Lawmakers: Longer sentences, more police will deter crime
Harsher sentences and an increased police presence can help fight crime in Indiana, Republican state senators said Wednesday.
Sentence
Articles
COA affirms 100-year sentence for 2 murders
A man with a history of mental illness was unable to convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that his 100-year sentence for his role in the murder of two market employees in Elkhart is inappropriate.
Anderson man gets 65 years in cousin’s slaying
An Anderson man convicted last month in his cousin’s shooting death has been sentenced to 65 years in prison.
Justices split over reducing meth sentence
Justices Brent Dickson and Mark Massa disagreed with their colleagues Wednesday that a Tippecanoe County man’s 40-year sentence for Class A felony dealing in methamphetamine needed to be revised.
Court affirms probation revocation, total time ordered in DOC
A Vigo County man lost his argument before the Indiana Court of Appeals that his term of informal probation should not have been revoked by the trial court after he violated terms of his placement in a home detention program.
Appeals court upholds teen’s 55-year sentence for murder
In a case of first impression, the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the 55-year sentence imposed on a juvenile waived into adult court for the murder of a friend. The teen claimed he should have been sentenced under the alternative sentencing scheme available for juveniles.
DOC credit-time policy does not result in disparate treatment
The Indiana Court of Appeals rejected an inmate’s argument in his lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Department of Correction’s policy concerning the restoration of credit time for inmates. Because the policy does not result in disparate treatment, the judges affirmed the lower court ruling in favor of the DOC.
Conour appeal focuses on defense withdrawal, sentencing terms
Convicted fraudster and ex-attorney William Conour’s appeal of his conviction and 10-year sentence on a federal wire fraud charge argues the court failed to investigate his defense counsel’s withdrawal. His appeal also claims that the court wrongly imposed “suspicionless” searches and other conditions of supervised release following his imprisonment.
Evidence of felon’s gun tattoo not error
A defendant who took the stand in his federal trial for felony firearm possession failed to convince the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals Nov. 26 that the evidence of his gun tattoo should not have been admitted.
Enhancement to sentence upheld by COA
Finding Indiana’s criminal gang enhancement statute can be understood by individuals of ordinary intelligence, the Indiana Court of Appeals rejected a man’s challenge to his 175-year aggregate sentence.
Man convicted of brutal beating loses appeal despite errors
A man who was convicted of the brutal beating of his stepfather lost an appeal Wednesday that argued his 2008 traumatic brain injury, prosecutorial misconduct and other factors should have reversed or mitigated his 20-year sentence.
Man gets 11 years for $1M copper wire theft
A northern Indiana man who admitted to stealing $1 million worth of copper wire from a recreational vehicle plant where he worked has been sentenced to 11 years in prison.
COA revises neglect of dependent conviction stemming from boy’s death
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed a man’s murder conviction following the death of his girlfriend’s son after he seriously injured the boy while punishing him. But the court reversed his Class B felony neglect of a dependent conviction based on double jeopardy concerns.
Judges reverse probation revocation due to inadmissible evidence
Because a man’s probation was revoked based on unsubstantiated evidence, the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed the revocation Friday.
Indiana panel hears testimony on human trafficking
A state trooper who investigates human trafficking told a commission devoted to children's issues Wednesday that he's looked into nearly 40 such cases this year but the shadowy nature of the forced sex and labor trade means it's unclear how far the problem reaches into Indiana.
Indiana man sentenced in shooting of intruder
An eastern Indiana man has been sentenced to 60 days in jail for firing gunshots that wounded an intruder who was fleeing his property.
Senator seeks stiffer punishment for decapitations
The chairman of the state Senate Judiciary Committee says Indiana needs stronger penalties for decapitation.
Defense counsel’s move to prosecutor’s side doesn’t require special prosecutor
The Indiana Court of Appeals upheld a man’s 60-year sentence for shooting and killing his girlfriend after an argument, rejecting his claim that a special prosecutor should have been appointed in his case after his defense counsel took a job with the prosecutor’s office.
7th Circuit reverses 2 special conditions with bank fraud conviction
The government conceded that a man convicted for using fraudulently produced credit cards should not be subjected to suspicionless searches and seizures by authorities, so the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that condition of his supervised release.
Judge rejects sentence modification for ex-cop
A southern Indiana judge has rejected a sentence modification for a former police officer convicted of pointing a gun at his girlfriend during a confrontation in front of his two children.