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. Cops Aren’t Just Murdering People With Impunity – They Also Conduct Bogus Traffic Stops, by Anthony Accurso
23. Civilian Police With Military Equipment, by Edward Lyon
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. America’s Latest “War on” … Protestors, by Casey Bastian
32. Memphis Police Beat Man to Death, by Kevin Bliss
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 Jordan Arizmendi:

• Minnesota Becomes Third State to Restrict ‘Excited Delirium’, July 15, 2024
• After Stripping Crucial Jail Services, NYC Splurges on $90,000 in Submachine Guns for Rikers Island Guards, April 26, 2024
• Disgraced NYC Council Candidate Gets Slap-on-the-Wrist Sentence, April 26, 2024
• Colorado Becomes Seventh State to Prohibit Jailing Immigrants for ICE, April 26, 2024
• After Ohio Becomes 24th State to Legalize Recreational Marijuana, What Next?, Feb. 15, 2024
• Jesse Johnson: 194th Person Exonerated While on Death Row, Jan. 15, 2024
• Chicago Cop Lied So Many Times Under Oath That Prosecutors Are Dismissing Cases That Relied on His Testimony, Dec. 15, 2023
• Report Finds Effective Text Message Reminders Can Reduce Community Supervision Violations, Dec. 15, 2023
• New York Court Rules Police Allowed to Use Familial DNA Searches, Dec. 15, 2023
• New Jersey Takes First Steps in Eliminating Public Defender Fees, Nov. 1, 2023

More from these topics:

• U.S. Sentencing Commission: 2026 Amendments to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, June 1, 2026. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Alternative Sentencing, Sentence Enhancements/Departures, Multiple/Multiplicious Counts, Drug Quantity.
• First Circuit Vacates Drug Courier’s Sentence, Holding District Court Erred by Failing to Conduct Proper Comparative Culpability Analysis Under § 3B1.2 When It Excluded Other Participants in Drug Shipment From Universe of Comparators, May 1, 2026. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Mitigating Role/Circumstances/Evidence, Appellate Jurisdiction/Review, Sentencing Findings, Relevant Conduct.
• Sixth Circuit Announces Federal Coercion and Enticement Statute Requires Knowledge of Victim’s Minor Status, Deepening Circuit Split, May 1, 2026. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Sentence, Miscalculation of the Guidelines Sentencing Range.
• Tenth Circuit Holds Prior California Child Pornography Conviction Does Not Trigger Federal Mandatory Minimum Because State Statute Encompasses Conduct Beyond Federal Definition Under Categorical Approach, April 1, 2026. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Qualifying Offenses, Mandatory Minimum Sentence, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Child Pornography.
• U.S. Sentencing Commission Report Breaks Down Federal Contraband Sentences, March 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Mechanical Searches/Scanners, Statistics/Trends, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Bribery/Extortion/Theft.
• Acquitted Conduct Sentencing: Not Guilty – But Punished Anyway, March 1, 2026. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Federal Legislation, Fifth Amendment, Sixth Amendment, Acquitted Conduct/Uncharged Crimes/Dismissed Counts.
• First Circuit Clarifies Mitigating Role Analysis – Sentencing Courts Must Consider All Identifiable Participants in Drug Shipment, Not Just Crew Members, and Use § 3B1.2 Factors to Assess Relative Culpability, Not Guilt, Dec. 15, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Mitigating Role/Circumstances/Evidence, Miscalculation of the Guidelines Sentencing Range.
• Third Circuit Announces “Commencement of the Instant Offense” in Guidelines § 4A1.2(e) Unambiguously Refers Only to Specific Offense of Conviction, Not Relevant Conduct, Nov. 15, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Prior Conviction/Sentence/Incarceration, Adequacy of Criminal History Category, Statutory Construction/Interpretation.
• Indiana Supreme Court Announces Whether Defendant’s Actions Were “Objectively Reasonable” Justifying Self-Defense Can Be Considered in Hindsight, Sept. 15, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Criminal Procedure, Appealable Issues/Orders.
• U.S. Sentencing Commission Adopts 2025 Amendments 
to Resolve Circuit Conflicts, Aug. 1, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Criminal History, Arrest/Arraignment, Sentence Enhancements/Departures.