Sentencing/Post Conviction

Alex Murdaugh sentenced to 40 years for financial crimes

Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh was sentenced in federal court on Monday to 40 years in prison for nearly two dozen financial crimes, 13 months after the former lawyer was found guilty of killing his wife and son.

Apr 1, 2024 2:14 PM CDT

DNA issues ‘cast a pall’ over murder conviction, warranting SCOTUS review, ABA amicus brief says

The U.S. Supreme Court should once again consider the case of a Texas death row inmate whose conviction was based on DNA evidence tested by a lab that “consistently and egregiously mishandled DNA evidence,” the ABA has said in an amicus brief.

Mar 28, 2024 9:02 AM CDT

Appeals court ruling means over 100 Jan. 6 rioters may be resentenced

A federal appeals court on Friday overturned a sentencing enhancement used against Jan. 6 defendants charged with felony obstruction, a decision that means that over 100 convicted rioters may have to be resentenced.

Mar 1, 2024 1:27 PM CST

Former Texas lawyer accused of bilking clients for at least $20M is sentenced for ‘Ponzi-type scheme’

A former lawyer in San Antonio has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for depositing client money into his accounts and then using it to pay other client debts and support his “extravagant lifestyle,” according to federal prosecutors and court records.

Feb 23, 2024 9:42 AM CST

Supreme Court doesn’t stop nation’s first execution using nitrogen gas

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to block the execution of a death row inmate who claims that he would be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment if Alabama tries to execute him again—this time using nitrogen hypoxia.

Jan 25, 2024 10:26 AM CST

SCOTUS will hear death row inmate’s wrongful-conviction claim supported by state attorney general

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether Oklahoma death row inmate Richard Glossip is entitled to reversal of his conviction because the state suppressed evidence that a co-defendant who implicated Glossip had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Jan 22, 2024 1:04 PM CST

Former lawyer gets prison time for trading representation for sexual acts and materials

A Pennsylvania criminal defense lawyer who once worked as a prosecutor has been sentenced to four to 23 months in prison for providing legal services in exchange for sexual acts and materials.

Jan 17, 2024 8:22 AM CST

‘Airborne defendant’ leaps over bench, attacks Vegas judge during court hearing recorded on video

A man who pleaded guilty to attempted battery with substantial bodily harm attacked a Las Vegas judge who was sentencing him Wednesday.

Jan 4, 2024 9:55 AM CST

Biden expands marijuana pardons, commutes sentences of 11 others serving long drug sentences

President Joe Biden on Friday expanded the types of marijuana offenses for which he is granting pardons.

Dec 22, 2023 1:27 PM CST

Judge acquits lawyer on insider trading charges after co-defendant found not guilty

A lawyer who was formerly on the faculty at Loyola University Chicago has persuaded a federal judge that he deserves a judgment of acquittal in an insider trading case because of inconsistent verdicts by the jury that had convicted him in January.

Dec 22, 2023 10:30 AM CST

Visiting BigLaw attorney gets prison sentence for insider trading

A Brazilian lawyer has been sentenced to two months in prison for trading on inside information that he obtained while working as a visiting attorney at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Washington, D.C.

Dec 21, 2023 3:03 PM CST

It won’t take long to read apology letters by these 2 lawyers in Georgia election-interference case

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has obtained apology letters written by lawyers Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro as part of their plea agreements in an election-interference case in Fulton County, Georgia. It didn’t take much ink to reproduce them in full.

Dec 18, 2023 10:39 AM CST

Woman who threw Chipotle order at employee can reduce jail sentence by getting fast-food job

An Ohio woman who threw her Chipotle order at an employee can avoid part of her jail sentence if she works at a fast-food job, a judge ruled last week.

Dec 4, 2023 3:11 PM CST

Jewish inmate doesn’t have to show ‘substantial burden’ on religious beliefs to prevail on free exercise claim, 2nd Circuit says

A federal appeals court has ruled that a former inmate who alleged that prison officials cut short his observance of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot doesn't have to show a “substantial burden” on his religious beliefs to prevail on his First Amendment free exercise claim.

Nov 28, 2023 12:10 PM CST

How is the true-crime genre impacting the way people think about innocence?

While Diana Rickard didn’t consider herself a “podcast person,” her interest as an academic was piqued. She began listening to Serial and became fascinated by what she saw as a new expression of the true-crime genre, dubbing it the “New True.”

Nov 22, 2023 8:30 AM CST