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Excited Delirium Syndrome: Pseudo-Scientific Shield for Law Enforcement’s Violent Behavior
Loaded on Nov. 15, 2021
by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
published in Criminal Legal News
December, 2021, page 12
by Michael Fortino, Ph.D.
By the time Denver Police Department (“DPD”) officers handcuffed Anthony Sleets on July 7, 2021, he was already having a bad day. He had passed out in a hotel parking lot after what he thinks must have been an assault—he awoke to find he’d …
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More from this issue:
- ShadowDragon: Inside the Social Media Surveillance Software That Can Watch Your Every Move, by Michael Kwet
- Report Chronicles Growing List of Exonerations, by Jayson Hawkins
- Racist Police Violence Reconsidered, by John McWhorter
- Excited Delirium Syndrome: Pseudo-Scientific Shield for Law Enforcement’s Violent Behavior, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
- Colorado Supreme Court: Warrantless Pole Camera Surveilling and Recording of Curtilage for Over Three Months Constitutes an Illegal Search, by Douglas Ankney
- Proliferation of Anti-Riot Laws Spurs Nationwide Legal Challenges, by Casey Bastian
- Minnesota Supreme Court Announces Two-Year Time Limit of § 590.01, subd. 4(c) Runs From Date of Court Decision, by Douglas Ankney
- How Law Enforcement Get Past Phone Encryption, by Anthony Accurso
- First Circuit: Defendant Entitled to Withdraw Plea Where Government Withdrew From Plea Agreement Based on Defendant’s Breach, by Douglas Ankney
- Law Proposed to End Sales of Private Data to Law Enforcement, by Anthony Accurso
- Wisconsin Supreme Court Announces Incapacitated Driver Provision of Implied Consent Statute Unconstitutional, by Douglas Ankney
- Law of Unintended Consequences: How Defunding the Police Leads to Salary Increases, by Casey Bastian
- Washington Supreme Court: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel for Failing to Object to Introduction of Inadmissible Evidence, by Douglas Ankney
- Is It Time to Stop Relying on the Cops?, by Casey Bastian
- Michigan Supreme Court: Parole-Revocation Prison Term Imposed as Result of Separate Wrongful Conviction Is Included in Compensation Under WICA, by Douglas Ankney
- Maine Supreme Judicial Court Reverses Denial of Suppression Motion and Vacates Murder Conviction, by Douglas Ankney
- D.C. Circuit Joins Seven Other Circuits in Holding USSG § 1B1.13 Doesn’t Apply to Compassionate Release Motions Filed by Prisoners, by Dale Chappell
- New Jersey Supreme Court Announces Framework for Requesting Criminal Background Check of Potential Juror and Calls for Judicial Conference to Explore Nature of Discrimination in Jury Selection Process, by Douglas Ankney
- First Circuit Orders New Trial Following Detailed Discussion of Entrapment Defense and When Courts Must Give Jury Instruction, by Douglas Ankney
- Maryland Court of Appeals Announces Standard for Whether Scientific Evidence Is ‘Testimonial’ for Confrontation Right Purposes Under Article 21 of Maryland Declaration of Rights, by Douglas Ankney
- NYPD Training Deprioritizes First Amendment Education in Policing Protests, by Casey Bastian
- USPS Reveals Social Media Surveillance Program, by Anthony Accurso
- California Supreme Court Announces Hearsay Regarding Nonpredicate Offenses in Psychological Evaluation Reports Inadmissible in SVP Probable Cause Hearings, by Douglas Ankney
- Rhode Island Supreme Court: Conclusory Statutory Language to Describe Purported Child Porn Image Used to Support Search Warrant Affidavit Invalidates Warrant, by Anthony Accurso
- When Life Is No Better Than Death, by Jayson Hawkins
- Texas Man Positively Identified by Six Eyewitnesses and Sentenced to Life Granted Actual Innocence Relief as Result of DNA Evidence, by Casey Bastian
- California Supreme Court Announces Suspended Execution of Sentence with Probation Imposed Is Not ‘Final’ so New Changes in Law Apply Retroactively on Appeal, by Dale Chappell
