Tag: appellate court

Collins vs. Virginia, 584 U. S. ____ (2018), No. 16–1027. The Supreme Court handed down an important search and seizure case in Collins.   Officers from the Albemarle County Police Department observed the same motorcycle driver commit a traffic infraction in two separate incidents.  In both situations, the cyclist got away from the officers. In both […]

The petitioners in Koons v. United States had committed crimes that invoked the use of the mandatory minimums. through the guideline ranges.

6th Circuit finds plain error in case of Fleming and use of inaccurate news article. Case was vacated and remanded for resentencing.

In US vs. Ballard, the Second Circuit vacated and remanded a case for a new trial after prosecutor used improper argument in summation.

In United States vs. Aminov. No. 17-1703, the Third Circuit reversed a sentence based on plain error. Aminov was sentenced in 2011 for aiding and abetting in the production of a document without lawful authority. The PSI recommended a Sentencing Guidelines range of 0-6 months instead of the government’s suggested range of 12-16 months. Aminov was […]

United States of America v. Jose Prisciliano Gracia-Cantu, No. 15-40227, 2018 WL 2068684 Gracia-Cantu pled guilty to being an alien unlawfully present in the United States after previously being deported. He also had a prior conviction for Assault Family Violence under Texas Penal Code 22.01(a)(1) and 22.01(b)(2). The presentence report recommended an eight level increase […]

United States v. Bethea, Seventh Circuit, No. 17-3468, 2018 WL 1959638 Bethea was charged with using fraudulently obtained credit cards to purchase merchandise at retailers. He had a combined guilty plea and sentencing hearing. The judge was in his courtroom in Madison, WI. Bethea was in Milwaukee because of his health issues and limited mobility. The […]

McCalla pled guilty to conspiracy to possess at least five kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute. The Mandatory minimum, in that case, was ten years. His range of punishment was 136 to 168 months. He was sentenced to 126 moths and the court found that a sentence below the advisory guideline range would be sufficient […]

The Tenth Circuit recently reversed in United States v. Dahda. Dahda was convicted on a drug conspiracy for over 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana. On appeal, Dahda alleged seven grounds for relief, including that the district court erred in applying Dahda’s base offense level by miscalculating the amount of marijuana attributed to Dahda. While […]

In United States v. Ricky Davis, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated and remanded a conviction for attempted sex trafficking of a minor. The defendant was accused of brining a minor to his house and discussing the possibility of the minor making money by going on dates, taking photos and assisting her in getting […]