Gag order issued for couple accused of leaving adopted girl
A judge in Lafayette has issued a gag order in the case of a couple accused of abandoning their adopted daughter in Indiana and moving to Canada.
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Majority justices remand Land Rover forfeiture case for excessiveness analysis
An Indiana civil forfeiture case that made its way to the United States Supreme Court will now return to the Grant Superior Court after the Indiana Supreme Court developed a framework for determining if the forfeiture of property is excessive under the Eighth Amendment.
Purdue student faces rape charges in sex assault at party
Authorities say a college student from New Jersey faces rape charges in the assault of a woman at a fraternity party off Purdue University’s campus.
Suspended Indianapolis priest charged with sex crimes
A suspended Catholic priest in Indiana is facing charges alleging he sexually abused a child in 2016. The Rev. David Marcotte of Indianapolis is charged in Hamilton County with child solicitation, vicarious sexual gratification and dissemination of matter harmful to minors.
7th Circuit overturns habeas relief for child molester
A convicted child molester’s 80-year sentence has once again been reinstated after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the grant of a habeas petition. The appellate panel on Thursday reversed habeas relief that had been granted at the district court.
Drug evidence found from drone video admissible, COA rules
Video of suspected drug activity from a drone aircraft a woman found in her yard is admissible in court to try her neighbor on charges including dealing methamphetamine, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Thursday.
Supreme Court reaffirms death sentence in ‘brutal’ 2012, 2003 murders
The Indiana Supreme Court on Thursday reaffirmed the conviction and death sentence imposed on a Floyd County man convicted of two counts of murder in the 2012 strangulations of two women, as well as his 65-year sentence for a 2003 murder he confessed to after his arrest seven years ago.
Suspended attorney indicted on tax charges
Schererville attorney Raymond Gupta, whose law license was suspended in June, has been indicted for tax evasion and failing to file federal tax returns, with the federal government claiming he owes nearly $2 million to the Internal Revenue Service.
Indiana man charged with murder, rape in 1988 cold case
FBI agents have arrested a Merrillville man in the 1988 rape and killing of a mother of four whose body was found in an abandoned home.
Man’s drug convictions tossed for speedy trial rule violation
A man who was convicted of drug-dealing charges and sentenced to 12 years in prison won a reversal Wednesday because his trial was wrongly continued when the state could not timely produce lab results. The appellate court noted a lengthy prosecutorial delay in providing the evidence for lab testing was to blame.
Judgment for hospital affirmed in blood draw after drunken-driving crash
A man who was seriously injured in a car crash lost his appeal claiming his Fourth Amendment rights were violated when Fort Wayne hospital staff ordered a blood draw that was provided to police, leading to criminal drunken driving charges.
Convicted molester loses appeal over barred internet search history
A man convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison for molesting his 11-year-old daughter failed to convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that evidence of sexual internet searches he attributed to the victim was wrongly excluded from his trial.
Audit: 3 ex-Greenfield school administrators overpaid $650K
A state audit has found that three Greenfield school administrators were overpaid by more than $650,000 during a nine-year period. Hancock County prosecutors will review the audit to determine whether criminal charges are warranted.
SVF conviction upheld over search, prior felony objections
A man’s conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon will stand after the Indiana Court of Appeals found a warrantless search of the vehicle he was riding in at the time of his arrest did not violate federal or state constitutional protections.
Prosecutor: Dealing resulting in death charge targets violence, addictions
As Marion County files its first charge of drug dealing resulting in death, Prosecutor Ryan Mears said the new law is another tool to help combat violent crime and drug addiction across Indianapolis.
Marion County files first charge of drug dealing resulting in death
For the first time in Marion County, a suspected drug dealer has been charged under a new law criminalizing dealing that leads to a drug user’s death.
Halt of simple pot prosecutions gets mixed reaction
Reactions have been mixed to the recent announcement that the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office will no longer prosecute cases of simple possession of less than 1 ounce of marijuana. Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced the new policy Sept. 30.
COA divided on motion for discharge argument in molestation case
A split Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed the denial of a man’s motion for discharge of his child molesting and child solicitation counts under Indiana Rule of Criminal Procedure 4(C), with a dissenting judge arguing that because proceedings were not stayed until months after an interlocutory appeal was filed and accepted, the tolling rule doesn’t apply.
Florida men tied to Giuliani arrested on campaign charges
Two businessmen tied to efforts by President Donald Trump’s lawyer to get Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son were charged Thursday with campaign finance violations in the U.S. The charges relate to a $325,000 donation to a political action committee supporting Trump’s re-election.
Federal agents shut down Indianapolis gun dealer, seize more than 300 firearms
ATF and local law enforcement agents shut down an Indianapolis gun dealer accused of being operated by a felon banned from possessing or selling firearms. Authorities seized about 390 firearms Tuesday after the dealer’s operator was previously charged with violating federal firearms law.