- Montana Supreme Court: Detainee Entitled to Pre-Sentence Credit for Time Served Regardless if Also Held in Connection With Another Matter in Another County, by Douglas Ankney
- Colorado Supreme Court Announces Mandatory Lifetime Sex Offender Registration Unconstitutional for Juveniles With Multiple Adjudications, by Dale Chappell
- New Mexico Abolishes Qualified Immunity, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
- Missouri Supreme Court: IAC Where Guilty Plea Based on Counsel’s Assurance Defendant Eligible for Drug Treatment Program When, as Matter of Law, Ineligible, by David Reutter
More from Michael Fortino, Ph.D:
- Microbiome: The Latest in Cutting Edge Forensics, Dec. 15, 2021
- Excited Delirium Syndrome: Pseudo-Scientific Shield for Law Enforcement’s Violent Behavior, Nov. 15, 2021
- New Mexico Abolishes Qualified Immunity, Nov. 15, 2021
- Study: Bloodstain Pattern Analyses Display Alarming Lack of Accuracy, Oct. 15, 2021
- Ohio, Now 24th State to End LWOP for Juveniles, Oct. 15, 2021
- DNA Standards Often Make the Difference Between Life and Death, Oct. 15, 2021
- Study Shows Public Defenders Outperform Court Appointed Private Attorneys, Oct. 15, 2021
- Investigative Report Highlights Difficulties in Disciplining Cops, Oct. 15, 2021
- Digital Dogs, New Technology Designed to Sniff-Out Crime, Aug. 15, 2021
- The People Have Spoken: Clemency Appointments Should Follow the Will of the People, Aug. 15, 2021
More from these topics:
- San Diego Guard Who Fatally Shot Fleeing Detainee Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison, July 1, 2026. Police Misconduct, Shootings, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), Excessive Force (Police), Wrongful Use of Force.
- Safety of “The Wrap” Restraint Device Questioned Amid Fatalities and Criticism From Medical Experts, July 1, 2026. Police Misconduct, Failure to Treat, Restraints, Police--Excessive Force, Federal Legislation.
- Your DNA Was at the Scene, But You Weren’t: How Touch DNA Is Convicting the Innocent, June 1, 2026. DNA Testing/Samples, junk science, Wrongful Conviction, DNA Evidence, Evidence - Admissibility, Claim of Innocence.
- Judge Denies New York Prison Chief’s Motion to be Dismissed from Case Related to Robert Brooks’ Murder, May 1, 2026. Work Strikes, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Failure to Train/Supervise, Police--Excessive Force, Deliberate Indifference.
- The Recycled Police Officer: Research Reveals High Cost of Ignoring Prior Misconduct, May 1, 2026. Harassment by Police, Police Misconduct, Statistics/Trends, Excessive Force (Police), Police/Govt Misconduct.
- Illinois Supreme Court Announces Six-Element Jeffries Test Governs Self-Defense Jury Instructions in Cases Involving Force Against Police Officers, Rejecting Appellate Court Approaches That Either Created Separate Threshold Inquiry or Automatically Requir, Feb. 1, 2026. Excessive Force (Police), Abuse of Discretion Standard, Jury Instructions in Jury Room, Plain/Harmless Error, Factual Disputes/Findings.
- Zombie Forensics: Discredited Science Stalking the Courtroom, Dec. 15, 2025. DNA Testing/Samples, junk science, Forensic Sciences, Opinions and Expert Testimony.
- Police AI and “Sycophancy”: New Evidence Tools May Tell Cops Exactly What They Want to Hear, Dec. 15, 2025. junk science, Police State-Surveillance, Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of, Evidence - Failure to Disclose, Exculpatory Evidence - Disclosure Obligations.
- Ohio Sheriff Agrees to Outside Probe in Investigation of Jailed Double Amputee’s Death, Dec. 1, 2025. Jail Misconduct, Disabled Prisoners, Restraints, Police--Excessive Force, Police/Govt Misconduct.
- Beyond the City Limits: How Rural Sheriff’s Departments Are Driving the Spike in Police Killings, Aug. 1, 2025. Excessive Force, Shootings, Police--Excessive Force, Excessive Force (Police).
