Domestic battery, confinement convictions upheld against abusive boyfriend
A man who severely beat his girlfriend and held her hostage for several hours has lost his appeal of his domestic battery and criminal confinement convictions.
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Career offender’s motion for relief untimely, 7th Circuit rules
A prisoner’s motion for relief following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that invalidated certain language in the Armed Career Criminal Act was denied Thursday after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals not only found his motion was untimely, but also unlikely to survive on the merits.
Supreme Court dissolves language, remote access task forces, replaces with committees
The Indiana Supreme Court has dissolved two advisory task forces this week and has replaced them with committees that will continue their respective work. Justices concurred on the decision to dissolve the Language Access Task Force and the Advisory Task Force on Remote Access to and Privacy of Electronic Records, according to a Monday order.
ABA sees ‘troubling gaps’ in civics knowledge in 2019 survey results
Members of the American public strongly support the First Amendment, but a recent American Bar Association civics literacy survey revealed that some confusion remains about what it actually protects. The results, which go hand-in-hand with the 2019 Law Day theme of “Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society,” revealed what the ABA called “troubling gaps” in the public’s basic knowledge of American civics.
Woman pleads guilty to neglect after removing feeding tube
A Terre Haute woman has agreed to plead guilty to neglect in the dehydration death of her infant son after she removed his feeding tube. Tabetha Smith, 39, would face a 16-year sentence if the plea entered Thursday is accepted. Vigo Superior Judge Sarah Mullican took the plea agreement under advisement.
NE Indiana man gets 10 years for injuring police officer
A northeastern Indiana man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for seriously injuring a police officer while fleeing authorities. Kevin J. Turner, 53, Huntertown, had pleaded guilty to three felony charges, including resisting law enforcement, for the October incident involving Kendallville police Officer Blake Kugler.
Jurors deadlock on life sentence for 2 slayings in Indiana
Jurors have deadlocked on whether to recommend a sentence of life in prison for a 24-year-old Evansville man convicted of murder and robbery in the 2017 slayings of two people in southwest Indiana. Jurors were dismissed Thursday after deadlocking on the question. They convicted Deshay Hackner on Wednesday in the deaths of 29-year-old Dewone Broomfield and his girlfriend, 28-year-old Mary Woodruff.
Trump, GOP states ask appeals court to kill ‘Obamacare’
Taking a harder line on health care, the Trump administration on Wednesday joined a coalition of Republican-led states, including Indiana, in asking a federal appeals court to entirely overturn former President Barack Obama’s signature health care law — a decision that could leave millions uninsured.
7th Circuit reversal: Damages claims brought by exonerated man may proceed
An exonerated man whose murder conviction was vacated nearly a decade ago can continue seeking damages against the investigators in his case, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled, reversing a lower court’s decision that the claims couldn’t stand.
Hammond woman accused of driving over boyfriend twice, killing him
A northwestern Indiana woman accused of driving over her boyfriend twice with a car has been charged in his killing. Twenty-three-year-old Briana Rice of Hammond is charged with murder, voluntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatal accident in the April 24 death of 25-year-old Terrondy Jones.
Judge improving after shooting; Supreme Court seeking temporary replacements
One of the two Clark County judges wounded in an Indianapolis shooting early Wednesday morning is improving after initially being in critical condition. Meanwhile, action is being taken to temporarily fill the now empty bench seats of the two injured judges. The Indiana Supreme Court said Thursday that Clark Circuit Judge Bradley Jacobs underwent surgery Thursday morning and is now in serious but stable condition.
Barr skips House hearing; Pelosi accuses him of lying
Attorney General William Barr skipped a House hearing Thursday on special counsel Robert Mueller’s Trump-Russia report, escalating an already acrimonious battle between Democrats and President Donald Trump’s Justice Department. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested Barr had already lied to Congress in other testimony and called that a “crime.”
Justices grant transfer in one case, deny 23 others
Indiana Supreme Court justices rejected nearly all the cases brought before the high court last week on petition to transfer, granting one case and dividing on two others.
Reversal: Sporting goods store not liable in angry woman’s shooting of boyfriend
A man who brought negligence claims against a sporting goods store that he alleged unlawfully sold a firearm to his girlfriend, who later shot him with it, cannot continue with his complaint after the Indiana Court of Appeals found the store was immune from liability.
Supreme Court: Summarily approved commitment orders not valid
The Indiana Supreme Court has expressly disapproved of a Marion County judge’s practice of summarily approving civil commitment orders individually reviewed by the presiding commissioner, though the justices also noted that the fact that the defendants' commitment orders have expired makes their appeals moot.
Kentucky soldier charged in slaying of Indiana teen
A Kentucky soldier has been arrested in the fatal shooting of an Indiana teenager. Twenty-six-year-old military police Sgt. German Parra was arrested in Kentucky on charges including murder in the death of 16-year-old Xavier Weir.
Clark Co. judges hospitalized after overnight shooting; local courts closed Wednesday
Clark County courts are closed Wednesday as two local judges are hospitalized in Indianapolis following an overnight shooting. Clark Circuit Judge Andrew Adams is in stable condition and Circuit Judge Bradley Jacobs is in critical and stable condition after being wounded in the shooting early Wednesday morning.
Robert Miller Sr. leaves legacy of love for law and community
Judge Robert L. Miller Sr., who established a distinguished career in the law and then devoted his skills and passion to advocating and championing military veterans, died peacefully at his South Bend home April 27. He was 98.
Double jeopardy violation prompts reversal of man’s child molesting conviction
A man convicted for child molesting was granted relief from one of his convictions after an appellate panel agreed that his double jeopardy rights were violated when the state was permitted to amend a charge for which he had already been acquitted.
COA tosses convictions on new charges introduced at trial
A split Indiana Court of Appeals reversed four counts of a woman’s conviction, finding the trial court abused its discretion in allowing the state to amend the charging information without giving the defendant a “reasonable opportunity” to prepare and defend against the new counts.