Topic
Every decision we've filed under Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255).
The Eleventh Circuit dismissed this appeal sua sponte because the prisoner's notice of appeal was filed after the statutory deadline. The court found it lacked jurisdiction to review the district court's denial of the habeas motion.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the denial of a new trial motion but vacated a sentence enhanced based on the defendant's status as a police officer. The court held that professional status is not a valid statutory factor for upward sentencing adjustments under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a).
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the denial of a federal prisoner's motion for compassionate release, ruling that challenges to sentencing guideline calculations must be brought via habeas corpus rather than compassionate release proceedings. The court held that the defendant's argument effectively attacked the validity of his plea agreement and sentence, which falls outside the scope of 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A).
The Fourth Circuit denied a certificate of appealability and dismissed Edward Moore, Jr.'s appeal from his § 2255 denial because he failed to make a substantial showing that reasonable jurists could find the district court's assessment debatable or wrong. The court independently reviewed the record and found no constitutional error warranting further review, leaving the district court's denial of relief in place.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion to suppress evidence, holding that a lessee's general consent to search a unit for a suspect extended to the unit's roof. The court found officers lawfully seized a firearm from the roof under the plain-view doctrine because the search remained within the scope of that consent.
The Tenth Circuit denied Heriberto Garcia-Rodriguez's request to file a successive habeas corpus motion under 28 U.S.C. § 2255. The court held that newly discovered evidence must undermine the conviction itself, not merely the sentence, to qualify for authorization.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of Jonathon Howard Beck's habeas motion, ruling that the record conclusively showed he received effective assistance of counsel. The court held that Beck's sworn statements during his plea colloquy created a formidable barrier to his claim that he did not understand his mandatory minimum sentences.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the denial of a § 2255 motion, holding that a defendant cannot prove ineffective assistance of counsel based on a conflict of interest without showing that the conflict adversely affected the defense strategy. Although the attorney's dual representation created an actual conflict, the record showed the lawyer withdrew immediately upon discovery and took no substantive actions that harmed the client.
The Eleventh Circuit dismissed a defendant's direct appeal challenging his sentence for ineffective assistance of counsel because his plea agreement contained an enforceable waiver of that right. The court held that the waiver was entered into knowingly and voluntarily after the district court specifically questioned the defendant about it during the plea colloquy.
The Eleventh Circuit dismissed Cheddie Lamar Griffin's appeal from his § 2255 motion denial because his notice of appeal was filed after the statutory deadline. Although the prison mailbox rule applied, the filing date of March 10 missed the 60-day window that expired on March 4.