Correspondent
Capitol Hill correspondent, covers legislative and political stories.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the criminal convictions of two executives for willfully failing to pay over withheld employee taxes to the federal government.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the sentence imposed on Stephen Griffin, Jr., following his guilty plea to drug and firearm charges. The court found no abuse of discretion in the district court's sentencing decision and granted counsel's motion to withdraw under Anders v. California.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a defendant's motion to reduce his sentence based on a Sentencing Commission amendment. The court held that the defendant waived his challenge by failing to explain why the district court's reasoning was incorrect.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The court held that the district court acted within its broad discretion to strike a prospective juror for cause without a detailed factual inquiry into the juror's prior involvement in a criminal case.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed the conviction of Gary Warick for methamphetamine distribution, rejecting his entrapment defense and other procedural challenges.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the convictions of three defendants under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act for trafficking cocaine on a vessel without nationality. The court rejected challenges to subject matter jurisdiction and the substantive reasonableness of the sentence.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed a district court's grant of summary judgment to police officers in a civil rights lawsuit involving a multi-hour standoff. The court held that the officers were entitled to qualified immunity on claims of excessive force and warrantless arrest.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed a conviction for sexual abuse after the defendant conceded he could not prove the jury instruction was clearly erroneous. The court held that the district court's use of a modified Allen charge did not constitute plain error under the applicable standard.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a consecutive sentence imposed on a defendant who threatened a federal officer. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in balancing sentencing factors under the Guidelines.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed convictions under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act for three defendants arrested on a vessel without nationality. The court held that a State Department certification confirming a lack of nationality is conclusive proof of jurisdiction.
