An Amazon warehouse employee who beat up a coworker based on the victim’s sexual orientation couldn’t be convicted of a federal hate crime, though the jury delivered a guilty verdict. The act didn’t affect interstate commerce and, thus, was outside ...

Tagged with: Constitutional Criminal Judge John A. Gibney Jr. U.S. District Court - Eastern District

In arguing that the Commonwealth struck black jurors based on their race, defense counsel did not fully put the issue of pretext before the trial court. Where the trial court did have the opportunity to consider pretext, its observation of ...

Tagged with: Criminal Judge Randolph A. Beales Virginia Court of Appeals

In a habeas challenge brought by a defendant on death row for the murder of a Norfolk law enforcement officer, an evidentiary hearing is necessary to determine whether juror bias tainted the conviction. Despite a straightforward inquiry by trial counsel, ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Criminal Judge Stephanie Dawn Thacker

A man who initiated a gun fight with a law enforcement officer, apparently while under the influence of alcohol and marijuana, unsuccessfully challenged the trial court’s evidentiary rulings and accepted jury instructions. Background David Frizzell appeals his convictions for attempted ...

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 Unpublished Opinion Virginia Court of Appeals

When the search of a driver who’d appeared nervous and fidgety produced a digital scale with apparent cocaine residue on it, the circumstances supported probable cause for officers to search his vehicle, where they found drugs and a handgun. Background ...

Tagged with: Constitutional Criminal Justice Elizabeth A. McClanahan Search & Seizure Supreme Court of Virginia

A warrant to search Paul Manafort’s Alexandria condo and to seize various electronic devices and media related to his bank and tax fraud offenses was constitutional on its face and constitutionally executed. Background At issue in this multi-count bank and ...

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

A defendant convicted of various conspiracy charges related to his involvement with violent jihad groups overseas successfully challenged certain convictions via a § 2255 motion, arguing that offenses invoking the use of force under 18 U.S.C. § 924 lacked proper ...

Tagged with: Criminal Judge Leonie Brinkema U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Under recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent, a defendant convicted in a mortgage fraud conspiracy could not be ordered to forfeit the total amount of losses from the conspiracy – over $1.5 million – when she personally had received only $231,000 ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Criminal Judge Roger L. Gregory Sentencing

In calculating appropriate restitution to be paid by a video-game thief, the district court erred in accepting the victim’s unsubstantiated estimate of replacement costs, rather than requiring evidence on fair market value. Background Appellant Dominic Steele was convicted of postal ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Criminal Judge Roger L. Gregory Sentencing

In a grand larceny trial relating to stolen jewelry, printouts from LeadsOnline, which stores resellers’ purchase records for cooperation with law enforcement agencies, were admissible under the business-records exception to the hearsay rule. Background Appellant Joseph Melick was convicted in ...

Tagged with: Criminal Evidence Hearsay Judge Wesley G. Russell Jr. Virginia Court of Appeals