More from this issue:

1. Changing Perception, Changing The Law, by Jean Trounstine
2. California Supreme Court Finds IAC, Vacates Conviction in LAPD Officer’s Murder Case (Again) – 36 Years Later, by Dale Chappell
3. Ninth Circuit Opens Door for Savings Clause Relief, Recognizes ‘Actual Innocence’ for Mandatory Career Offender Sentences, by Dale Chappell
4. Seventh Circuit: Trial Judge Violated 5th Amendment by Modifying Instructions to Allow Jury to Convict on Offenses Not Charged in Indictment, by Douglas Ankney
5. Attacking the Guilty Plea: The Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Standard, by Dale Chappell
6. Suspending the Constitution: Police State Uses Crises to Expand Its Lockdown Powers, by John W. Whitehead
7. SCOTUS: ‘Serious Drug Offense’ Under ACCA Is Self-Defining, Match with Equivalent Federal Offense Not Required, by Dale Chappell
8. Kansas Supreme Court Holds Threat of Violence Statute Violates First Amendment to Extent it Criminalizes ‘Reckless’ Conduct, by Dale Chappell
9. SCOTUS: Advocating for Shorter Sentence Sufficient to Preserve Claim that Sentence Imposed Greater Than Necessary to Comply With 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), by Douglas Ankney
10. New York Court of Appeals Orders Resentencing Because Trial Court Relied on Testimony from Improperly Unsealed Record, by Douglas Ankney
11. California Court of Appeal: Senate Bill 1437 Abrogates ‘Natural and Probable Consequences Doctrine’ in Attempted Murder Prosecutions and Applies Retroactively to Cases on Appeal, by Douglas Ankney
12. Sixth Circuit: Cardiologist’s Right to Due Process Violated Where District Court Ordered Government to Not Disclose Third Party’s Expert Evaluation of Medical Care Provided by Him, by Douglas Ankney
13. En Banc Ninth Circuit Provides Guidance on When Amended Habeas Petition ‘Relates Back’ to Original Claims to Avoid Dismissal as Untimely, by Dale Chappell
14. First Circuit: Home Search Affidavit Failed to Establish Nexus of Crime and Evidence, by David Reutter
15. First Circuit: Securing a Weapon Not Used in Offense Is Not Exigent Circumstance Permitting Warrantless Entry and Search of Suspect’s Home, by Anthony Accurso
16. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Reverses Murder Conviction Due to Insufficient Evidence, by Douglas Ankney
17. Fifth Circuit Settles In-Circuit Confusion, Holds Implicit Extension of Time to File State Appeal Tolls AEDPA Clock to File Federal Habeas Petition, by Dale Chappell
18. Second Circuit Holds Denial to Proceed Under Pseudonym by Magistrate Judge Is Immediately Appealable, by Dale Chappell
19. Pennsylvania Prosecutors Cash in on Low-Level Drug Crimes, by Edward Lyon
20. Former Florida Deputy Jailed for Fabricating Drug Evidence, by David Reutter
21. Prosecutors Overrepresented Among Federal Judges, by Jayson Hawkins
22. ‘Travel Papers’ and the Pandemic Patriot Act 2.0, by Daisy Luther, The Organic Prepper
23. FBI ‘Assessing’ Black Americans, by Jayson Hawkins
24. Seventh Circuit: Unsupported CI Statements Insufficient to Justify Higher Drug Quantity for Sentencing, by Dale Chappell
25. California Supreme Court: Refusing to Testify Insufficient to Constitute Accessory After the Fact, by Anthony Accurso
26. Ninth Circuit: Proposition 47 Creates New, Intervening Judgment to Allow Another Federal Habeas Petition Attacking Entire Case, by Dale Chappell
27. Coronavirus: Will Courts Continue To Operate, Preserving the Rule of Law?, by Austin Sarat, Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science, Amherst College, The Conversation
28. Seventh Circuit Vacates Sentence for Failure to Explain Extreme Departure of Guidelines Range, by Anthony Accurso
29. Washington Supreme Court Announces PRP Petition ‘Final’ Upon Issuance of Certificate of Finality to Allow Tolling of Federal Habeas Clock, by Dale Chappell
30. Repeat Offenders May Be the Result of Different Brain Composition, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
31. Hawaii Lawmakers Propose Transparency from Prosecutors, by David Reutter
32. New Fingerprint Test Can Distinguish Whether Person Ingested Cocaine or Only Touched It, by Douglas Ankney
33. Wyoming Supreme Court Finds IAC Where Counsel Failed to Challenge Prolonging of Traffic Stop After Citation Completed, by Anthony Accurso
34. North Carolina Supreme Court Announces Defendant Can Forfeit Right to Counsel by Egregious Misconduct; Trial Court May Forgo Compliance with N.C.G.S. § 15A-1242, by Douglas Ankney
35. Report: LAPD Engaged in Racial Profiling in Traffic Stops, by Kevin Bliss
36. Fingerprint Analysis: High Stakes, Low Qualifications, by Jayson Hawkins
37. California Supreme Court: Defendant Doesn’t Forfeit Claim for Failing to Object to Expert’s Testimonial Hearsay at Trial That Occurred Before Sanchez Was Decided, by Anthony Accurso
38. Big Brother Is ... Tracking You, by Douglas Ankney
39. DNA Contamination Threatened Conviction of Innocent Man, by Kevin Bliss
40. Georgia Supreme Court Reverses Dismissal of Second State Habeas Petition, by Douglas Ankney
41. Citizens in California Can No Longer be Prosecuted for Refusing to Risk Their Lives Assisting Police, by Douglas Ankney
42. Sealed Records Open for View, by Kevin Bliss
43. News Websites Rethink Using Mugshots as Click-Bait, by Dale Chappell
44. Advanced DNA Technology Helps Free Innocent Georgia Man After Nearly 18 Years in Prison, by Edward Lyon
45. In the Criminal Justice System, Big Brother Gets Bigger Every Day, by Douglas Ankney
46. City of Grand Rapids to Pay Marine $190,000 After He Was Unlawfully Detained as ‘Illegal Foreign National’, by Douglas Ankney
47. ‘Constitutional Crisis’ Still Exists Despite California Supreme Court Ruling on Opening Access to Law Enforcement Brady Lists, by Dale Chappell
48. California’s Killer Cops, by Douglas Ankney
49. Complexity and Lack of Standardization Makes Crime Statistics Less Useful, by Matthew Clarke
50. Chicago’s ‘Despicable’ Red-Light Camera System Exposed, by Douglas Ankney
51. How to Clear Your Record of Marijuana Charges in Illinois, by Dale Chappell
52. New York Police Department Plays Loose with Freedom of Information Act Laws, by Kevin Bliss
53. Could a Second Chance be the Answer?, by Kevin Bliss
54. Wrongfully Convicted NY Man Freed After 24 Years, by Jayson Hawkins
55. News in Brief
56. Chicago Police Department Ordered to Release 49 Years of Misconduct Files, by Matthew Clarke

