Ninth Circuit Announces California Assault With Deadly Weapon Conviction Not ‘Crime of Violence’ for Career Offender Enhancement Under Sentencing Guidelines by Sam Rutherford by Sam Rutherford The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that a defendant’s prior California conviction for assault with a deadly weapon under Cal. …
California Court of Appeal Announces Youthful Defendants Sentenced to Terms ‘Functionally Equivalent’ to LWOP Entitled to Resentencing Under § 1170(d) by Sam Rutherford by Sam Rutherford The California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, held that youthful defendants who receive sentences that are “functionally equivalent” to sentences of life without …
Ninth Circuit Announces ‘Hate Crime’ Sentence Enhancement Under Guidelines § 3A1.1(a) Requires Finding Defendant Motivated by Hate or Animus by Sam Rutherford by Sam Rutherford The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit clarified the circumstances under which a U.S. District Court may impose a “hate crime” enhancement pursuant …
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 by Sam Rutherford The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit granted a federal prisoner’s 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion for habeas …
California Court of Appeal Strikes Prison Prior Enhancement for Invalid Predicate Offense Under § 1172.75 Despite Concurrently Served Valid Predicate by Sam Rutherford by Sam Rutherford The California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate, held that a defendant’s prison prior enhancement based on an offense that may no longer serve as …
California Court of Appeal Announces Postconviction Discovery Permitted in Resentencing Under Penal Code § 1172.6 for Felony Murder and Natural and Probable Consequences Murder Convictions by Sam Rutherford by Sam Rutherford The Court of Appeal of California, Second Appellate District, held that defendants are entitled to conduct discovery in preparation …
California Supreme Court Announces Retroactivity of 2022 Version of Penal Code § 1170 to Upper-Term Sentences Imposed Before Its Enactment by Sam Rutherford by Sam Rutherford The California Supreme Court held that the 2022 amendments to Penal Code § 1170, which limits a trial court’s ability to impose an upper-term sentence …
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 …
California Supreme Court Announces Uncharged and Unproven Offense-Specific Enhancements May Not Be Imposed Under § 1172.6(e) Resentencing by Sam Rutherford by Sam Rutherford The Supreme Court of California held that a trial court may not impose a sentencing enhancement that was neither pleaded and found true by the trier of …
Ninth Circuit Grants Habeas Relief to California Prisoner on Napue Claim Because Prosecution Failed to Correct Informant’s False Testimony That He Did Not Receive Any Benefit In Exchange for His Testimony by Sam Rutherford by Sam Rutherford The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed the U.S. District …
Chula Vista’s Police Drones by Michael Thompson by Michael Dean Thompson The Federal Aviation Administration has relaxed its rules so that drones can be flown beyond line-of-sight by certain groups such as cops, firefighters, and even construction companies. Some policing agencies are choosing drones that only point the camera down …
News In Brief by Alabama: A former Tuscumbia police officer was sentenced to 20 years in prison on August 24, 2024, after pleading guilty to manslaughter in connection with a fatal pedestrian accident. The incident occurred in October 2022 when James “Jay” Keith Steward’s vehicle struck and killed 60-year-old Terry …
News In Brief by Alabama: WSFA out of Mobile reported that on August 22 and 23, 2024, a sex trafficking sting operation occurring in several jurisdictions resulted in the arrests of 11 men. Montgomery County Sheriff Derrick Cunningham and other law enforcement officials discussed the results at a press conference. …
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 by Sam Rutherford by Sam Rutherford The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed …
Ninth Circuit Announces California Carjacking Conviction Not Categorically ‘Crime of Violence’ Under Immigration Law for Removal Purposes by Sam Rutherford by Sam Rutherford The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that a carjacking conviction under California Penal Code § 215(a) is not categorically a crime of violence under …
California Court of Appeal: Wearing Puffy Jacket on Hot and Humid Night Does Not Constitute Reasonable Suspicion of Criminal Activity by Anthony Accurso by Anthony W. Accurso The Court of Appeal of California, Second District, overturned the denial of a defendant’s suppression motion by ruling that the officers’ show of …
California Court of Appeal Announces Crime Defendant ‘Was Convicted’ of, Not Crime ‘Could Have Been Convicted’ of Today, Governs Eligibility for Removal From Sex Offender Registry by Douglas Ankney by Douglas Ankney The Court of Appeal of California, Second Appellate District, held that a defendant convicted in 1985 of lewd …
News in Brief by Alabama: Former Centre policeman Michael Kilgore, 40, should have known co-conspirators will bumble any crime. After his co-conspirator went singing to authorities, Kilgore was fired and charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance in May 2023. WRCB reported, that according to the plea agreement, Kilgore …
News in Brief by Arizona: On June 29, 2024, the Tempe police department posted a Facebook message regarding an award that two of its officers had just received. “Congratulations to Officer Zachary Hyde and Officer Gavin Young. Last night both received the Hero Award at the 35th annual Mothers Against …
California Court of Appeal Holds Defendant Suffering From ALS and Near Death Entitled to Compassionate Release by Sam Rutherford by Sam Rutherford The California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, reversed a trial court’s refusal to grant compassionate release to a defendant diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (“ALS”) who had less …
