California Court of Appeal Orders New Trial Due to Jurors Considering Potential Penalty During Guilt Phase of Deliberations by Douglas Ankney by Douglas Ankney The Court of Appeal of California, Third Appellate District, reversed a trial court’s denial of a motion for a new trial, ruling that jurors committed misconduct …

Wyoming Supreme Court: District Court Abused Discretion by Granting State’s Dismissal of Charges Without Prejudice and Refiling to Gain Tactical Advantage, Remands for Dismissal With Prejudice by Douglas Ankney by Douglas Ankney The Supreme Court of Wyoming ruled that a district court abused its discretion when it dismissed without prejudice …

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Vacates Guilty Plea Conditioned on Waiving Right to Pursue Claim Racial Bias Infected Jury Deliberations by David Reutter by David M. Reutter The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts vacated a defendant’s guilty plea to a sentencing enhancement as involuntarily entered. In doing so, the Court held …

Georgia Supreme Court Reverses Dismissal of Second State Habeas Petition by Douglas Ankney by Douglas Ankney The Supreme Court of Georgia reversed the Walker County Superior Court’s dismissal of Joseph Samuel Watkins’ second petition for writ of habeas corpus. Watkins was convicted in 2001 of felony murder, and his conviction …