Topic
Every decision we've filed under Sex Offenses.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion to withdraw a guilty plea involving child sexual abuse and pornography offenses. The court found no abuse of discretion in the district court's decision to deny the motion without an evidentiary hearing.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the kidnapping and assault convictions of Ellery Zephier, Sr. The court rejected arguments regarding the admission of prior bad acts evidence and the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the verdict.
The Eighth Circuit dismissed an appeal by a defendant who had pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor. The court held that the defendant knowingly and voluntarily waived his right to appeal his sentence under the terms of his plea agreement.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a prisoner's constitutional challenge to Colorado's Sex Offender Treatment and Monitoring Program. The court held that the program's requirements were reasonably related to legitimate penological interests and that the plaintiff lacked standing for certain claims.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the conviction of a defendant charged with sex trafficking and conspiracy. The court held that the search warrant was supported by probable cause and that the district court properly admitted expert testimony on trafficking dynamics.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the conviction of a defendant charged with sex trafficking, rejecting challenges to the search warrant and the admission of expert testimony. The court held that the affidavit supported probable cause and that the district court properly admitted expert evidence explaining trafficking dynamics.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed an indefinite suspension without pay imposed on a Department of Justice employee following a sexual abuse indictment. The court held that the agency had reasonable cause to suspend the employee and that the suspension duration was reasonable pending the resolution of criminal charges.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a preliminary injunction sought by media groups challenging Indiana's policy restricting execution attendance. The court held that the First Amendment does not grant a qualified right of public access to view executions, as they lack a historical tradition of openness to the general public.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a conviction for attempted murder but vacated the sentence due to an Ex Post Facto violation. The court held that the district court erred by applying a later Sentencing Guidelines Manual that increased the defendant's advisory range.
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.