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News In Brief

Article • February 1, 2026 • from CLN March, 2026

News In Brief by Arkansas: The Saline Courier reported a swift fall from grace for Bryant Police Department (BPD) Sgt. Brett Carpenter, after he was observed off-duty driving his pickup the wrong way on a service road off I-30 on January 13, 2026. Saline County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) deputies stopped …

NEWS IN BRIEF

Article • January 1, 2026 • from CLN February, 2026

NEWS IN BRIEF by Alabama: WABM in Birmingham reported that former Eleventh Judicial Circuit Presiding Judge Gilbert P. Self, 64, was sentenced to 51-1/2 years in state prison on December 17, 2025, following his conviction the previous month on public corruption charges. As CLN reported, a jury found him guilty …

Iowa Supreme Court Announces Framework for Admissibility of Expert Testimony on Eyewitness Identification, Holding Generalized Testimony on Psychological Factors Ordinarily Should Be Admitted

Article • January 1, 2026 • from CLN February, 2026

Filed under: witness misidentification, Eyewitness Testimony, Lineups, Eyewitness Identification, Expert and Opinion Testimony

Iowa Supreme Court Announces Framework for Admissibility of Expert Testimony on Eyewitness Identification, Holding Generalized Testimony on Psychological Factors Ordinarily Should Be Admitted by David Kim by David Kim The Supreme Court of Iowa held that generalized expert testimony concerning psychological factors affecting eyewitness identification accuracy and witness confidence should …

NEWS IN BRIEF

Article • November 15, 2025 • from CLN December, 2025

NEWS IN BRIEF by Alabama: The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama sentenced former Centre Police Department (CPD) Off. Michael Kilgore, 41, to four years in federal prison on October 8, 2025, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in a wild evidence-planting scheme to …

News in Brief

Article • December 15, 2024 • from CLN January, 2025

Filed under: News in Brief

News in Brief by Alabama: A former Huntsville, Alabama police officer, William “Ben” Darby, was sentenced again on October 26, 2024, to 25 years for the fatal shooting of a suicidal man in 2018, according to the Slate Report. Darby was convicted for the second time in May 2024 of …

Indigent Defense: Appointed Counsel Does Not Mean Free Counsel

Article • December 1, 2024 • from CLN December, 2024

Filed under: Appointment of Counsel, Indigent Defense, Indigent Defendants - Fees and Expenses

Indigent Defense: Appointed Counsel Does Not Mean Free Counsel by David Reutter by David M. Reutter The law firmly provides that every criminal defendant has the constitutional right to the effective assistance of counsel. Appearance of counsel is largely dependent upon one’s financial state. A person of financial means is …

Wilson-Brady, State of Iowa, IA, Verdict, Retaliation, 2024

Brief • May 3, 2024

Filed under: Discrimination, Gender Discrimination -- Women, Retaliation, Retaliation against Staff

Wilson-Brady, State of Iowa, IA, Verdict, Retaliation, 2024 E-FILED 05771 LACL153625 - 2024 MAY 03 01:15 PM POLK CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT Page 1 of 2 IN THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR POLK COUNTY JENNIFER WILSON-BRADY, Case No. LACL153625 Plaintiff, V. STATE OF IOWA, IOWA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS VERDICT FORM …

Eighth Circuit Announces ‘Categorical Approach’ Applies to SORNA Tier Analysis

Article • April 15, 2024 • from CLN April, 2024

Filed under: Sex Offender Registration, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Military

Eighth Circuit Announces ‘Categorical Approach’ Applies to SORNA Tier Analysis by Douglas Ankney by Douglas Ankney In a case of first impression, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit announced that the categorical approach applies to the tier analysis of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), …

Estate of Lorena Schulte v. State of Iowa, IA, Petition, Wrongful Death, 2024

Brief • January 9, 2024

Filed under: Wrongful Death, Murder by Escapees

Estate of Lorena Schulte v. State of Iowa, IA, Petition, Wrongful Death, 2024 E-FILED 2024 JAN 09 5:50 PM JONES - CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT IN THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR JONES COUNTY STEPHANIE SCHULTE, individually and as Administrator of the Estate of Lorena Schulte, ) ) ) ) Plaintiffs, …

News in Brief

Article • October 1, 2023 • from CLN October, 2023

Filed under: News in Brief

News in Brief by Arizona: According to information attained by Hatewatch, the leader of the extremist Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association emailed a video regarding an investigation into his son which could potentially cause the father to be prosecuted. Richard Mack sent a video of his son’s alleged child …

News in Brief

Article • June 15, 2023 • from CLN July, 2023

Filed under: News in Brief

News in Brief by California: A former police officer with the LAPD, Paul Razo, 46, was arrested in early May 2023, accused of sexually assaulting at least four minor boys over the course of more than a decade. Weeks after his arrest, Razo died of medical complications while in custody. …

