Man’s conviction upheld in gang-related murder
An East Chicago man could not convince the Indiana Court of Appeals on Friday that he shouldn’t be found guilty of murder for his involvement in a gang-related killing.
evidence
Articles
Home again: Elkhart man released after 15 years in prison, but case likely isn’t over
Andrew Royer has been granted a new trial after a special judge determined his 2005 trial was tainted by false evidence and coercive investigative techniques that exploited his mental disability. But the possibility of a retrial remains.
COA affirms murder conviction over challenged letter
The Indiana Court of Appeals on Tuesday rejected a South Bend murderer’s claim that a letter he purportedly sent from the St. Joseph County Jail implicating another man in the shooting death was wrongly admitted at his trial because it was not properly authenticated.
Challenged blood draw in fatal impaired driving crash upheld
A defendant was unable to convince the Indiana Court of Appeals the state was improperly allowed a “do-over” by being able to offer as evidence at trial an analysis of his blood that showed the presence of controlled substances.
Prosecutor seeks special investigation in fatal South Bend shooting
An Indiana prosecutor has asked a judge to approve a special investigation into a murder case after the defendant alleged investigators lied about details under oath.
Divided COA reverses in first impression de facto custody case
A split Indiana Court of Appeals has reversed for the reconsideration of a father’s granted motion to modify custody after finding that a woman who raised one of his three children was, in fact, the child’s de facto custodian.
Man with mental disability freed, granted new trial in murder case
A northern Indiana man who has maintained for more than a decade that law enforcement officials in Elkhart exploited his mental disability to coerce him into a false murder confession has been released from prison and granted a new trial.
Reversal: COA rules for accused robber in suppression dispute
A man charged with armed robbery won a reversal from the Indiana Court of Appeals on Friday after the appellate panel found the trial court erred in concluding that he was not in custody when officers searched his backpack and was not entitled to be advised of his rights.
Victims’ testimony admissible in child molesting case, COA rules
The Indiana Court of Appeals on Wednesday was not convinced by a man’s argument that his decades-long sentence for child molesting was inappropriate or that victim testimony was inadmissible.
COA affirms admitted drug test lab results in CHINS case
The admission of positive drug test results under the business-records exception was affirmed by the Indiana Court of Appeals in a Monday child in need of services case, despite a father’s argument that admission of the evidence was erroneous.
7th Circuit: Mother’s sentence, restitution order affirmed in child porn case
A Hammond woman convicted for possession of child porn will keep her enhanced sentence and restitution order after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the rulings in her case Friday.
Reversal: Orange County man’s child molesting conviction improperly elevated
The Indiana Court of Appeals has ordered a man convicted of child molesting resentenced. The panel found his felony conviction was improperly elevated and cautioned the trial court regarding consideration of his uncharged allegations on remand.
Conviction upheld for ex-Gary city employee who ordered, sold iPads
A former employee of the City of Gary who purchased more than $1.3 million in computer equipment and resold it for cash lost an appeal of her conviction and sentence before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday.
US Supreme Court rejects ex-cop’s appeal of rape convictions
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal for a former Oklahoma City police officer convicted of sexually assaulting black women he encountered while patrolling the city’s low-income neighborhoods.
Horse sense: Man’s case reinstated, counsel’s sanctions lifted on appeal
A LaPorte County man who tried to legally close the barn door after his horses allegedly got out and injured his neighbor must stand trial, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday. The panel also found the trial court erred by closing the courthouse door to evidence that it wasn’t the first time these horses went on the lam.
Judges portrayed as aggressors in gunman’s self-defense claim
Did Brandon Kaiser pull the trigger on two Indiana judges only after they attacked him and placed him in fear for his life? He claims in court filings they did. But even as the judges involved in the now-infamous brawl have retaken the bench after brief suspensions, video that could prove conclusive remains under a court seal.
Protective order reversed for insufficient evidence
A man seeking to be rid of a protective order brought against him by his ex-girlfriend convinced the Indiana Court of Appeals that insufficient evidence supported the order.
Domestic battery charges against Lake County official dismissed
Six domestic battery charges have been dismissed against Lake County Recorder Michael B. Brown after his attorneys provided prosecutors with videos showing the alleged victim hitting him in front of children several times and defecating on his personal belongings.
Reversal: Consecutive sentences inappropriate in drug-dealing conspiracy case
The Indiana Court of Appeals has reversed a man’s consecutive sentences for his conspiracy to commit dealing convictions after determining they were inappropriate.
Trump ally Roger Stone sentenced to 40 months in prison
Trump loyalist and ally Roger Stone was sentenced Thursday to more than three years in federal prison, following an extraordinary move by Attorney General William Barr to back off his Justice Department’s original sentencing recommendation.