News Roundup
The top story of the week may be that the SBI “and its insurers have agreed to pay $12.475 million to two innocent men who spent a total of 31 […]
Options to Mitigate Sentences for Drug Trafficking
North Carolina’s special sentencing rules for drug trafficking are tough. A recently revised summary of those rules is available here. They include mandatory imprisonment and fines that go well beyond […]
Changes in Federal Drug Prosecutions — Spillover in State Court?
Earlier this week, United States Attorney General Eric Holder, speaking to American Bar Association, announced a policy change in how drug cases will be charged in federal court. This post […]
Indefinite Driver’s License Revocations for DWI Convictions
What is the basis for the indefinite license revocation reflected in the driving record entry below? A. A revocation under G.S. 20-24.1 for failure to appear for a motor vehicle […]
Involuntary Manslaughter: A Recent Case and a Quick Review
In a recent case, State v. Fisher, the NC Court of Appeals upheld an involuntary manslaughter based on the defendant’s act of dumping an intoxicated and injured victim, alive but […]
News Roundup
A truly incredible story has culminated over the past few days. In 1998, Shon Hopwood was sentenced to 147 months in federal prison for bank robbery. He became a jailhouse […]
Prior Record Points for Out-of-State Convictions
Improper counting of a defendant’s prior out-of-state convictions is a common sentencing error. This post collects the law on the subject, including the many appellate cases decided over the past […]
Is the DEA Using NSA Warrantless Surveillance Data in Domestic Drug Investigations?
Maybe so, according to a recent Reuters report. Apparently, the Special Operations Division of the DEA receives information from the NSA and passes it to DEA field agents. The agents […]
Search Incident to the Arrest of an Occupant of a Vehicle: Review and Update (Part II)
This topic was divided in two parts. This is Part II. Part I was posted yesterday. In yesterday’s blog post, I discussed the United States Supreme Court in 2009 ruling […]
Search Incident to the Arrest of an Occupant of a Vehicle: Review and Update (Part I)
This blog post is divided in two parts. This is Part I. Part II will be posted tomorrow. The United States Supreme Court in 2009 issued a ruling in Arizona […]