US Supreme Court backs police in traffic stops
Police can pull over a car when they know only that its owner’s license is invalid, even if they don’t know who’s behind the wheel, the Supreme Court ruled Monday.
Criminal
Articles
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 reinstates firearm enhancement in aggravated battery
An appellate panel on Friday reversed dismissal of a firearm enhancement for a man who was convicted of aggravated battery, remanding for a trial on the enhancement while also cautioning the state about “careless” oversight of criminal cases.
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.
Northern District OKs video, phone conferencing in criminal cases
Some criminal proceedings in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, including pleas and sentencings, are now authorized to take place virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the district court announced this week.
Arson suspected in fire that destroyed historic Sullivan building
A fire that destroyed a historic western Indiana building that formerly housed a law office may have been set, investigators say.
Restitution, sentence affirmed for woman who stole co-workers’ purse
A woman who stole hundreds of dollars from her co-worker’s purse did not convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that there was an error in ordering her to pay restitution of the full amount stolen or that the sentence of more than two years was inappropriate.
Split COA affirms attempted obstruction of justice conviction in neighbor dispute
A majority of an Indiana Court of Appeals panel has affirmed a woman’s attempted obstruction of justice conviction after she confronted a neighbor who was subpoenaed to give deposition in a criminal case involving her.
Federal prisoner wins habeas relief for miscalculated sentence
A prisoner challenging the calculation of his federal sentence was granted habeas corpus relief Wednesday after a district court judge found his sentences were miscalculated.
Felony reversed for man who possessed hash oil
The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a man’s felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance after finding that his vaping cartridge containing hash oil did not violate state law under which he was charged.
COA: Striking child with cord not protected parental discipline
An Indianapolis mother convicted of felony battery after striking her son with an electrical cord failed to convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that the charges against her could be defeated by the concept of parental privilege.
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.
2 found fatally shot after police standoff in Fishers
Police in suburban Indianapolis say they found a man and a woman fatally shot after a lengthy standoff in which shots were fired at officers.
US Supreme Court rules states can bar insanity defense
The Supreme Court of the United States ruled Monday that states can prevent criminal defendants from pleading insanity without violating their constitutional rights. The decision could prompt states across the country to toughen standards for defendants who wish to plead not guilty by reason of insanity.
7th Circuit affirms convictions in Walmart robberies
Two men who robbed and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from Indiana Walmart stores could not convince the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday that there was insufficient evidence to support their convictions.
Elkhart considers new $500K legal bill for suit over overturned conviction
A northern Indiana city is weighing spending another $500,000 to defend itself against a lawsuit filed by a man whose attempted murder conviction was thrown out because prosecutors didn’t disclose that the state’s sole eyewitness underwent hypnosis to sharpen his memory.
Judge asked to reconsider double-murder suspect’s release
Prosecutors want a northwestern Indiana judge to reconsider his decision to release a man accused in the fatal shootings of a Gary woman and her 13-year-old son, calling him a “substantial” threat to the public.
Fort Wayne man exonerates teen co-defendant in fatal shooting
A northeastern Indiana man who pleaded guilty in an October killing told a judge before he was sentenced that a teenage co-defendant played no role in the slaying.
After controversy, juvenile justice review effort begins
In the middle of the General Assembly’s 2020 session, as youth advocates were fighting proposed legislation that would have allowed preteens to be charged as adults for certain crimes, the Commission on Improving the Status of Children in Indiana took a step toward comprehensive juvenile justice reform.
Conviction affirmed for intoxicated woman found in parked, running vehicle
The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed the conviction of a woman who was found intoxicated in her running but parked vehicle, finding sufficient evidence to support that she was operating the vehicle at the time law enforcement found her.