More from this issue:

1. News in Brief
2. Killer’s Bold DNA-Based Defense to Get New Mexico Supreme Court Hearing, by Bill Barton
3. Study: Brazen Cops Posting Racist, Vitriolic Comments on the Internet, by Edward Lyon
4. Chicago PD Creating Files, Background Checks on Citizens Who Speak at Police Disciplinary Meetings, by Dale Chappell
5. Kentucky Supreme Court Rules Parole Board’s Revocation Procedures Are Unconstitutional, by Douglas Ankney
6. 7th Circuit Announces SORNA Requires Hybrid Approach in Comparing Underlying Conviction to Determine Tier Classification, by Anthony Accurso
7. Tenth Circuit Vacates Special Condition of Supervised Release That Gave Probation Officers Discretion to Ban Computer and Internet Usage, by Douglas Ankney
8. Arrest for Shouting ‘F—k You’ to Arkansas Trooper Violates First and Fourth Amendments Rights, Eighth Circuit Rules, by Michael Berk
9. Michigan Will Pay $1.5 Million to Longest Serving Exonerated Prisoner, by Bill Barton
10. MIX13 Reveals Potential Errors in DNA Testing, by Jayson Hawkins
11. Ninth Circuit Announces that District Court Cannot Sua Sponte Raise Waiver as Ground to Dismiss Motion for Sentence Reduction, by Douglas Ankney
12. First Circuit: Prosecutor Not Entitled to Absolute Immunity When Performing Purely Administrative Duty, by Anthony Accurso
13. New North Dakota Law Arrests Cops’ Ability to Seize Property, by Douglas Ankney
14. Black Drivers in Missouri 91 Percent More Likely to Be Stopped Than White Drivers, by Bill Barton
15. Maryland Court of Appeals: Sentence Imposed on Remand That Is of Equal Maximum Length as Former Sentence but With Longer Term Before Parole Eligibility Is ‘More Severe’, by Douglas Ankney
16. Delaware Supreme Court: Where Defendant Competent to Plead ‘Guilty but Mentally Ill,’ He May Revoke Plea Before It Is Accepted, by Anthony Accurso
17. First Circuit Rules Appeal Waiver Does Not Relieve Counsel of Duty to Consult About an Appeal, by Dale Chappell
18. Fifth Circuit Announces that Categorical Approach Applied to SORNA Doesn’t Permit Circustance-Specific Inquiry Into Offender/Victim Age Differential, by Douglas Ankney
19. Seventh Circuit Announces That More Than Psychological Coercion Required to Trigger § 2B3.1(b)(4)(B) Sentencing Enhancement, Disapproving Prior Holdings to the Contrary, by Douglas Ankney
20. New Hampshire Supreme Court: State’s Armed Career Criminal Statute Applies Only When Qualifying Convictions Arise From at Least 3 Separate Criminal Episodes, by Douglas Ankney
21. U.S. District Court Holds Residual Clause of Federal Three-Strikes Law Unconstitutional, by Dale Chappell
22. Genetic Testing Raises Privacy Concerns, by Bill Barton
23. Michigan Supreme Court: Reaching Out Door of Home to Retrieve ID Inadequate to Surrender Fourth Amendment Rights, by David Reutter
24. Tenth Circuit: No Absolute Immunity for Prosecutor Who Fabricated Evidence, by Douglas Ankney
25. The Power of Sheriffs: An Explainer, by Jessica Brand
26. Pitfalls of Using Risk Assessment Tools, by Jayson Hawkins
27. Eleventh Circuit Holds Time on Appeal Counts When Considering If Sentence Was Imposed Under Residual Clause, by Dale Chappell
28. Fourth Circuit Holds Appeal Waiver Does Not Preclude Retroactive ACCA Claim, by Anthony Accurso
29. Third Circuit Rules Lower Courts Abused Discretion When They Failed to Conduct Evidentiary Hearing on Brady Claim and on Conflict of Interest Claim, by Douglas Ankney
30. Whether State or Federal, Most Convictions Are Overwhelmingly Based on Guilty Pleas, by Edward Lyon
31. Minnesota Supreme Court: Even With a Warrant, Forced Anoscopy Is Unreasonable Search, by Douglas Ankney
32. 9th Circuit Finds IAC for Failure to Investigate Mitigating Factors During Penalty Phase of Capital Case, by Anthony Accurso
33. Oregon Supreme Court Announces State Constitution Prohibits Cops From Digging Through Residents’ Trash Without a Warrant, by Mark Wilson
34. SCOTUS Declares Portion of Federal Supervised Release Statute Unconstitutional, by Dale Chappell
35. Tracking Phones: Google as a Dragnet for the Police, by Bill Barton
36. Who Inflicts the Most Gun Violence in America? The U.S. Government and Its Police Forces, by John W. Whitehead
37. Partial Justice, by Christopher Zoukis

