Topic
Every decision we've filed under Criminal.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Larry Neel's conviction for felon possession of firearms, ruling that his constitutional challenges raised for the first time on appeal did not constitute plain error. The court held that the district court acted within its discretion during the suppression hearing and that binding precedent forecloses Neel's Second Amendment argument.
The Fifth Circuit reversed Elijah Martin's convictions under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), holding the statute unconstitutional as applied to him because his predicate offenses were simple drug possession. The court found the government failed to demonstrate a sufficient historical tradition for disarming individuals based on non-violent drug possession under the Bruen test.
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 United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a motion by the Federal Public Defender to withdraw from representing the defendant. The court dismissed the appeal after finding no nonfrivolous issues for review.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed Jakeem Molik-Artrell Bennett's conviction and sentence, dismissing his appeal based on a valid plea agreement waiver. The court found no meritorious issues outside the waiver's scope after a full record review under Anders v. California.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed an 84-month sentence for a felon-in-possession conviction, ruling that the district court sufficiently addressed the defendant's mitigating arguments. The court held that a district court need not explicitly spell out responses to defense arguments when the context makes it patently obvious that those arguments were rejected.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a 42-month prison sentence for a defendant who brandished a knife while fleeing a Border Patrol agent. The court held that the district court did not clearly err in finding the defendant intended to cause bodily injury, not merely frighten the officer.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed a 78-month sentence for a felon-in-possession conviction, rejecting the defendant's challenge to a four-level sentencing enhancement. The court held that the district court did not clearly err in finding the defendant possessed a firearm in connection with a separate felony offense based on social media activity and the circumstances of a search warrant execution.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed Paris Jamal Graham's conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon, rejecting his Second Amendment challenge as foreclosed by binding precedent. The court found no meritorious grounds for appeal following an Anders review and determined the guilty plea and sentence were lawful.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed Ceara Smith's conviction and sentence, ruling that her valid plea agreement appeal waiver barred her challenge to the sentencing enhancement. The court also denied Anders relief after reviewing the record and finding no non-waived meritorious issues.