More from this issue:

1. The Inevitability of Central Bank Digital Currencies and Their Threat to Human Rights, by Anthony Accurso
2. SCOTUS Announces ‘Right-to-Control’ Theory Not Valid Basis for Liability Under Federal Wire Fraud Statutes, by Richard Resch
3. Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Trial Court Deprived Defendant of Opportunity to Present Complete Defense, by Douglas Ankney
4. SCOTUS: Honest-Services Fraud Jury Instructions Regarding Private Citizen Too Vague, by Richard Resch
5. New Commission in Georgia Will Discipline and Remove Prosecutors Who Are Seen as Not Tough Enough on Crime, by Jo Ellen Nott
6. Fifth Circuit: Placing Jacket Within Fenced-In Area of Home in Presence of Police Evidences Clear Intent Not to Abandon It, Warrantless Search Violates Fourth Amendment Rights, by Richard Resch
7. California Court of Appeal Reiterates ‘Three Strikes’ Law Does Not Limit ‘Presentence’ Custody Credits, Defendant Entitled to Credits Calculated Under Penal Code § 4019, by Douglas Ankney
8. Ninth Circuit: Government’s Inflammatory Arguments in Sentencing Memorandum and at Sentencing Hearing Implicitly Breached Plea Agreement Promise Not to Recommend Sentence in Excess of Low-End Guidelines Range, by Douglas Ankney
9. Georgia Supreme Court Announces Overruling Longstanding Rule That Anything Filed by Defendant While Represented by Counsel Is Always a ‘Legal Nullity’, by Douglas Ankney
10. Fourth Circuit: Denial of Motion for Compassionate Release Abuse of Discretion Where District Court Failed to Properly Address Numerous Health Issues, Advanced Age, and Relevant § 3553(a) Factors, by Douglas Ankney
11. Fourth Circuit Declines to Enforce Appeal Waiver and Procedural Default Excused by ‘Cause and Actual Prejudice,’ Reverses Denial of § 2255 Motion to Vacate § 924(c) Conviction Based on Hobbs Act Conspiracy, by Douglas Ankney
12. Saul Kassin Probes Dangerous Practices in ‘Duped: Why Innocent People Confess-and Why We Believe Their Confessions’, by James Doyle
13. Fourth Circuit: Counsel Ineffective for Failing to Raise Change in Sentencing Precedent Following Remand, by David Reutter
14. Fourth Circuit Holds Ineligibility for First Step Act Safety Valve Relief Requires Proof of All Three Listed Criminal History Characteristics Satisfied, Widening Circuit Split, by David Reutter
15. First Circuit: Plain Error Where District Court Based Upward Variant From Sentencing Guidelines Range on New Information Not Already in the Record at the Time of Sentencing, by Douglas Ankney
16. Indiana Supreme Court: Petitioner Entitled to File Belated Appeal More Than 21 Years After Conviction, Holding He Acted ‘Promptly’, by Douglas Ankney
17. Fourth Circuit Announces Rehaif Applies to All § 922(g) Firearms-Possession Offenses and Applies Retroactively to Initial § 2255 Motions, by Douglas Ankney
18. Arkansas Supreme Court Reverses 11 Counts of Possession of Child Pornography Because CGI Images Do Not Depict Image of a Child, by Douglas Ankney
19. Specialized Police Units Hunt People for ICE, by Keith Sanders
20. Banishment: Using an Ancient Solution to Address a Modern Problem, by Benjamin Tschirhart
21. Police Can Get More From Your Phone Than You May Believe, by Michael Thompson
22. Civilian Police With Military Equipment, by Edward Lyon
23. Cops Aren’t Just Murdering People With Impunity – They Also Conduct Bogus Traffic Stops, by Anthony Accurso
24. Inspector General Report: FBI Routinely Abused Access to Private Communications, by Eike Blohm, MD
25. New Orleans Authorizes Facial Recognition to Identity Suspects, by Michael Thompson
26. Financial Pressure Finally Brings Police Reform, by Jayson Hawkins
27. The ACLU Calls for a Moratorium on Blanket Recording of ALPR Footage, by Kevin Bliss
28. Police Sketch Bot Arrives, by Carlo Difundo
29. Police Study Shows That Reform and Effectiveness Are Not Mutually Exclusive, by Benjamin Tschirhart
30. ‘Contagion Effect’ Spreads Brutality Among Police Officers, by Eike Blohm, MD
31. Memphis Police Beat Man to Death, by Kevin Bliss
32. America’s Latest “War on” … Protestors, by Casey Bastian
33. Minnesota Abolishes Life Without Parole for Juveniles, by Jordan Arizmendi
34. Louisiana Jury Selection Illegal According to Recently Passed Bill, by Kevin Bliss
35. News in Brief

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:

• Third Circuit Grants Habeas Relief to Prisoner on Confrontation Clause and Ineffective Assistance Claims Based on Trial Court Reading Entire Criminal Information Into the Record of Co-Conspirator Who Pleaded Guilty, Feb. 15, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Exculpatory No Doctrine, Confrontation Clause/Rights, Witnesses - Prior Statements/Testimony, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.
• Ninth Circuit: Defense Counsel Ineffective for Failing to Move to Suppress Evidence Obtained as a Result of Police Officer Trespassing on Curtilage of Defendant’s Home, Feb. 1, 2025. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Motions To Suppress, Searches - Home/Curtilage, Suppression.
• Georgia Supreme Court Grants Habeas Relief Where Both Trial and Appellate Counsel Provided Ineffective Assistance by Failing to Challenge Indictment for Residential Burglary That Failed to Allege Defendant Illegally Entered a ‘Dwelling’, Jan. 15, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Constitutional Challenges/Law.
• Third Circuit Announces Claim of Innocence Does Not Resolve Whether Defendant Would Have Accepted Plea Offer Absent Counsel’s Error and Holds Counsel Ineffective for Failing to Properly Advise Defendant About Mandatory Sentences If Plea Offer Rejected, Dec. 15, 2024. Actual Innocence/Claim of Innocence, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Mandatory Minimum Sentence, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas, Rejection.
• Fourth Circuit Grants Rare Bivens Extension to Federal Prisoner Allegedly Abused by Guards at Virginia Lockup, Dec. 15, 2024. Guard Misconduct, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Tolling of Statutes of Limitations and Laches.
• Washington Court of Appeals: No Reimbursement for Community Service Performed for Vacated Conviction, Dec. 15, 2024. Wrongful Conviction, Appeals/Appellate Jurisdiction, Probation, Parole & Supervised Release, Reimbursement of Costs.
• Delaware Supreme Court: Counsel Ineffective for Failing to Challenge Search of Cellphone Where Consent Was Ambiguous and Warrant Constituted a General Warrant, Nov. 1, 2024. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Searches - Cellphones/Computers/Internet, Warrants - Requirements/Scope/Exceptions.
• Arizona Supreme Court Allows Third PCR Motion Based on IAC for Erroneous Advice About Parole Eligibility Due to ‘Pervasive Confusion’ Regarding Parole Within Legal Community, Nov. 1, 2024. Parole, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Remands/Rehearings/Resentencings.
• Seventh Circuit Avoids Deciding Whether Wisconsin Statute of Limitations Tolls from Prisoner’s Incident or Grievances, Oct. 15, 2024. Grievances, Tolling of Statutes of Limitations and Laches.
• Georgia Supreme Court Grants Habeas Where Defense Counsel Failed to Understand State Self-Defense Statute Provides Complete Defense to Felony Murder Based on Felon-in-Possession Charge, Oct. 1, 2024. Habeas Corpus, Felon in Possession Statute, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Murder/Felony Murder.