More from this issue:

1. The Real Minority Report Predictive Policing Algorithms Reflect Racial Bias Present in Corrupted Historic Databases, by Matthew Clarke
2. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Announces Premature Sex Offender Classification of Incarcerated Offender Who Accepted Classification Violates Procedural Due Process, by Douglas Ankney
3. Tenth Circuit Rejects Qualified Immunity for Prosecutor Alleged to Have Fabricated Evidence, Despite no Previous Case with Materially Similar Facts, by Douglas Ankney
4. California Supreme Court: Furnishing Drugs Resulting in Overdose Death Does Not Automatically Trigger Great Bodily Injury Enhancement, by Dale Chappell
5. Hawaii Supreme Court Announces Five-Factor Test in Determining Whether There’s ‘Fair and Just Reason’ to Withdraw Plea, by David Reutter
6. Seventh Circuit: District Court Erred in Denying Compassionate Release Motion by Limiting ‘Extraordinary and Compelling’ Analysis to USSG § 1B1.13, by Dale Chappell
7. Anger: A Natural Reaction That Makes the Innocent Appear Guilty, by Jayson Hawkins
8. An Inside Look at Operation Trojan Shield How the FBI Crafted an International Encrypted Messaging Sting, by Jayson Hawkins
9. Tenth Circuit Announces Adoption of ‘Offense of Conviction Approach’ for Determining Sentence Reduction Under First Step Act § 404(b), by Dale Chappell
10. Kansas Supreme Court Affirms Reversal and Dismissal of Murder Charges Based on Speedy Trial Violation, by Douglas Ankney
11. Arizona Supreme Court Announces Trial Courts Have Discretion to Deny State’s Request for SVP Screening and Provides Guidance to Courts Exercising That Discretion, by Douglas Ankney
12. Arizona Supreme Court Clarifies Proper Fundamental Error Review Applicable to Allegation of a Single, Unobjected-to Instance of Prosecutorial Misconduct, by Douglas Ankney
13. Study: Bloodstain Pattern Analyses Display Alarming Lack of Accuracy, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
14. SCOTUS Holds Ramos’ Unanimous Jury Requirement Is New Procedural Rule and Announces No New Procedural Rule Applies Retroactively on Federal Collateral Review, by Dale Chappell
15. Second Circuit: Autopsy Report Is ‘Testimonial’ for Confrontation Clause Purposes, Habeas Relief Granted, by Dale Chappell
16. Ohio, Now 24th State to End LWOP for Juveniles, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
17. Current Forensic Sciences Not as Objective as Most Believe, by Edward Lyon
18. "Eighth Circuit: Government Breached Plea Agreement by Endorsing PSR’s Calculation of Higher Base Offense Level Than Plea Agreement, Curing Breach Not Recognized in Circuit", by David Reutter
19. Justice Department Orders All Federal Agents to Wear Body Cameras, by Chuck Sharman
20. DNA Standards Often Make the Difference Between Life and Death, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
21. Georgia Supreme Court Announces Merger Error Claims During Sentencing May Be Raised for First Time in Habeas Petition, by Anthony Accurso
22. Justice Department Bans Chokeholds and Restricts No-Knock Entries for Federal Agents, by Chuck Sharman
23. Ninth Circuit Announces All 3 Subsections Must Be Satisfied to Deny Safety-Valve Relief Under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(f)(1), by Dale Chappell
24. Experts Agree: Police Public Relations Consistently Mislead the Public, by Jayson Hawkins
25. Study Shows Public Defenders Outperform Court Appointed Private Attorneys, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
26. Investigative Report Highlights Difficulties in Disciplining Cops, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
27. Florida’s Worst Cop Fired for 7th Time, by Jayson Hawkins
28. Police Do Not Want to Pay for Damage They Inflicted to Texas Home, by Kevin Bliss
29. California Supreme Court Announces Predicate Offenses for Gang Enhancement or Gang Participation Not Provable Using Expert Witness Testimony Without Personal Knowledge of Facts, by Matthew Clarke
30. SCOTUS Reinstates Death Sentence Reversed by Eleventh Circuit, by Matthew Clarke
31. NYC’s Stop-and-Frisk Still Targets Based on Race, by Jayson Hawkins
32. News in Brief