Iowa Police Chief Arrested for Abusing Position to Stalk Ex-Girlfriend

Article • April 28, 2023

Filed under: Police Misconduct, Interstate Stalking Act

Iowa Police Chief Arrested for Abusing Position to Stalk Ex-Girlfriend by Kaden Gicker by Kaden Gicker In a shocking turn of events, the police chief of Kingsley, Iowa, James Dunn, was arrested by the state’s Department of Criminal Investigation on February 15, 2023, for abusing his power as a member …

News in Brief

Article • January 15, 2023 • from CLN February, 2023

Filed under: News in Brief

News in Brief by Alabama: WBMA in Birmingham reported that a former probation officer in Fayette County was convicted of sexual misconduct on Dec. 8, 2022. The former officer, Michael Steven Painter, 51, was found guilty on charges of using his office for personal gain and custodial sexual misconduct — …

News in Brief

Article • December 15, 2022 • from CLN January, 2023

Filed under: News in Brief

News in Brief by Arizona: A police officer in Scottsdale was arrested on Nov. 4, 2022, after allegedly causing a car crash while intoxicated. AZFamily reported that officer Michael Lanouar, a police detective, was taken into custody on suspicion that he had been driving a city-leased car while under the …

News in Brief

Article • October 15, 2022 • from CLN November, 2022

Filed under: News in Brief

News in Brief by Arkansas: A Mulberry police officer and two sheriff’s deputies from Crawford County were suspended after a video surfaced appearing to show them beating a man suspected of making violent threats. Maine Public Radio reported that the three officers were videoed by a bystander as they held …

Wilson-Brady, State of Iowa, IA, Complaint, Retaliation, 2022

Brief • August 5, 2022

Filed under: Gender Discrimination -- Women, Retaliation, Retaliation against Staff

Wilson-Brady, State of Iowa, IA, Complaint, Retaliation, 2022 E-FILED 2022 AUG 05 2:45 PM POLK - CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT IN THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR POLK COUNTY JENNIFER WILSON-BRADY, Plaintiff, CASE NO. PETITION AT LAW AND JURY DEMAND vs. STATE OF IOWA, IOWA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, Defendant. COMES NOW …

Iowa Supreme Court: Warrantless Entry Into Home for Misdemeanor Arrest Violates Both U.S. and Iowa Constitutions and Requires Suppression of Evidence

Article • July 15, 2022 • from CLN August, 2022

Filed under: Warrantless Searches, Suppression of Identity Evidence

Iowa Supreme Court: Warrantless Entry Into Home for Misdemeanor Arrest Violates Both U.S. and Iowa Constitutions and Requires Suppression of Evidence by Mark Wilson by Mark Wilson  The Supreme Court of Iowa held that the warrantless entry of an apartment to arrest the occupant on a misdemeanor charge was unlawful, …

Eighth Circuit: Government Breached Plea Agreement by Relying on Pre-Plea Conduct to Dispute Acceptance of Responsibility Despite Acknowledging Defendant Qualified for Credit in Agreement

Article • July 15, 2022 • from CLN August, 2022

Filed under: Breach of Plea/Coop./Immunity Agreements, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas

Eighth Circuit: Government Breached Plea Agreement by Relying on Pre-Plea Conduct to Dispute Acceptance of Responsibility Despite Acknowledging Defendant Qualified for Credit in Agreement by Richard Resch by Richard Resch The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit held the Government breached its plea agreement with the defendant by …

Supreme Court of Iowa: Sentence Vacated Because Prosecution Failed to Follow Spirit of Plea Agreement Requiring Recommendation of Suspended Sentence

Article • June 15, 2022 • from CLN July, 2022

Filed under: U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Cause and Prejudice, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas

Supreme Court of Iowa: Sentence Vacated Because Prosecution Failed to Follow Spirit of Plea Agreement Requiring Recommendation of Suspended Sentence by David M. Reutter by David M. Reutter The Supreme Court of Iowa vacated a defendant’s sentence after finding the prosecution failed to honor the spirit of a plea agreement …

Iowa Office of Ombudsman Annual Report FY2022

Publication • 2022

Filed under: Invesitgative Findings

Iowa Office of Ombudsman Annual Report FY2022 IOWA OFFICE OF OMBUDSMAN FY2022 ANNUAL REPORT - - IOWA OFFICE OF OMBUDSMAN FY2022 ANNUAL REPORT IOWA OFFICE OF OMBUDSMAN FY2022 ANNUAL REPORT Message from the Ombudsman -– IOWA OFFICE OF OMBUDSMAN FY2022 ANNUAL REPORT – – - IOWA OFFICE OF OMBUDSMAN FY2022 …