Topic
Every decision we've filed under Criminal.
The Fifth Circuit granted appointed counsel's motion to withdraw and dismissed the appeal after finding no nonfrivolous issues for review. However, the court declined to adjudicate the defendant's ineffective assistance claims on direct review due to an insufficient record.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the denial of Jamar Green's motion for compassionate release, finding the district court did not abuse its discretion. The panel held that Green failed to establish the extraordinary and compelling reasons required under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A).
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Leroy Donnell Dixon, Sr.'s motion for compassionate release. The appellate court found no abuse of discretion in the lower court's analysis of Dixon's health conditions under the statutory requirements.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed Tyrone Hinton's sentence, ruling that the district court did not abuse its discretion by failing to explicitly address every nonfrivolous argument against the career offender Guidelines range. The appellate court held that the judge's explanation was sufficient to demonstrate a reasoned basis for the sentence under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a).
The Fourth Circuit affirmed Keionta Shawn Hagens's conviction and sentence, ruling that any potential error in calculating his Sentencing Guidelines range was harmless. The court held that the district court would have imposed the same 156-month sentence regardless of the error and that the sentence remained substantively reasonable under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a).
The Fourth Circuit vacated Joseph David Sirak's sentence because the written judgment contained a warrantless search condition that was materially broader than the condition announced orally at sentencing. This discrepancy violated the rule established in United States v. Rogers, requiring the case to be remanded for resentencing to align the final order with the court's oral pronouncement.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed a drug trafficking conviction after finding no abuse of discretion in the district court's denial of a new trial motion. The court held that a juror's dishonesty during voir dire regarding a prior federal investigation did not violate the defendant's right to an impartial jury.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion to suppress evidence found in a backpack, holding that the defendant abandoned the property during flight from law enforcement. The court ruled that the district court did not clearly err in finding abandonment based on the defendant's failed attempt to store the bag in a residence and subsequent flight, rendering the warrantless search valid.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed a 96-month sentence for a felon in possession of a firearm, rejecting claims that the district court committed procedural errors by departing from sentencing guidelines. The court held that judges are not required to incrementally move through criminal history categories and that such factors are properly considered within the ultimate reasonableness analysis.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of Jeffery Lewis's motions to withdraw his guilty plea, ruling that the district court did not plainly err in accepting it. The court held that Lewis was competent to plead guilty and fully understood the consequences, including the potential for a consecutive sentence based on methamphetamine involvement.