More from David Reutter:

• Eight Circuit Reverses Denial of Partial Qualified Immunity in Detainee’s Pepper Ball Claim, Remands Excessive Force Claims, Sept. 1, 2026
• Nevada Prisoners, Families Call Out Predatory Tablet Program, Sept. 1, 2026
• Fourth Circuit: Error in Granting Judgment Prior to Adjudging Spoliation Motion, Sept. 1, 2026
• Fourth Circuit Affirms Qualified Immunity in Strip Searches Resulting from Anonymous Tips, Sept. 1, 2026
• Tenth Circuit: Colorado Governor Unentitled to Eleventh Amendment Immunity on Claim Related to DOC Religious Policies, Aug. 1, 2026
• Michigan Appeals Court: Witnesses Cannot be Forced to Wear Jail Clothes at Trial, Aug. 1, 2026
• Sixth Circuit Affirms Denial of State-Law Qualified Immunity in Scabies Case, Aug. 1, 2026
• Fourth Circuit Revives Disabled Prisoner’s Claim for Denial of Out-of-Cell Exercise Time, Aug. 1, 2026
• Sixth Circuit Announces State-Law Exceptions to Appeal Deadlines Preserve “Pending” Status Under AEDPA, Holding Belated-Appeal Procedures Toll Federal Habeas Limitations Period, April 1, 2026
• Florida Supreme Court Announces Rule 3.170(f)’s Good-Cause Plea-Withdrawal Standard Does Not Apply at Post-Appeal Resentencing, April 1, 2026

More from these topics:

• New York Court of Appeals Holds Generic Physical Description Insufficient to Justify Pursuit in Mistaken Identity Case, and Suspect’s Flight Cannot Support Reasonable Suspicion Absent Evidence He Knew He Was Fleeing Law Enforcement, April 1, 2026. Reasonable Suspicion, Fruit of the Poisonous Tree, Suppression, Warrants - Requirements/Scope/Exceptions, Terry Stops.
• New York Court of Appeals Announces Coercive Police Tactics Compelling Suspect to Exit Home Constitute “Constructive Entry” Violating Payton, Holds Attenuation Analysis Applies to Third-Party Consent, March 1, 2026. Warrantless Searches, Consent Searches, State Constitutional Claims, Fruit of the Poisonous Tree, Unlawful Entry/Conduct.
• Illinois Supreme Court: Use of Flashlight by Police to See Through Small Gap in Chained and Padlocked Kitchen Cabinet Doors Constitutes ‘Search’ Under Fourth Amendment, May 15, 2025. Emergency Aid Doctrine, Exception to Warrant Requirement, Arrest Incident to Search, Motions To Suppress, Dwellings, Searches - Plain View, State Constitutional Claims, Fruit of the Poisonous Tree, Illegal Search.
• Washington Court of Appeals Clarifies ‘Nexus’ Standard Authorizing Warrantless Searches of Parolees and Probationers, Sept. 1, 2024. Parole/Probation Searches, Nexus between crime and property, Warrantless Searches.
• Ninth Circuit Suppresses Evidence as Fruit of the Poisonous Tree Where Officer Lacked Probable Cause to Arrest Man Who Displayed Handgun in Open Carry State, Jan. 15, 2023. Fruit of the Poisonous Tree, Suppression, Trading Drugs for a Gun.
• Nevada Supreme Court: Search Invalid Where Police Failed to Properly Inventory Bag, Dec. 15, 2020. Search and Seizure, Searches - Inventory, Fruit of the Poisonous Tree, Suppression.
• U.S. v. Carter, No. 03-3045 (10th Cir.) (360 F.3d 1235) (March 8, 2004) (Judge Harris L. Hartz), Feb. 1, 2004. Punch And Jurists, Fruit of the Poisonous Tree.
• Wong Sun v. U.S., No. 36 (U.S. Supreme Court) (371 U.S. 471; 83 S.Ct. 407) (January 14, 2063) (Justice Brennan), Oct. 17, 2002. Punch And Jurists, Fruit of the Poisonous Tree.
• U.S. v. Faulkingham, No. 01-2276 (1st Cir.) (295 F.3d 85) (July 9, 2002) (Judge Sandra L. Lynch), Aug. 1, 2002. Punch And Jurists, Fruit of the Poisonous Tree.
• U.S. v. Sterling, No. 01-4264 (4th Cir.) (283 F.3d 216) (March 8, 2002) (Judge H. Emory Jr. Widener), April 1, 2002. Punch And Jurists, Fruit of the Poisonous Tree.