Articles

Supreme Court refuses to block upcoming federal executions

The Supreme Court of the United States on Monday refused to block the execution of four federal prison inmates who are scheduled to be put to death in July and August. The executions, if permitted to proceed after further expected court challenges, would mark the first use of the death penalty on the federal level since 2003.

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Opinions June 26, 2020

The following 7th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion was posted after IL deadline Thursday.
Carmine Greene v. Westfield Insurance Company
19-2260
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, South Bend Division. Judge Philip P. Simon.
Civil. Affirms summary judgment for Westfield Insurance in a lawsuit brought by Carmine Greene and neighbors of the VIM Recycling property in Elkhart, seeking an order that Westfield pay a $50.56 million environmental pollution damages judgment entered against VIM. Finds that summary judgment for Westfield was proper because two coverage exceptions in the insurance policy apply.

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Opinions June 25, 2020

The following 7th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion was posted after IL daily deadline Wednesday.
David L. Day, Jr. v. United States of America
18-2398
Appeal from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division
Judge Tanya Walton Pratt
Criminal. Vacates the denial of David Day’s pro se motion for relief from his 92-month sentence under 28 U.S.C § 2255. Rules the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana erred by denying the motion without an evidentiary hearing to hear Day’s arguments that his private attorneys were constitutionally ineffective for advising him to reject a favorable plea offer. Notes that to have his motion granted, Day will have to show a “reasonable probability” that he would have received a sentence lower than 92 months. Remands for an evidentiary hearing.

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Opinions June 24, 2020

The following Indiana Supreme Court decision was posted after IL deadline Tuesday.
Brian E. Hardin v. State of Indiana
20S-CR-418
Criminal. Affirms in a 3-2 decision Brian Hardin’s conviction and 22-year aggregate sentence for conviction of possession and dealing methamphetamine and the denial of his motion to suppress evidence found in a search of his truck. The majority — justices Christopher Goff, Mark Massa and Geoffrey Slaughter — find the search was not unreasonable under Litchfield v. State, 824 N.E.2d 356, 361 (Ind. 2005). Justice Steven David and Chief Justice Loretta Rush dissent and would grant the motion to suppress and remand for a new trial in Morgan Circuit Court. Slaughter in a separate concurrence questions the test developed under Litchfield.

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