More from this issue:

1. A Guilty Voice: Is Voice Analysis Junk Science or Reliable Evidence?, by Clarence Walker Jr.
2. 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, by Sam Rutherford
3. From the Editor Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Holdings and Dicta*, by Richard Resch
4. How to Take Your Postconviction Case Directly to the U.S. Supreme Court: A Roadmap to Direct Collateral Review, by Dale Chappell
5. ‘Jack the Ripper’ Meets DNA Analysis, by James Mills
6. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Announces State Wiretap Statute Requires Suppression of Both Audio and Video Components of Audiovisual Footage of Unlawfully Intercepted Oral Communication Showing Defendant as Party to Communication, by Douglas Ankney
7. FBI Pressured Forensic Science Group to Censor Critical Workshops, Emails Reveal, by Michael Thompson
8. Faster Justice: Rapid DNA Set to Expand Law Enforcement Reach, by Jo Ellen Nott
9. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: Defense Counsel Had Actual Conflict of Interest Where Own Performance During Police Interview of Defendant Could Serve as Basis of Motion to Suppress Based on Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, New Trial Required W, by Anthony Accurso
10. California Court of Appeal Vacates Sentence Where Trial Court Imposed Sentence Under ‘One Strike’ Enhancement Statute Enacted After Crimes Were Committed, by Douglas Ankney
11. Study Confirms New York City’s ShotSpotter Deployment Was a Costly Misstep, by Michael Thompson
12. How Online Behavioral Ads Fuel Mass Surveillance, by Michael Thompson
13. Trump Appoints ‘Pardon Czar’ at Black History Month Event, by James Mills
14. Shakedown in New Mexico: Decades-Long Police Corruption Scandal Rocks Albuquerque’s DWI Unit, by Jo Ellen Nott
15. Filming ICE Agents at Work: Know Your Rights, by Jo Ellen Nott
16. Convicted Double Murderer Executed by Firing Squad in South Carolina, by David Kim
17. Can Comics Help Juries Understand Complex DNA Evidence?, by Michael Thompson
18. California Police Misused State Databases Over 7,000 Times in 2023, by James Mills
19. Government Hacks Computers to Thwart Hackers, by James Mills
20. Nebraska Supreme Court Announces ‘Working Days’ for Purposes of ‘Temporary Domicile’ SORA Reporting Requirement Means Weekdays, Excluding Legal Holidays, and Reverses Conviction for Failure to Register, by Sagi Schwartzberg
21. California Court of Appeal Vacates Former NFL Star’s Rape Conviction Because Prosecutor’s Racial Statements During Closing Constituted ‘Racially Discriminatory Language’ in Violation of Racial Justice Act, by Phillip Wasserman, J.D.
22. EFF Launches Rayhunter: A New Tool to Detect Covert Cellular Surveillance, by David Kim
23. Pennsylvania Supreme Court Announces Commonwealth Must Prove Beyond a Reasonable Doubt Offender Knew of SORNA Registration Obligations for Failure to Register Conviction, by Sagi Schwartzberg
24. Fifth Circuit Announces Definition of ‘Controlled Substance’ in Effect at Time of Current Sentencing Applies for Purposes of Career-Offender Enhancement, Not Definition at Time of Prior Sentencings, by Jeffrey Cohen
25. Bite Marks and Broken Justice: A Louisiana Man’s Life and Death Struggle Against Junk Science, by David Kim
26. Nevada Supreme Court: Theft Offenses and Possessing or Receiving Stolen Property Offenses Are Mutually Exclusive and Double Jeopardy Protections Bar Conviction for Both Offenses When Based on Same Conduct, by Douglas Ankney
27. Virtual Injustice: How Remote Hearings Harm Incarcerated Defendants, by Jo Ellen Nott
28. Maryland Supreme Court: Trial Court Abused Its Discretion by Failing to Exercise That Discretion Where It Summarily Refused Requested Jury Instruction Because It Was a Non-Pattern Instruction and ‘Some Evidence’ Supported the Instruction, by Douglas Ankney
29. NEWS IN BRIEF

More from Douglas Ankney:

