Virginia Lawyers Weekly VA Lawyers Weekly

Despite the defendant’s previous waiver of a preliminary hearing related to drug charges against him, he was not entitled to enforcement of an alleged oral plea agreement with a new prosecutor in his case. Background Defendant Sophann Mao was arrested ...

Tagged with: Contract Criminal Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge David A. Oblon Virginia Circuit Courts

Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute – a misdemeanor – is a lesser-included offense of the felony of distribution of more than half an ounce but less than 5 pounds of marijuana. A petitioner convicted of the misdemeanor was ...

Tagged with: Criminal Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Richard E. Gardiner Virginia Circuit Courts

An immigrant was not rendered ineligible for cancellation of removal based solely on $100 in court costs that he paid after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor. Such costs, which are not discretionary and sometimes are imposed by the court clerk, ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Criminal Immigration Judge James A. Wynn Jr.

Six defendants tried together were properly convicted of murder and attempted murder offenses related to their gang membership. Their convictions were upheld despite challenges to prosecutorial conduct, jury instructions, evidence admitted at trial, joint trial, access to counsel, warrantless cell ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Constitutional Criminal Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III

A Salvadoran immigrant, detained for the past 14 months while he challenges removal, deserves an individual bond hearing to determine whether flight risk or danger to society justifies his prolonged detention. Background Petitioner Jose Rodriguez Portillo first unlawfully entered the ...

Tagged with: Administrative Constitutional Criminal Due Process Immigration Judge Leonie Brinkema U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Evidence was sufficient to convict the defendant of possession of heroin with intent to distribute when he sped away from police in his car and fled into the woods, where police later found a bag of heroin. The defendant also ...

Tagged with: Criminal Evidence Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. Virginia Court of Appeals

The defendant’s Confrontation Clause challenge to the trial court’s evidentiary exclusions under Virginia’s rape-shield law were not raised in the proceedings below and, in any event, did not rise above the level of harmless error. Background Appellant Michael Maldini and ...

Tagged with: Constitutional Criminal Evidence Judge Randolph A. Beales Sixth Amendment Virginia Court of Appeals

Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller’s jurisdiction, as set forth in his Appointment Order and in a subsequent memorandum from the Acting Attorney General, encompasses prosecution of Donald Trump’s former campaign manager for bank fraud and tax charges that involve connections ...

Tagged with: Constitutional Criminal Judge T.S. Ellis III U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Officers acting in part on a tip from a 911 caller who gave only his first name had a reasonable articulable suspicion that the defendant had committed a crime, based on corroborating facts the officers discovered at the scene. The ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Constitutional Criminal Judge Diana Gribbon Motz Search & Seizure

The younger “D.C. sniper,” who was a teenager when he was convicted of several murders and related crimes, must be resentenced following retroactive constitutional standards for juvenile punishment, established subsequent to his sentencing. Background During about seven weeks in 2002, ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Constitutional Criminal Judge Paul V. Niemeyer Sentencing