More from this issue:

1. Arguing Successful Federal Habeas Corpus Claims, by Dale Chappell
2. Policing the Vulnerable: The Criminalization of Disability, by Casey Bastian
3. Los Angeles Criminal Legal System Undermined 
by Months of Faulty DNA Testing, by Jo Ellen Nott
4. Fourth Circuit: District Court Failed to Provide Sufficient Explanation for Sentence Imposed and Did Not Address Defendant’s Arguments for Downward Variant Sentence, by David Reutter
5. Maryland Reforms Offer Second Chances on Expungement and Parole, by Jo Ellen Nott
6. Minnesota Supreme Court Clarifies Standard for Determining Whether a Defendant Is Entitled to Jury Instructions 
on Self-defense and Defense of Others, by Douglas Ankney
7. First Circuit Announces What Constitutes ‘Otherwise Using’ 
a Dangerous Weapon for Purposes of the Four-Level 
Enhancement Under Guidelines § 2B3.1(a), by Sagi Schwartzberg
8. Car Subscriptions: Another Means of Mass Surveillance by Law Enforcement, by David Kim
9. The Crushing Toll of Ohio’s Death Penalty: A Billion-Dollar Failure, by David Kim
10. Illinois Supreme Court: Use of Flashlight by Police to See Through Small Gap in Chained and Padlocked Kitchen Cabinet Doors Constitutes ‘Search’ Under Fourth Amendment, by Jeffrey Cohen
11. Illinois ‘Murderer’ Registry Punishes More Than It Protects, by Jo Ellen Nott
12. Fourth Circuit: Procedurally Unreasonable Sentence Where District Court Failed to Address Defendant’s Non-Frivolous Downward Variance Argument Based on Sentencing Disparity 
Due to Which State’s Statute Prior Conviction Based Upon, by Anthony Accurso
13. Rhode Island Supreme Court Announces Indigent First-Time Applicant for Postconviction Relief Entitled to Counsel Even 
When Not Requested; Superior Court Must Determine 
Whether Applicant Intended to Waive Right to Counsel and 
Whether Done Knowingly, Vol, by Phillip Wasserman, J.D.
14. SCOTUS Announces Knowingly or Intentionally Causing 
Bodily Injury or Death by ‘Omission’ Necessarily Involves 
‘Use’ of ‘Physical Force’ for Purposes of § 924(c), by David Kim
15. Blindfolded Juries, Coerced Convictions: 
Why Prosecutors Often Win Before Trials Even Begin, by Clark Neily
16. Facial Recognition at the Border: CBP’s Push to Scan Every Car Passenger Sparks Privacy Concerns, by David Kim
17. Bipartisan Legislative Wins in Virginia and Utah Expand 
Job Opportunities for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, by Jo Ellen Nott
18. South Carolina Supreme Court Announces Traditional 
Four-Element Standard for When Person Has Right 
to Use Deadly Force in Self-Defense Not Applicable 
to Non-Deadly Force Self-Defense Analysis, by Richard Resch
19. Fingerprints as New Drug-Detection Method, by James Mills
20. Mississippi Supreme Court Vacates Convictions, 
Holding Multiple Errors by State Resulted in ‘Legal Chaos’ 
That Deprived Defendant of Right to Fair Trial 
Under ‘Cumulative-Error Doctrine’, by Jeffrey Cohen
21. SCOTUS Announces Rejection of ‘Moment-of-Threat 
Doctrine’ Because It Improperly Narrows Required 
‘Totality of the Circumstances’ Analysis for Fourth 
Amendment Excessive-Force Claims, by David Kim
22. ‘Sexome’ Bacteria Offers New Path to Justice 
in Sexual Assault Cases Where 
DNA Is Not Present, by Jo Ellen Nott
23. Georgia Eliminates Legal Standard That Sent Intellectually Disabled Prisoners to Death Row, by David Kim
24. SCOTUS Announces Only ‘False’ Statements Made to FDIC 
Are Criminalized Under 18 U.S.C. § 1014, Not Statements 
That Are ‘Misleading’ but True, by Richard Resch
25. News in Brief

More from Phillip Wasserman, J.D.:

• Rhode Island Supreme Court Announces Indigent First-Time Applicant for Postconviction Relief Entitled to Counsel Even 
When Not Requested; Superior Court Must Determine 
Whether Applicant Intended to Waive Right to Counsel and 
Whether Done Knowingly, Vol, May 15, 2025
• 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, March 15, 2025

More from these topics:

• Delaware Supreme Court Announces Trial Courts Must First Resolve Defense Counsel’s Motion to Withdraw Before Addressing Defendant’s Plea-­Withdrawal Request, Holding Failure to Do So Violates Sixth Amendment Right to Counsel, Jan. 1, 2026. Appointment of Counsel, Sixth Amendment, Counsel - Constructive denial of, Self-representation, Withdrawal.
• Maine Superior Court Order to Reform Public Defender System Paused on Appeal, Dec. 1, 2025. Indigent Defense, Injunctions, Habeas Corpus, Sixth Amendment, Counsel - Constructive denial of.
• Fourth Circuit Reverses Denial of Counsel for “Low IQ” North Carolina Prisoner, March 1, 2025. Mental Health, Counsel - Constructive denial of.
• 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, Feb. 1, 2025. Counsel - Right to, Knowingly and Voluntarily Made.
• Colorado Supreme Court Announces When Deciding Defendant’s Pro Se Motion Requesting Counsel on Postconviction Review, Trial Court Must Either Deny Entire Motion or Permit All Claims If Any Have Arguable Merit, Dec. 15, 2024. Appointment of Counsel, After Request for Counsel, Pro Se Issues.
• $25 Million Contempt Fine Prompts Release of Pretrial Detainees from Philadelphia Lockups, Dec. 15, 2024. Appointment of Counsel, Contempt (Civil Procedure), Bail/Pretrial Release, Fines.
• Indigent Defense: Appointed Counsel Does Not Mean Free Counsel, Dec. 1, 2024. Appointment of Counsel, Indigent Defense, Indigent Defendants - Fees and Expenses.
• In Oregon Case, Ninth Circuit Limits Pretrial Detention Without Counsel to Seven Days, Nov. 15, 2024. Appointment of Counsel, Pretrial Detention and Detainees, Speedy Trial Clock - Tolling of.
• Ninth Circuit Denies Habeas Relief to Prisoner Who Invoked Fifth Amendment Right to Counsel During Custodial Interrogation but Made Incriminating Statements to Undercover Informant Posing as Fellow Prisoner Because Right to Counsel Not Violated, Nov. 1, 2024. Habeas Corpus, Custodial Interrogations/Statements, Counsel - Right to.
• Indiana Supreme Court Clarifies Framework for Determining When Courts May Apply Cash Bail to Public-Defender Costs and to Fines, Costs, and Fees, June 15, 2024. Appointment of Counsel, Costs, Restitution, Bail Bonds.