Topic
Every decision we've filed under Supervised Release.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Demetris Mackie's conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, rejecting his challenges to the admission of evidence regarding a prior shooting. The court also upheld Mackie's 360-month sentence, finding it reasonable given his extensive criminal history and gang affiliation.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit dismissed an appeal as moot because the defendant had been released from custody with no remaining supervised release term. The court granted the Federal Public Defender's motion to withdraw under Anders procedures.
The Fourth Circuit held that individuals maintain a reasonable expectation of privacy in files stored in private cloud-based accounts, requiring law enforcement to obtain a warrant before searching them. Although the court found the warrantless search of the defendant's Google Drive files unconstitutional, it affirmed the conviction because the evidence was sufficiently attenuated from the illegal search.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed Mohammed Al-Abadi's twenty-four-month prison sentence for trafficking in counterfeit airbags and recklessly transporting hazardous materials. The court rejected Al-Abadi's challenge to the sentence's reasonableness, finding the district court properly calculated the Guidelines range and applied special supervised release conditions.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed the denial of Robert Smith's motion to suppress evidence found during a search of his home, ruling that the warrant affidavit contained sufficient probable cause. The court held that detailed, first-hand accounts from non-anonymous informants, who admitted to purchasing drugs from Smith, provided a substantial basis for the magistrate judge to issue the warrant.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a 600-month sentence for child pornography production and distribution, rejecting the defendant's claim that the district court failed to weigh his voluntary cessation of conduct. The court held that the permanence of the images and the need for deterrence justified the sentence within the Guidelines range.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Rodrick Maurice Hamilton's conviction for conspiracy and attempt to commit Hobbs Act robbery following an armed shootout at a convenience store. The court rejected Hamilton's challenges to jury instructions on flight, prosecutorial comments on his silence, juror misconduct, and a sentencing Guidelines departure without notice.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed a defendant's sentence for child pornography possession, rejecting claims that a mandatory victim assessment was improper due to indigency. The court also upheld a five-year term of supervised release as a statutory minimum that is inherently reasonable.
The Third Circuit affirmed Jerome Brown's conviction and sentence, ruling that while the District Court improperly participated in plea negotiations, the error was harmless. Brown failed to demonstrate that the judicial interference violated his substantial rights or resulted in a heavier sentence than he would have otherwise accepted.
The Third Circuit summarily affirmed the denial of Nathaniel Coleman's petition for a writ of error coram nobis, ruling that his appeal failed to present a substantial question. The court held that Coleman could not use the writ to bypass the strict standards required for filing a second or successive habeas motion.