Topic
Every decision we've filed under Criminal.
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 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.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed a district court's revocation sentences for supervised release violations. The court held that the district judge did not plainly err by considering retributive purposes when sentencing the defendant.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence of Michelle Lee Marr for second-degree murder and tampering with proceedings. The court found that the defendant was not in custody during police interviews and voluntarily consented to a search of her cell phone.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the convictions of three defendants under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act. The court held that the vessel was subject to United States jurisdiction because the claimed nation of registry failed to affirmatively assert the vessel's nationality.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed a 168-month prison sentence for methamphetamine distribution, holding that the district court properly applied a two-level sentencing enhancement for maintaining a premises for drug distribution.
The Sixth Circuit vacated a restitution order because the district court calculated losses based on a time period broader than the charged conduct. The court held that mandatory restitution must be confined to losses caused within the specific period identified in the charging document.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the district court's decision to revoke supervised release and impose sentences in two consolidated cases. The court rejected the defendant's claims of ineffective assistance of counsel and substantive unreasonableness.
The First Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence of Adam Johnson, finding that his arguments regarding the admissibility of his plea and cooperation agreements and sentencing enhancements were either unpreserved or lacked merit.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed a district court's decision to revoke supervised release and impose consecutive sentences for a defendant who absconded from a halfway house. The court held that the district court did not plainly err by considering the seriousness of the violation conduct as a breach of trust, even though it used language referencing punitive goals.