Topic
Every decision we've filed under Violent Crimes.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed an above-guidelines sentence for a defendant convicted of conspiring to illegally purchase and transfer a firearm. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in rejecting the standard sentencing guideline for straw purchasers due to the unique and violent consequences of the defendant's actions.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a § 1983 false arrest and malicious prosecution claim against Denver police officers, ruling that the officers were protected by qualified immunity. The court held that an ambiguous surveillance video did not clearly establish that the officers lacked arguable probable cause to arrest the plaintiffs.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a 42-month prison sentence for a federal inmate who stabbed a fellow prisoner with a shank, rejecting claims that the sentence was unreasonably high. The court held that the district judge properly weighed the statutory factors under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) and the Guidelines' recommendation of ten to sixteen months against the defendant's violent conduct.
The Eleventh Circuit dismissed the State of Georgia's appeal for lack of jurisdiction, declining to rule on whether a federal district court can grant a limited remand to allow a state to seek a superseding indictment. The court held that the district court's denial of the motion was not a final, appealable order under the collateral order doctrine or the injunction statute.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed Christopher Andrade's conviction for conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, finding no plain error in the evidence regarding the victim's identity. The court further held that jury instructions were accurate and the admission of redirect testimony did not warrant reversal.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed Kristopher Boger's conviction for assaulting a federal officer, ruling that the district court properly excluded evidence regarding a contract dispute and an inspection report. The appellate panel held that the excluded materials were irrelevant to the scope of the officer's duties and risked confusing the jury under Federal Rules of Evidence 401 and 403.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the denial of a federal habeas corpus petition filed by a death-row prisoner. The court held that the petitioner failed to demonstrate that false witness testimony or an alleged coerced jury waiver warranted relief under federal law.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the denial of a death-row prisoner's federal habeas corpus petition. The court rejected claims regarding false witness testimony, jury trial waiver validity, and ineffective assistance of counsel.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the denial of a federal habeas corpus petition filed by a Michigan prisoner. The court held that the state trial court did not violate constitutional rights by providing aiding-and-abetting jury instructions and that the evidence presented at trial was sufficient to support the convictions.
The Third Circuit affirmed summary judgment for law enforcement and prosecutors in a civil rights suit alleging a conspiracy to manufacture false charges. The court held that the plaintiff failed to provide persuasive evidence that the government fabricated evidence or lacked probable cause for his prosecution.