Correspondent
Capitol Hill correspondent, covers legislative and political stories.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a motion by appointed counsel to withdraw from representing the defendant. The court dismissed the appeal after finding no nonfrivolous issues for appellate review.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a conviction and sentence for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The court rejected arguments regarding insufficient factual basis for the plea and ineffective assistance of counsel.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the conviction of a defendant for assaulting another man on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. The court vacated the sentence because the district court imposed a time-served penalty that exceeded the statutory maximum for the offense.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed a twenty-four-month prison sentence for a defendant convicted of sexual abuse. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in imposing an upward variance based on the nature of the offense and the defendant's history.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence of a former teacher convicted of child exploitation and cyberstalking. The court rejected arguments regarding competency, the voluntariness of a passcode entry, and the admissibility of victim impact testimony.
The Fourth Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by a federal prisoner seeking relief under Section twenty-two hundred fifty-five of Title twenty-eight. The court held that the appellant failed to make the requisite showing to obtain a certificate of appealability.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed a ninety-six-month prison sentence for a defendant convicted of possessing ricin. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in imposing a within-Guidelines sentence despite the defendant's arguments regarding his criminal history and personal circumstances.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court's decision to revoke supervised release and impose a twenty-four-month prison sentence. The appellate court held that the district court acted within its broad discretion in sentencing the defendant for repeated violations of his release conditions.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the conviction of Nicholas Dewayne Rogers for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The court held that Rogers waived his right to challenge the suppression of evidence because he entered an unconditional guilty plea.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by Timothy Fussell regarding a partial default judgment. The court held that the district court orders sought to be appealed were neither final nor appealable interlocutory orders.
