Articles

7th Circuit upholds child porn prison sentence

A Bedford man sentenced to more than 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of child porn has failed to convince the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals to order a resentencing, with the court finding that the terms of the man’s plea agreement were not breached.

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High court rejects request to reinstate murderer Baer’s death sentence

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a request by Indiana’s attorney general’s office to reinstate the death sentence of a man convicted of killing a central Indiana woman and her 4-year-old daughter. Monday’s decision leaves in place a federal appeals court ruling that threw out Frederick Baer’s death sentence because he had ineffective legal counsel. He’ll now be resentenced by an Indiana court.

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7th Circuit revives Indiana wine retailer’s challenge to Illinois liquor laws

Finding the arguments needed to be allowed to ferment a little while longer, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has returned a dispute involving an Indiana wine retailer and Illinois’ liquor laws back to the district court for further proceedings. The case, Lebamoff Enterprises, Inc., et al. v. Bruce V. Rauner, et al. and Wine & Spirits Distributors of Illinois, 17-2495, raises the oft-asked question of how far states can go under the 21st Amendment in regulating alcohol within their borders.

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Ex-Lawrenceburg policeman loses 7th Circuit appeal over firing

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a federal court ruling for the city of Lawrenceburg in its firing of a criminally charged police officer, who claimed his termination implicated his First Amendment rights because it came after he complained about the mayor and purported wrongdoing by city officials.

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7th Circuit affirms sanctions in Indy photo copyright dispute

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the imposition of sanctions against an attorney for filing a frivolous and misleading motion against another attorney who claims his copyrighted photo of the Indianapolis skyline was used without permission by the defendant’s client.

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Bank robbers disguised in ’70s garb to be resentenced

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed three men’s attempted robbery convictions for lack of evidence but affirmed their remaining convictions and ordered them resentenced. The men were accused of robbing several Indianapolis-area financial institutions donned in 1970s apparel.

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Mom in wheelchair loses ADA access appeal against school district

A Warrick County woman who uses a wheelchair and was unable to attend her son’s school Christmas concert two years in a row lost her argument of discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act after it was determined the concert was not provided by the school corporation.

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High court won’t hear Evansville suit alleging coerced confessions

A lawsuit involving three teenagers who accuse Evansville police of violating their constitutional rights is headed to trial after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case. The high court refused Monday to review a January ruling by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which found enough evidence to warrant a civil trial in the suit filed on behalf of William, Deadra and Andrea Hurt and their mother.

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