COA: Despite driver’s admission to smoking meth, state failed to prove OWI
A man who told Indiana State Police that he had smoked methamphetamine hours before he was pulled over has had his operating while intoxicated conviction reversed.
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COA rejects challenge to meth conviction, sentence
A man found sitting on a container of meth has failed in his appeal of both his possession conviction and his eight-plus-year sentence.
7th Circuit affirms denial of suppression of evidence from traffic stop
An Indiana man arrested during a traffic stop for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance has not convinced the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals the officer that pulled him over conducted an illegal search.
7th Circuit affirms lifetime imprisonment for gang member convicted in deadly drug conspiracy
An Indiana gang member convicted of conspiracy and racketeering in a scheme to distribute illegal drugs will keep his lifetime imprisonment sentence and convictions, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled.
COA: Volunteered evidence shouldn’t be suppressed despite officer’s Miranda violation
The Court of Appeals of Indiana has reversed an order to suppress drug evidence found after a Miranda violation, finding state and federal constitutions don’t require suppression of the physical fruits of evidence obtained through the violation after the suspect volunteered the information.
7th Circuit affirms denied motion to suppress $2M, trafficked drugs from search
A man involved in a multimillion-dollar drug trafficking ring did not convince the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals that his motion to suppress hefty amounts of drugs and cash found in his hotel room should have been granted.
Parental rights termination affirmed by COA following mother’s continued drug use
The termination of a Vanderburgh County mother’s parental rights to her minor child was based on sufficient evidence and did not violate her rights to due process, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has ruled.
Enhanced consecutive sentences upheld in fentanyl overdose case
A man who sold fentanyl-laced heroin to his friend that resulted in the buyer overdosing will keep his enhanced consecutive sentences, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has concluded.
Allen County coroner declares toddler’s fentanyl death a homicide
The death of a 1-year-old Fort Wayne girl from a fentanyl overdose last year has been ruled a homicide, a coroner said Wednesday.
Indiana man gets 40 years in 1-year-old son’s fatal shooting
A northern Indiana man was sentenced to 40 years in prison on child neglect charges stemming from the shooting death of his 1-year-old son by the boy’s 4-year-old sibling.
Former Vincennes police chief arrested for stealing from department, wife arrested for theft of prescription drugs
Former Vincennes Police Department Chief Dustin Luking was arrested on multiple felony charges Wednesday for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from an evidence vault for personal use. Also today, Bethany J. Shelton Luking, Dustin’s wife, was arrested for allegedly stealing prescription medication from her employer, a senior center in Vincennes.
US overdose deaths hit record 107,000 last year, CDC says
More than 107,000 Americans died of drug overdoses last year, setting another tragic record in the nation’s escalating overdose epidemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated Wednesday.
Reversal: Same name not sufficient evidence for serious violent felon conviction
A Decatur County man facing an aggregate sentence of 30 years had his Level 4 felony conviction overturned after the Court of Appeals of Indiana ruled that a defendant having the same name as a person convicted in a previous drug case was not enough to sustain a conviction as a serious violent felon.
Man convicted of neglect in South Bend boy’s shooting death
A South Bend man has been convicted of child neglect charges stemming from the shooting death of his 1-year-old son by a 4-year-old sibling.
Indiana Democrats push for marijuana legalization in statewide tour
Marijuana legalization is coming to the forefront of the Indiana Democratic Party’s 2022 platform.
EXPLAINER: Where do US opioid trials, settlements stand?
The effort to hold drug companies, pharmacies and distributors accountable for their role in the opioid crisis has led to a whirlwind of legal activity around the U.S. that can be difficult keep tabs on.
NW Indiana man pleads guilty to role in 2019 double-slaying
A northwest Indiana man has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and other charges for his role in the killings of two teenagers fatally shot during a drug-related robbery.
COA: Trial court didn’t properly instruct jury in drug-induced homicide case
A trial court’s erroneous decision to reject a defendant’s proposed preliminary instructions has led to the reversal of the defendant’s drug dealing conviction. But the Court of Appeals of Indiana left open the possibility of a retrial due to other significant evidence, including evidence of text messages sent and received by a man who died of a drug overdose.
States look for solutions as fentanyl deaths keep rising
As the addiction and overdose crisis that has gripped the United States for two decades turns even deadlier, state governments are scrambling for ways to stem the destruction wrought by fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.
Latin Kings leaders lose appeals of convictions, life sentences
A pair of northern Indiana gang leaders who were sentenced to life in prison for their roles in gang-related murders and drug activity have failed in their challenges to their convictions and sentences at the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.