More from this issue:

1. News in Brief
2. Federal Rules Limit Searches of Private DNA Databases, by Jayson Hawkins
3. Unsurprisingly Lenient Sentence for Rapist Cop, by Anthony Accurso
4. Kim Kardashian Keeps Going, Helps Release D.C. Prisoner, by Dale Chappell
5. Court Rulings Condemning Cash Bail Systems Increasing, by Edward Lyon
6. More Crooked Cops in New York City Make the Naughty List, by Douglas Ankney
7. For the Mentally Ill, Calling 911 Could Prove Deadly, by Edward Lyon
8. Alabama Sheriff Denied Immunity for False Charges Against Whistleblower, by Anthony Accurso
9. Police Still Have Access to Records That Are Supposedly Sealed, Suit Alleges, by Bill Barton
10. DNA Contamination Threatened Conviction of Innocent Man, by Kevin Bliss
11. White Cop Gets 10 Years for Murder; Black Kid Gets 10 Days for Oversleeping, by Douglas Ankney
12. DA’s Office Files Bar Complaint on Its Own Former Prosecutor, by Anthony Accurso
13. Tenth Annual NRC Report Magnifies Limits of Forensic Evidence, by Bill Barton
14. Critics Claim Thin Blue Line Protects Cops and Prosecutors in Orange County, California, by Bill Barton
15. Study Confirms Immigrants Sentenced More Harshly in Non-Immigrant Areas, by Dale Chappell
16. Prosecutors Transform Due Process into ‘Dues Processed’, by Douglas Ankney
17. New Tennessee Legislation Will Destroy Hundreds, Probably Thousands, of Families, by Sandy Rozek
18. Employers are Adjusting to Hiring Ex-Offenders, by Anthony Accurso
19. Federal Prosecutor’s Office in Kansas Considers It Acceptable to Listen to Attorney-Client Conversations, by Kevin Bliss
20. Sixth Circuit Vacates Sentence Because District Court Relied on Uncharged Shooting Allegation for Upward Departure from Sentencing Guidelines Range, by Douglas Ankney
21. Washington Supreme Court Remands for Resentencing Where State Failed to Prove Criminal History, by Douglas Ankney
22. Washington Supreme Court Affirms Reversals of Murder Convictions, Overrules Townsend, by Douglas Ankney
23. Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Announces New Test in Comparing Out-of-State Priors for Sentence Enhancement for Repeat Sex Offenders, by Michael Berk
24. Vermont Supreme Court Rejects ‘Blanket Rule’ Requiring Fingerprinting in Misdemeanor Cases, by Dale Chappell
25. Mississippi Supreme Court Abolishes ‘Pre-Arming’ Jury Instruction, by Dale Chappell
26. Second Circuit Holds Appointment of Counsel for Direct Appeal Not Subject to Frivolousness Rule, by Dale Chappell
27. Lies by Former Houston Cop Facing Murder Charge Might Affect Over 14,000 Cases, by David M. Reutter
28. The ‘First Step’ Has Been Taken — What’s Next?, by Dale Chappell
29. Ninth Circuit Affirms Habeas Relief Where Counsel Failed to Present Mitigating Evidence at Penalty Phase, by Douglas Ankney
30. Georgia Supreme Court Reverses Conviction for Failure to Give Accomplice-Corroboration Jury Instruction, by Douglas Ankney
31. California Court of Appeal Invalidates Title 15 § 3490(a)(5) of the California Code of Regulations, by Douglas Ankney
32. Nevada Supreme Court Announces Rule for When Hearing Required on Fair-Cross-Section of Community Violation Claim in Jury Selection, by Dale Chappell
33. Ohio Supreme Court Announces State Cannot Raise Fourth Amendment Standing Issue for First Time on Appeal, by Douglas Ankney
34. Eleventh Circuit Holds Georgia’s Terroristic Threats Statute Not Violent Felony for ACCA, by Dale Chappell
35. New York Court of Appeals Reverses Conviction Where Trial Court Negotiated Cooperation Agreement with Codefendant, by Anthony Accurso
36. Nation’s First-Ever Nonprofit Forensics Laboratory Coming to Utah, by Douglas Ankney
37. Hawai’i Supreme Court: Time Spent in Arizona Prison Counts Toward Speedy Trial Rule in Hawai’i, by Anthony Accurso
38. Eleventh Circuit: Selling Body Armor Doesn’t Satisfy Sentencing Guidelines’ Definition of ‘Use’, by Douglas Ankney
39. Fourth Circuit: Magistrate’s Failure to Warn of ACCA Enhancement Was Plain Error, by Douglas Ankney
40. Ninth Circuit Vacates Unconstitutionally Vague Supervised-Release Conditions, by David M. Reutter
41. Hawai’i Supreme Court Rules Search Warrant Failed to Satisfy the Particularity Requirement for Multiple-Occupancy Dwellings, by Douglas Ankney
42. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: When Exit Order is Unlawful, Evidence Obtained from Subsequent Search Must be Suppressed, by Douglas Ankney
43. First Step Act Earned-Time Credits are Coming ... Eventually and Only to Some Prisoners, by Dale Chappell
44. Alaska Supreme Court: Forcing a Defendant to Testify Is Structural Error Requiring Automatic Reversal, by Douglas Ankney
45. California Court of Appeal: Electronics Searching Condition Struck in Mandatory Supervision Case, by Anthony Accurso
46. Nevada Supreme Court: Parole Board May Petition To Modify Life Sentence, by Anthony Accurso
47. Colorado Supreme Court Clarifies and Modifies Analytical Framework for Proportionality Reviews, by Douglas Ankney
48. Attacking the Guilty Plea: The ‘Voluntarily and Knowingly Made’ Standard, by Dale Chappell
49. Hawai’i Supreme Court Announces Degree of ‘Restraint’ Necessary to Support Kidnapping Conviction, by Douglas Ankney
50. Prosecutorial Misconduct: Justice Denied as the System Turns a Blind Eye, by Christopher Zoukis