More from Douglas Ankney:

• The Dramatic Increase in the Elderly Prison Population Is Fiscally and Morally Irresponsible, Oct. 1, 2026
• Second Circuit Affirms Denial of Qualified Immunity but Clarifies that 14th Amendment ‘Objective Reasonableness’ Is Standard of Review for Pretrial Detainee’s Claim of Sexual Abuse, Oct. 1, 2026
• California Supreme Court Announces Totality-of-Circumstances Framework Focused on Defendant’s Subjective Understanding Under § 1473.7(a)(1), Holding Immigration Consequences Advisement Is Relevant but Not Dispositive, Oct. 1, 2026
• Idaho Supreme Court Holds Conflicting Affidavits About Plea Acceptance Require Evidentiary Hearing on Ineffective-Assistance Claim, Oct. 1, 2026
• Tenth Circuit Vacates Award of Costs to Prison Officials, Revives Prisoner’s Claim Alleging Denial of Access to Functioning Toilets and Exposure to Other Prisoners’ Feces, Oct. 1, 2026
• Second Circuit Vacates Above-Guidelines Firearm-Trafficking Sentence Based on Failure to Assist Law Enforcement and Unexplained Reliance on Factors Already Included in Guidelines Range, Sept. 1, 2026
• Ninth Circuit Reverses Convictions, Holding Requirement That Defendant Testify Before Displaying Hand Tattoos Violates Fifth Amendment, Sept. 1, 2026
• Ohio Supreme Court Announces Postconviction DNA-Testing Orders Need Only Identify Statutory Reason to Satisfy R.C. 2953.73(D) “Reasons” Requirement, Sept. 1, 2026
• Federal Court Upholds Consultants’ Finding that Oklahoma Is Not Honoring Its Consent Decree to Provide Mental Health Treatment, Sept. 1, 2026
• Idaho Legislature Moves to Hide Execution Protocol from Judicial Scrutiny, Sept. 1, 2026

More from these topics:

• Ombudsman Report Finds Use of Force Misapplied in Contraband Search, Aug. 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Failure to Treat, Body Cavity Searches, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas.
• Pennsylvania County and Wellpath Pay Over $1.4 Million to Settle Claims of Four Former Jail Detainees, Including Three Who Died by Suicide, Jan. 1, 2026. Drug/Alcohol Withdrawal, Private Contractors, Failure to Treat, Body Cavity Searches, Suicides.
• Arizona’s Secret Mass Surveillance System: An Obscure Financial Database Amasses Millions of Financial Records in the Shadows, July 1, 2025. Searches, Search and Seizure, Warrants, Continuing Financial Crimes Enterprise (CFCE), Domestic Financial Institution.
• Seven TDCJ Prison Guards Arrested 
in Alleged Smuggling Ring, June 1, 2025. Guard Misconduct, Searches, Prison Conditions.
• Connecticut Lawmakers Punt on Limiting Prison Strip Searches, Nov. 15, 2023. Strip Searches, Body Cavity Searches, Pat Searches, Search and Seizure.
• Seventh Circuit Rejects Retaliation Claim Based on Suspicious Timing Alone, Oct. 4, 2020. Retaliation, Searches, Failure to Protect (General), First Amendment, rights.
• Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: When Exit Order is Unlawful, Evidence Obtained from Subsequent Search Must be Suppressed, Feb. 18, 2020. Searches.
• California Court of Appeal: Electronics Searching Condition Struck in Mandatory Supervision Case, Feb. 18, 2020. Searches.
• First Circuit Vacates Conviction Because Sister had Neither Actual nor Apparent Authority to Consent to Search of Brother’s Bags, Jan. 21, 2020. Searches, Fourth Amendment, rights.
• Idaho Supreme Court: Where Police Were Unaware of Probationer’s Fourth Amendment Waiver Until After Unreasonable Search, Waiver Won’t Make Search Reasonable, Jan. 21, 2020. Searches, Police, Fourth Amendment, rights.