More from this issue:

1. California Court of Appeal Announces Youthful Defendants Sentenced to Terms ‘Functionally Equivalent’ to LWOP Entitled to Resentencing Under § 1170(d), by Sam Rutherford
2. Maryland Supreme Court Clarifies Process for Admitting Co-Conspirator’s Hearsay Statements During Police Interview Under ‘Declaration Against Penal Interest’ Exception, Trial Court Must ‘Parse’ Interview to Determine Admissibility of Each Statement, by Sam Rutherford
3. Federal Habeas Corpus for State Prisoners: Proving Unreasonableness Under AEDPA, by Dale Chappell
4. Ninth Circuit Announces ‘Hate Crime’ Sentence Enhancement Under Guidelines § 3A1.1(a) Requires Finding Defendant Motivated by Hate or Animus, by Sam Rutherford
5. Surveilling the Harms of Electronic Monitors, by Michael Thompson
6. The Murky Waters of Parole, by David Reutter
7. Careful What You Search For, by Michael Thompson
8. Study Highlights Limitations in Forensic DNA Analysis Involving Lower Genetic Diversity Groups, by Jo Ellen Nott
9. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Clarifies Trial Court Must Conduct Inquiry Whether Defendant Knowingly and Voluntarily Waived Right to Counsel at ‘Any Stage of a Case,’ Including Arraignment or Plea Hearing, by Sam Rutherford
10. 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, by Sam Rutherford
11. New AI Tool Harnesses Microbiomes for Forensic and Medical Breakthroughs, by Jo Ellen Nott
12. Ninth Circuit Announces California Assault With Deadly Weapon Conviction Not ‘Crime of Violence’ for Career Offender Enhancement Under Sentencing Guidelines, by Sam Rutherford
13. California Court of Appeal Strikes Prison Prior Enhancement for Invalid Predicate Offense Under § 1172.75 Despite Concurrently Served Valid Predicate, by Sam Rutherford
14. Illinois Supreme Court Announces Odor of Burnt Cannabis Alone Is Insufficient to Establish Probable Cause for a Warrantless Vehicle Search, by Anthony Accurso
15. First Step Act Linked to Modest Reductions in Time Served by Federal Prisoners, by Jo Ellen Nott
16. Eleventh Circuit: Asylee’s Florida Convictions for Marijuana Possession and Lewd and Lascivious Battery Do Not Warrant Removal Under INA, by Sam Rutherford
17. Minnesota Supreme Court Announces No Duty to Retreat When Using Reasonable Force in Defense of Another and Provides Framework for Analyzing Such Claims, by Douglas Ankney
18. Mass Spectrometry Being Studied as Way to Analyze Overlapping or Weak Fingerprints, by Anthony Accurso
19. Vermont Supreme Court Eliminates Year-and-a-Day Rule in Murder Prosecutions, by Sam Rutherford
20. Chicago’s Police Body Cam Transparency, by Michael Thompson
21. Ninth Circuit Announces ‘Clear Error’ Review Applies to District Courts’ Factual Findings for Brady Challenges and Affirms District Court’s Mid-Trial Order Excluding Witness Testimony and Imposing Monetary Sanctions for Government’s Brady Violation, by Sam Rutherford
22. Federal Facial Recognition Technology Fails Again, by Michael Thompson
23. Colorado Bureau of Investigation Admits Over 1,000 Cases Affected by DNA Test Misconduct, by James Mills
24. Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Grants Habeas Relief in ‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’ Case, by Sam Rutherford
25. News in Brief
26. Seeking Justice for Two: The DNA Scandal That Shook a Community

More from Sam Rutherford:

• Self-Harming Wisconsin Prisoner Settles Failure-to-Protect Suit for $7,000, April 1, 2025
• SCOTUS Clarifies It Had Already Been ‘Clearly Established Federal Law’ in 2004 for Purposes of AEDPA That Evidence at Trial Can Be So Prejudicial as to Violate Due Process, March 15, 2025
• Ninth and Tenth Circuits Find Bivens Extension Orders Not Immediately Appealable, March 1, 2025
• New Mexico Corrections Department Continues Pattern of Abuse With Contract Medical Provider Wexford Health Sources, Feb. 15, 2025
• Hawai’i Supreme Court Reverses Murder Conviction for Prosecutorial Misconduct Based on Prosecution’s Improper Statements During Closing Arguments, Feb. 15, 2025
• 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
• Fourth Circuit Decision on Claim of Retaliation for Exercising First And Sixth Amendment Rights Highlights Police Corruption, Feb. 15, 2025
• Washington DOC Physician Assistant Surrenders Medical License in Wake of Malpractice Allegations, Feb. 15, 2025
• California Court of Appeal Announces Defendants May Obtain Brady Evidence From Police Officers’ Personnel Files in Advance of § 1172.6 Hearing Requesting Vacatur of Conviction and Resentencing for Certain Types of Murder Convictions, Feb. 15, 2025
• 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

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.
• Montana Supreme Court: Expert Witness Testimony Presented Via Two-Way Video Conferencing Technology Violates Confrontation Clause, Dec. 1, 2024. Eyewitness Testimony, Confrontation Clause/Rights, Confrontation Clause, Sentencing by Videoconferencing.
• Wellpath Sanctioned for Destroying Evidence in Two Oregon Jail Death Suits, Nov. 15, 2024. Private Contractors, Sanctions, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Evidence - Destruction/Fabrication/Manipulation of.
• Prosecutors Receive Absurdly Lenient Sentence of Probation for Brady Violation That Resulted in an Innocent Man Spending More Than Four Years in Prison, July 15, 2024. Prosecutor/Attorney General Misconduct, Attorney Discipline, Brady Rule violations, Evidence - Failure to Disclose.
• New Jersey Supreme Court Announces Extension of Eyewitness Identification Safeguards of Henderson to Pretrial Preparation Sessions and Provides Framework for Showing Photos During Pretrial Phase, May 15, 2024. witness misidentification, Eyewitness Testimony, Lineups.
• Maryland Compensates Exonerated Prisoner Over $340,000, April 1, 2024. Wrongful Conviction, Eyewitness Testimony, Fabrication of Evidence, Recantation.
• New York Court of Appeals Reverses Conviction Because Testifying Criminalist Not Shown to Have Requisite Involvement in DNA Testing Process and Provides Guidance to Avoid Future Sixth Amendment Confrontation Clause Violations, March 15, 2024. DNA Testing/Samples, Eyewitness Testimony, Crime Lab Reports.
• Foundations of Firearms Audio Forensics Built by Dr. Robert Maher Will Continue to Be Important Forensic Tool as More Recording Devices Are Present at Crime Scenes, March 15, 2024. Commentary/Reviews, Eyewitness Testimony.
• Pennsylvania Supreme Court: Failure to Disclosure Mental Health Report Showing Key Witness Was a Sociopath Constitutes Brady Violation That Prejudiced Defendant, March 15, 2024. Brady Violations, Brady Rule violations, Evidence - Failure to Disclose.
• Interactive Lineups Are a Promising New Tool to Improve Accuracy of Suspect Identification by Eyewitnesses, March 15, 2024. Commentary/Reviews, witness misidentification, Eyewitness Testimony, Lineups.