• New Jersey Supreme Court Orders Plenary Hearing Before Special Adjudicator on Reliability of Fingerprint Evidence, Holding Century of Judicial Acceptance Did Not Satisfy Trial Court’s Gatekeeping Obligation Under N.J.R.E. 702, Aug. 1, 2026
• En Banc Eleventh Circuit Announces All Parents, Including Those Convicted of Child-Sex Offenses, Enjoy Fundamental Right to Live With Their Children, Holding Alabama Residency Prohibition Subject to Strict Scrutiny, Aug. 1, 2026
• Seventh Circuit Announces Courts May Examine Individual Officer’s Subjective Purpose When Assessing Whether Warrantless Administrative Inspection Was Pretextual, Holding Suppression Required Where Trooper’s Sole Motive for Stop Was Criminal Investigati, Aug. 1, 2026
• SCOTUS Holds § 922(g)(3) Prosecution Based Solely on Regular Marijuana Use, Without Individualized Proof of Dangerousness, Violates Second Amendment, Aug. 1, 2026
• Judge Grants Attorney’s Motion to Withdrawal from Corizon Health Case Due to Non-Payment, Aug. 1, 2026
• Abuse is No Excuse: Oklahoma’s Judges Deny Sentencing Relief to Prisoners Who Were Raped and Physically Assaulted, Aug. 1, 2026
• Audit of Louisiana DOC Finds Fault with Prisoner Release Calculation System, Aug. 1, 2026
• California Appeals Court Sustains Amendments to CDCR that Narrow Youth Parole Eligibility Rules, July 1, 2026
• Eighth Circuit Revives § 1983 Complaint Alleging Jail Detainees’ Death from Stroke was Due to Deliberate Indifference and Failure to Train, July 1, 2026
• California Court of Appeal Announces Defendants Who Exercise Right to Jury Trial on Aggravating Circumstances Are Entitled to Closing Argument by Counsel on Those Factors, July 1, 2026

More from these topics:

• Ohio Supreme Court Announces Post-Verdict Judgment of Acquittal Is Not “Final Verdict” Under R.C. 2945.67(A) and Overrules Contrary Precedent, Holding State May Appeal Such Judgment by Leave of Court of Appeals but Not as of Right, Aug. 1, 2026. Double jeopardy, Appealable Issues/Orders, New Trial/Judgment of Acquittal, Statutory Construction/Interpretation.
• Illinois Supreme Court Announces State Common Law and Statutory Issue Preclusion Protections Exceed Federal Double Jeopardy Protections, Holding Currier v. Virginia Does Not Constrain Illinois’s Independent Doctrine, July 1, 2026. Double jeopardy, New Trial/Judgment of Acquittal, Statutory Construction/Interpretation.
• Indiana Supreme Court Clarifies “Single Statutory Offense” for Substantive Double Jeopardy Analysis, Holding Powell Test Governs Multiple Convictions Under Elevated Forms of Common Base Offense, April 1, 2026. Double jeopardy, Kidnapping, Abduction or Unlawful Restraint, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Statement of Reasons, Multiple/Multiplicious Counts.
• Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: Amending Indictment to Change Subsections of Aggravated Child Rape Statute Constitutes an Impermissible Substantive Amendment, April 1, 2026. Double jeopardy, Constitution, state, Criminal Sexual Abuse, Essential Elements of Crime, Amendment/Variance.
• Washington Supreme Court Clarifies Double Jeopardy Analysis for Multiple Assault Convictions, Holding That Assaultive Acts Occurring Over Short Time Period in Same Location Without Intervening Events Constitute Single Course of Conduct, March 1, 2026. Double jeopardy, Multiple/Multiplicious Counts.
• Eleventh Circuit Announces Hobbs Act Robbery Requires Force Before or During Taking, Reversing Conviction Where Defendant Used Force Only After Co-Conspirator Had Surreptitiously Stolen Property and Departed, March 1, 2026. New Trial/Judgment of Acquittal, Theft, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Predicate Acts/Offenses, Hobbs Act.
• SCOTUS Announces Single Act Violating Both 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c)(1)(A)(i) and 924(j) May Result in Only One Conviction, Ruling Congress Did Not Clearly Express Intent to Overcome Blockburger Presumption Against Cumulative Punishment for Same Offense, Feb. 1, 2026. Double jeopardy, Gun Laws/Crimes, Sentences - Authorized, Multiple/Multiplicious Counts, Concurrent and Consecutive Sentences.
• California Supreme Court Announces Single Criminal Act Harming Multiple Victims Constitutes Only One Strike Under Three Strikes Law, Jan. 1, 2026. Double jeopardy, Three Strikes Statutes/Rule, Sentencing Goals/Purposes/Practices, Prior Conviction/Sentence/Incarceration.
• First Circuit: District Court Abused Discretion by Sua Sponte Raising Statute of Limitations Defense to Habeas Petition After Respondents Had Intelligently “Waived” It by Being Aware of Availability but Failing to Assert It, Nov. 15, 2025. Defenses, Limitations, Habeas Corpus, Double jeopardy, Knowingly and Intelligently.
• SCOTUS Overturns Oklahoma Prisoner’s Death Sentence After More than 25 Years on Death Row, Nov. 1, 2025. Ex Post Facto, Good Time, Wrongful Conviction, Habeas Corpus, Wrongful Imprisonment, Pardons/Clemency, First Step Act, Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act (CAFRA), Specific Offenses, Controlled Substances, Weapons, Accuracy of Information, Depraved Indifference Murder, Evidence - Circumstantial, Theft, Failure to Disclose, Perjury/Perjured Testimony, Evidence - Failure to Disclose, New Trial - Motions for, Pleas Linked to Cooperation, Evidence - Destruction/Fabrication/Manipulation of, Selective Prosecution/Enforcement, Improper Comments, Official Report, Withholding of Exculpatory Evidence, Exculpatory Evidence - Disclosure Obligations.