: Possession of Gun Does Not Constitute “Use” Under Forfeiture Statute, by Dale Chappell
- Mass. Supremes: Consent to Search in Vehicle Did Not Extend to Engine, by Richard Resch
- Gang Enhancement: California Court Reverses Denial of Motion for New Trial, by Derek Gilna
- $900,000 to Octogenarian Tased by Police
- Fired New Orleans Cops Just Move to Other Departments, by Dale Chappell
- U.S. Supreme Court: Guilty Plea No Bar to Defendant Challenging Constitutionality, by Richard Resch
- Washington Supremes: Former Prisoner Can Take Bar, by Derek Gilna
- Illinois Supremes: Barring Firearms Within 1,000 Feet of Parks Facially Unconstitutional, by Richard Resch
- Lack of Criminal Intent: Missouri Supreme Acquits on Drug Possession Charge, by Suzanne Bring
- Cops Killed 100 Times More Americans Than Terrorists Did in 2017, by Christopher Zoukis
- $275,000 to Man Arrested for Recording Police
- 7 Years Pre-Trial Incarceration: Vacated Convictions
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court: Police Emergency Lights Next to Parked Car Constitute Seizure, by Dale Chappell
- California Supreme: “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt” Standard for Second Strike, by Edward Lyon
- Not Disclosed: NSA-Obtained Evidence, by Derek Gilna
- Video: A Two-Edged Sword, by Michael Avery
- $4.8 Million Settles Kansas City Police Shooting, by Matthew Clarke
- Pennsylvania Supremes: Modified “Vertical” Approach to Collective Knowledge Doctrine, by Richard Resch
- Defense Fails to Present Diminished Capacity, Ninth Circuit Vacates Murder Convictions, by Christopher Zoukis
- Kansas Supremes: No Lifetime Post-Release Supervision, by Derek Gilna
- Mass. Disciplines Prosecutors: No More Business as Usual, by Derek Gilna
- Miranda Violation: 9th Circuit Reverses Murder Conviction, by Christopher Zoukis
- Law Enforcement Scrambles to Hide Stingray Use, by Derek Gilna
- Officer-Involved Shooting Data? Hard to Find!, by Christopher Zoukis
- Defendant’s Right to Testify Violated: Hawaii Supreme Vacates Conviction, by Norma Gonzalez
- Georgia Attempts to Limit Access to Official State Law, by Derek Gilna
- Sheriff Wanted Medical Examiner to Alter Reports, by Dale Chappell
- Witness Misidentification: Ohio Man’s 14 Convictions Vacated, by Mark Wilson
- Texas: Retroactive Application of Law That Decriminalized Specific Conduct Not Violation of Separation of Powers, by Dale Chappell
- Data: High Rate of Sexual Abuse by Cops, by Christopher Zoukis
- $ Millions to Settle Philly Police Misconduct Cases, by Derek Gilna
- Fight Mass Incarceration? There’s an App for That, by Derek Gilna
More from Christopher Zoukis:
- The Contraband Wars Prison authorities target books and mail, miss the goods coming through the staff door, July 1, 2021
- Trump v. Biden on Criminal Justice, Oct. 1, 2020
- Coronavirus in Prison: The Cruel Reality, Aug. 1, 2020
- With Lives of Immigrant Detainees at Risk to COVID-19, Federal Judge Forces ICE’s Hand, July 1, 2020
- A Nation on the Brink, June 15, 2020
- Federal Court Slams Michigan Jail for Bungling COVID-19 Pandemic, Demands Names of Vulnerable Prisoners for Release, June 1, 2020
- Silence: The Bureau of Prisons’ Pathetic Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, June 1, 2020
- New York Judge Orders Release of 18 Rikers Island Detainees Due to COVID-19 Risk, June 1, 2020
- Coronavirus: A Nationwide Survey of the Push for Early Release as Pandemic Fears Grow, May 1, 2020
- California Three-Judge Court Denies Emergency Motion to Reduce Prison Population During Pandemic, May 1, 2020
More from these topics:
- Sixth Circuit Upholds $45 Million Verdict for Wrongfully Convicted Former Ohio Prisoner, Aug. 1, 2025. Police Misconduct, Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment.
- Two Exonerated Illinois Prisoners Win Settlements Totaling $14.5 Million, Aug. 1, 2025. Police Misconduct, Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment.
- On Remand, Eleventh Circuit Clarifies, Affirms Grant of Habeas Relief to Death Row Prisoner, Aug. 1, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Death Penalty, Death Row.
- Fourth Circuit Revives Wrongful Conviction Claim of Exonerated Maryland Prisoner, State Pays Him $3.1 Million, Aug. 1, 2025. Police Misconduct, Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment.
- 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. Habeas Corpus, AEDPA.
- $22.5 Million Verdict Arrives Too Late for Wrongfully Convicted Illinois Prisoner, July 15, 2025. Wrongful Conviction, Confessions - Coerced, Confessions and Statements of Defendant.
- $12 Million for Former California Prisoner Exonerated After 17 Years, July 15, 2025. Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment, Coercive Interrogations.
- Fourth Circuit Announces Counterman v. Colorado Is New Rule of Constitutional Law That Applies Retroactively to Cases on Collateral Review and Grants Authorization to File Successive § 2255 Motion, July 1, 2025. Rehabilitation/Recidivism, Habeas Corpus, Threats.
- $7.75 Million Settlement for Exonerated North Carolina Prisoner, June 1, 2025. Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment.
- $13 Million Awarded to Exonerated Massachusetts Prisoner for Wrongful Conviction, June 1, 2025. Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment.