More from Douglas Ankney:

• Barbaric and Deadly Conditions Continue to Plague Los Angeles County Jails, Feb. 1, 2026
• Killings Inside Mississippi’s Prisons Continue Unabated But Report Prompts DOC to Reopen Investigations, Feb. 1, 2026
• Competency Crisis in Missouri’s Jails, Feb. 1, 2026
• Maine Supreme Judicial Court Announces Trial Courts Must Rigorously Scrutinize Reliability of Expert Testimony in Unrecognized Forensic Fields, Holding Trial Court Erred in Admitting Forensic Podiatry Footprint-Comparison Testimony Without a Demonstrated, Feb. 1, 2026
• Ninth Circuit: Notice of Appeal of Order Denying Qualified Immunity Must Be Filed Within 30 Days of Entry, Feb. 1, 2026
• 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
• Supreme Court of Maryland Announces Police Officer’s Observation of Driver Manipulating Cellphone Screen Does Not, Without Additional Facts, Establish Reasonable Suspicion for Traffic Stop Under Fourth Amendment, Feb. 1, 2026
• Fifth Circuit Rules Against Louisiana Prisoner Seeking to Recoup Money Made at Angola Prison Rodeo, Jan. 1, 2026
• Report on “Pay-­to-­Stay” Fees Makes Strong Case for Their Repeal, Jan. 1, 2026
• Maryland Agrees to Pay $30,000 to Prisoner Who Was Beaten by Guards While Handcuffed, Jan. 1, 2026

More from these topics:

• Eighth Circuit Revives Case Against Guards Who Failed to Intervene As Chaplain Sexually Assaulted Arkansas Prisoner, March 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Failure to Protect (General), Prison Rape Elimination Act, Qualified Immunity, Failure to Train/Supervise.
• Sixth Circuit Revives Michigan Prisoner’s Challenge to Guard Tackle That Broke His Foot, March 1, 2026. Evidentiary Ruling (Disciplinary Hearings), Guard Brutality/Beatings, Summary Judgment, Qualified Immunity, Wrongful Use of Force.
• Louisiana Prisoner Sustains Claim Against Prison Doctor for Allowing Assignment to “Field Duty” Despite Known Ankle Injury, March 1, 2026. Inability to Work, Skeletal Injury, Summary Judgment, Qualified Immunity, Deliberate Indifference.
• Tenth Circuit Affirmed Denial of Guards Qualified Immunity in Disabled Detainee’s Fourteenth Amendment Claim, March 1, 2026. Failure to Treat, Qualified Immunity, Fourteenth Amendment, rights, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights, Deliberate Indifference.
• Michigan Claws Back $1.2 Million Paid to Wrongfully Convicted Former Prisoner, Feb. 1, 2026. Police Misconduct, Wrongful Imprisonment, Qualified Immunity, Forensic Sciences, Fabrication of Evidence.
• Ninth Circuit: Notice of Appeal of Order Denying Qualified Immunity Must Be Filed Within 30 Days of Entry, Feb. 1, 2026. Liberty Interests, Evidence, Qualified Immunity, Fourteenth Amendment, rights.
• Sixth Circuit Affirms Denial of Qualified Immunity for Michigan Jailer Accused of Retaliatory Assault, Jan. 1, 2026. Retaliation, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Qualified Immunity, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights, Deliberate Indifference.
• $600,000 Awarded So Far in Disgraced Georgia Sheriff’s Trial for Abusing Detainee in Restraint Chair, Jan. 1, 2026. Exposure to Cold, Restraints, Qualified Immunity, Damages - Compensatory, Wrongful Use of Force.
• Fifth Circuit Rules Against Louisiana Prisoner Seeking to Recoup Money Made at Angola Prison Rodeo, Jan. 1, 2026. Seizure of Prisoner Funds, Trust Accounts, Qualified Immunity, Fourteenth Amendment, rights, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights.
• Sixth Circuit Affirms Denial of Qualified Immunity to Jail Nurses in Suit Arising from Prisoner’s Death, Dec. 1, 2025. Medication, Failure to Treat, Qualified Immunity, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Deliberate Indifference.