Topic
Every decision we've filed under Prison Offenses.
The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit vacated and remanded a sentencing decision due to ambiguity in the district court's reasoning. The appellate court found it could not conduct meaningful review because the judge's reference to the defendant's association with convicted felons was unclear.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a district court ruling that a post-release supervision violator must exhaust administrative remedies before filing a civil rights lawsuit. The court held that the plaintiff qualified as a prisoner under the Prison Litigation Reform Act while detained for a probation violation.
The Fourth Circuit vacated a district court's summary judgment because the lower court failed to rule on a pending motion for spoliation sanctions. The appellate court held that the missing video footage was central to the plaintiff's due process and First Amendment retaliation claims.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a conviction for escape from federal custody where state officials erroneously released the defendant. The court held that the evidence was sufficient to prove the defendant knew he was leaving confinement without permission.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed an above-Guidelines sentence for a defendant with extensive tribal court convictions. The court found no abuse of discretion in the district court's reliance on the defendant's criminal history to justify the variance.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a prisoner's Eighth Amendment supervisory liability claim against the Secretary of Corrections. The court held that generalized allegations of understaffing and poor training were insufficient to prove the official knew or should have known these conditions would specifically cause the plaintiff's injuries.
The Fourth Circuit held that the execution of a removal warrant by ICE after an EOIR final order is not a 'pending proceeding' under 18 U.S.C. § 1505. Consequently, the court vacated the defendant's conviction for obstructing immigration proceedings and remanded the case.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the conviction of Rosezzettea Lee Lopez for conspiracy and transportation of undocumented individuals. The court found the evidence sufficient to prove the defendant knowingly transported undocumented aliens for financial gain and rejected her constitutional challenges as plain error.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a summary judgment ruling that prison officials were protected by qualified immunity in a wrongful death suit. The court held that the officials lacked the subjective awareness required to establish deliberate indifference under the Eighth Amendment.
The First Circuit vacated and remanded a sentencing decision because the district court's explanation for an upward variance was ambiguous. The appellate court could not determine the meaning of the judge's reference to the defendant's association with convicted felons.