Correspondent
Capitol Hill correspondent, covers legislative and political stories.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a sixty-six-month sentence for a defendant convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon. The court found sufficient evidence to support sentencing enhancements related to a semiautomatic weapon and drug trafficking.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed the conviction of Lorin Kal Buckner, who represented himself while advancing sovereign-citizen arguments. The court rejected Buckner's claims that his waiver of counsel was invalid and that he was mentally incompetent.
The Fourth Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by a federal prisoner seeking relief under Section twenty-eight U.S.C. Section two thousand two hundred fifty-five. The court denied a certificate of appealability because the appellant failed to make a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right.
The Eighth Circuit dismissed an appeal by a defendant who had pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor. The court held that the defendant knowingly and voluntarily waived his right to appeal his sentence under the terms of his plea agreement.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed a conviction for conspiracy to violate civil rights where the defendant challenged the incorporation of supervised release conditions. The court held that the district court properly satisfied its obligation by adopting the presentence report and incorporating its terms into the written judgment.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed a wire fraud conviction and sentence after the defendant failed to show a fair and just reason for withdrawing his guilty plea. The court also rejected the defendant's claim that his sentence was substantively unreasonable given the significant downward variance already granted.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed in part and dismissed in part the appeal of a defendant convicted of drug trafficking conspiracy. The court held that the defendant's appellate waiver was valid and enforceable, barring challenges to his sentence and conviction.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by James Edward Storholm challenging a supervised release condition. The court ruled the case moot because Storholm had already completed his prison sentence by the time of oral argument.
The Fourth Circuit dismissed an appeal from a federal prisoner seeking relief under the habeas corpus statute. The court held that the appellant failed to make a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right required to obtain a certificate of appealability.
The Ninth Circuit denied petitions for panel and en banc rehearing in a death penalty habeas case involving jury selection. The original panel had affirmed in part and vacated in part a district court ruling that denied federal habeas relief to a Nevada prisoner.
