The Arkansas Supreme Court has affirmed the capital murder conviction of Reggie Matthews for the killing of Tiana Robinson, concluding that his arguments for reversal lacked merit. Matthews was sentenced to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of the 2023 murder, which occurred during a well-attended barbecue…
-
-
Arkansas Supreme Court Upholds Capital Murder Conviction in Domestic Violence Shooting
* The Arkansas Supreme Court has affirmed the conviction of Lazarus Reaves, who was found guilty of capital murder and tampering with physical evidence in the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, Shaletian “Shay” Larry, in December 2020. Reaves had argued on appeal that the trial court wrongly denied his motion…
-
Court Rules Parole Board Must Grant Credit for 11 Days Held Solely on Detainer
The Pennsylvania Parole Board has been ordered to recalculate an inmate’s maximum sentence date, granting him credit for 11 days he spent in custody after he should have been released on new criminal charges in North Carolina. The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania found that Jaron Mitchell was being held *solely*…
-
Prison Officials Win Partial Victory in Mail Censorship Fight, But Delays Cost Them Immunity
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a mixed ruling in a long-running dispute between the Human Rights Defense Center (HRDC) and officials at Washington’s Coyote Ridge Corrections Center over the censorship and delayed delivery of legal materials sent to inmates. While the court shielded prison officials from paying damages…
-
Seventh Circuit Upholds Lengthy Prison Sentence for Supervised Release Violator
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed a 36-month prison sentence imposed on Timothy L. Richards following repeated violations of his supervised release, rejecting his argument that the district court improperly focused on rehabilitation when determining the length of his confinement. Richards, who was originally sentenced in 2012 for…
-
Seventh Circuit Upholds Drug Conviction Despite Challenges to Evidence and Prosecutor’s Remarks
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has affirmed the conviction of Antwan Eiland, who was found guilty by a jury for two sales of crack cocaine to a government informant. Eiland had appealed on several grounds, arguing the evidence was insufficient, the prosecutor improperly commented on his…
-
OVI and Resisting Arrest Conviction Upheld in Lake County DUI Case
The Eleventh District Court of Appeals of Ohio has affirmed the convictions of Dennis Gail Tilton for Operating a Vehicle While Under the Influence (OVI) and Resisting Arrest, concluding that the trial court committed no reversible errors despite Mr. Tilton’s numerous challenges regarding the trial record, prosecutorial conduct, and his…
-
Guilty Plea Stand: Appeals Court Upholds Denial of Relief for Convicted Murderer
The Eleventh District Court of Appeals of Ohio has affirmed a lower court’s decision to deny Dominic Michael Harvey’s request for postconviction relief, ruling that his claims regarding ineffective assistance of counsel were barred by established legal principles. Harvey, who is serving a sentence of 50 to 55 1/2 years…
-
Witness Intimidation Conviction Upheld in Heated Family Dispute Voicemail Case
A Geauga County man convicted of intimidating a witness based on a threatening voicemail left in Italian has had his conviction affirmed by the Ohio Eleventh Appellate District Court. Agostino Gigliotti challenged the conviction, arguing the evidence was insufficient and the verdict was against the weight of the evidence, but…
-
Court Denies Review in Immigration Case Over Post-Decision Legal Shift
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has denied a petition for review filed by Lazaro Pigueiras, upholding the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (BIA) decision to deny his application for a waiver of inadmissibility. The core of Pigueiras’s appeal centered on the BIA’s refusal to reconsider his case in light of…