Topic
Every decision we've filed under Criminal.
The Supreme Court held that a trial court may prohibit a testifying defendant from discussing his own testimony with counsel during an overnight recess without violating the Sixth Amendment. The Court clarified that while defendants retain rights to consult on tactics and sentencing, they have no constitutional entitlement to confer about ongoing testimony itself.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the denial of David Taylor's motion for compassionate release, ruling that he failed to prove his medical care was inadequate or that his family circumstances constituted an extraordinary and compelling reason. The court also clarified that rehabilitation efforts alone cannot serve as the basis for early release under the federal statute.
The Supreme Court held that the Federal Tort Claims Act's postal exception bars state-law tort claims arising from the intentional nondelivery of mail. The Court concluded that the statutory terms 'loss' and 'miscarriage' encompass failures to deliver caused by intentional misconduct, not just negligence.
The Tenth Circuit reversed the district court's dismissal of Fourth Amendment claims against Colorado Springs police officers, holding that three search warrants executed during a housing-rights march were overbroad and violated clearly established law. The court affirmed the dismissal of claims against the FBI regarding data retention but remanded the remaining claims for further proceedings.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the revocation of Joe Franklin's supervised release and the imposition of a 36-month prison sentence, finding no plain procedural error in the district court's sentencing analysis. The court further held that the special condition requiring substance abuse treatment did not constitute an impermissible delegation of judicial authority.
The Third Circuit affirmed Omoyoma Okoro's fraud convictions, rejecting his claims regarding the denial of remote testimony from a co-conspirator and the sufficiency of the evidence. The court held that the defense failed to comply with the District Court's specific conditions for remote testimony and found the jury verdict supported by substantial evidence.
The Seventh Circuit reversed a district court's denial of a motion to enforce a criminal restitution judgment against a third-party employer, finding that material questions of fact exist regarding the nature of a severance payment. The court held that an evidentiary hearing is necessary to determine if the employer's calculation of stock options and offsetting debts constituted a prohibited transfer of assets.
The First Circuit affirmed Chang Goo Yoon's conviction for health care fraud, rejecting his challenges to evidentiary rulings regarding prior insurance investigations and sentencing enhancements. The court held that evidence of Yoon's knowledge of past investigations was probative of his specific intent and that the district court properly calculated intended loss and applied sentencing enhancements.
The Fourth Circuit vacated the sentence of a defendant convicted of drug trafficking and firearm possession due to a 'Rogers error' involving ambiguous supervised release conditions. The court held that the district court failed to clearly incorporate the correct standing order, creating a material discrepancy between the oral pronouncement and the written judgment.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the defendants' Hobbs Act robbery convictions, ruling that robbing customers at a convenience store disrupted interstate commerce by forcing the business to close. The court also rejected a claim of jury confusion regarding the specific victim, finding the argument was waived because it was not raised at the trial level.