Topic
Every decision we've filed under Robbery & Extortion.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a sentence for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and firearm possession, finding a clear error in the district court's application of a sentencing guideline adjustment. Despite the error, the court held that the mistake did not affect the defendant's substantial rights given the district court's reasoning.
The Ninth Circuit reversed in part and remanded a district court ruling denying qualified immunity to police officers involved in a manhunt. The court held that the officers' conduct did not violate clearly established law under the Fourth Amendment.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court's denial of a sentencing adjustment for a defendant involved in a liquor theft scheme. The court held that the defendant was ineligible for the adjustment because the robbery was interrupted by a 911 call rather than voluntary abandonment.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for three police officers in a civil rights suit following the death of a detainee with sickle cell trait. The court held that while a genuine dispute existed regarding one officer's knowledge, no clearly established law in 2019 required immediate aid for a detainee losing consciousness during transport.
The Eighth Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by a defendant who had signed a plea agreement containing an appeal waiver. The court found the waiver enforceable and determined there were no non-frivolous issues to review outside its scope.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed a district court judgment regarding a defendant's sentencing enhancement. The court held that a prior Louisiana simple robbery conviction qualifies as a crime of violence under the sentencing guidelines.
The Fourth Circuit dismissed in part and affirmed in part the appeal of a defendant convicted of armed bank robbery. The court enforced a broad appellate waiver in the defendant's plea agreement while finding no reversible error regarding the oral pronouncement of supervised release conditions.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed a district court's decision to revoke supervised release and impose a thirty-three-month sentence. The appellate court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion by weighing the seriousness of the defendant's violations over his mitigating factors.
The Fifth Circuit vacated a sentence for a defendant convicted of conspiring to transport illegal aliens. The court held that the district court clearly erred in applying a sentencing enhancement for involuntary detention where the evidence did not show the aliens were held against their will.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a district court ruling denying a deputy sheriff's motion to dismiss a civil rights lawsuit alleging excessive force. The court held that discharging high-velocity pepper spray directly into a handcuffed suspect's eye from half the manufacturer's safe distance violated clearly established law.