Category: Federal Criminal Law

On July 21, 2014, Arizona convicted murderer John Rudolph Woods became the fourth condemned inmate this year to die in a “botched” lethal injection execution in this country. He spent 90 minutes gasping for air every 10 seconds or so,…

Courts generally consider the evidentiary power of confessions to be uniquely persuasive of guilt. In 1991, the U.S. Supreme Court Arizona v. Fulminante found that a confession is unlike any other evidence, saying “the defendant’s own confession is probably the…

Let it be said that Samuel Volpendesto led an interesting, albeit controversial, life. He was a war hero earning a box full of medals, including a coveted Bronze Star. In 1945, during World War II, he volunteered to swim into…

In a forceful per curiam decision handed down on May 5, 2014, the U.S.
 
Supreme Court overturned a ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Robert R. Tolan—a budding African-American professional baseball player who…

In 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller held that the Second Amendment codified a “pre-existing” right that allows individuals to keep and bear arms. The court specifically found that the right to self-defense is undeniable…

Generally the Forth Amendment allows brief investigative stops,Terry stops, only when there exists a particular and objective basis for suspecting criminal activity.
 
In 1990, in Alabama v. White, the U.S. Supreme Court discussed the weight an “anonymous tip” should…