More from Douglas Ankney:

• Community Supervision: America’s Hidden Wellspring to Mass Incarceration, Feb. 15, 2025
• Rikers Island Continues Long Practice of Denying Education to Young Adults, Feb. 15, 2025
• Monterey County Pays $1 Million to Settle Suit Over Detainee Suicide by Toilet Tissue; Wellpath Pays Another Undisclosed Sum, Feb. 15, 2025
• Sixth Circuit Revives Challenge by Kentucky Prisoner Left Three Weeks in “Rancid” Paper Undershorts, Feb. 15, 2025
• California Court of Appeal: Evidence Insufficient to Show Robbery Victim Moved ‘Substantial Distance’ to Support Simple Kidnapping Conviction and Amendments to § 186.22 Require Vacatur of Gang Enhancements, Feb. 15, 2025
• Fourth Circuit Revives Claims Against Virginia Jailers by Detainee They Allegedly Manhandled While Handcuffed, Feb. 15, 2025
• Fourth Circuit Reinstates North Carolina Prisoner’s Failure-to-Protect Claim Against Guard in Stabbing, Feb. 15, 2025
• Minnesota Supreme Court Announces No Duty to Retreat When Using Reasonable Force in Defense of Another and Provides Framework for Analyzing Such Claims, Feb. 1, 2025
• NIJ Partners With Doctor to Develop Better Screening Method to Detect and Identify Drugs Postmortem, Jan. 15, 2025
• Fines and Fees Destroy the Impoverished and Perpetuate Mass Incarceration, Jan. 15, 2025

More from these topics:

• Massachusetts Supreme Court Vacates Threat-Based Conviction on First Amendment Grounds Because Jury Instructions Failed to Include Mens Rea Element Mandated by Counterman for ‘True-Threat’ Conviction, Feb. 15, 2025. Jury Instructions, Resentencing, Threats, Negligence/Reckless Endangerment.
• Ohio Supreme Court Announces Self-Defense Jury Instruction Does Not Require Intent to Harm or Kill Assailant, Oct. 1, 2024. Defenses, Jury Instructions, Motive/Opportunity/Intent/Identity Evidence.
• Fourth Circuit Vacates Where Instructions Failed to Inform Jury That Mens Rea of ‘Knowingly or Intentionally’ Applies to ‘Except as Authorized’ in 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), June 15, 2024. Jury Instructions, Essential Elements of Crime, Mens Rea Element, Elements of Offense, Failure to Instruct on Scienter Requirement.
• Kentucky Supreme Court Clarifies When Lesser-Included Offense Instruction Must Be Provided, Reverses Convictions Based on Trial Court’s Failure to Properly Instruct Jury, Dec. 15, 2023. Jury Instructions, Criminal Procedure, Fair Trial, Verdicts.
• California Supreme Court Vacates Second Degree Murder Conviction Where Jury Instructed on Now Invalid Felony-­Murder Theory, Oct. 1, 2023. Jury Instructions, New Trial Motions, Murder/Felony Murder.
• New York Court of Appeals Announces When an Alternate Juror Is ‘Discharged’ and no Longer ‘Available for Service’, May 15, 2023. Jury Instructions, Jurors - Alternates.
• Hawaii Supreme Court: Plain Error Not Providing ‘Incidental Restraint’ Jury Instruction Where Kidnapping Only Charge After Dismissing Abuse Charges Prior to Trial, April 15, 2023. Restraints, Jury Instructions, Kidnapping, Abduction or Unlawful Restraint, Plain/Harmless Error.
• New Jersey Supreme Court: Allowing Jury to Hear Defendant’s Invocation of Right to Counsel in Recorded Statement Together With Prosecutor Inferring Guilt Based on Request for Counsel Entitles Defendant to New Trial, March 15, 2023. Jury Instructions, New Trial Motions, Counsel - Right to, Perjury/Perjured Testimony.
• Hundreds Convicted by Split Juries Will Have New Trials After Oregon Supreme Court Decision, Jan. 12, 2023. Jury Instructions, New Trial Motions.
• North Dakota Prisoner’s Conviction for Assault on Guard Vacated Due To Erroneous Jury Instruction, Oct. 31, 2022. Prisoner-Staff Assault, Jury Instructions.