Pendleton inmate loses appeal of murder conviction after fatal prison stabbing
An inmate who used a makeshift weapon to fatally attack another inmate did not convince the Court of Appeals of Indiana that his murder conviction should be reversed.
Jurors
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In Molter’s first arguments, IN Supreme Court considers voir dire questions
Given that the purpose of voir dire is to determine whether prospective jurors can be fair and impartial, shouldn’t denying a defendant the opportunity to directly question them be recognized as a violation of their rights?
Appellate court affirms stalking conviction against woman who targeted former sheriff
A woman holding more than a decadelong grudge against a former sheriff cannot shake her conviction for felony stalking after she berated the man and followed him around town for years.
IndyBar: The Most Valuable Voir Dire? What you need to hear vs. What you want to hear
The information learned during voir dire will, of course, inform the parties’ actions regarding peremptory and causal challenges. In addition, it provides some insight about individual jurors ultimately seated on the jury, the overall composition of the jury and individuals who have a higher probability of serving as the foreperson.
Judges keeping Capitol riot trials in DC amid bias claims
Prosecutors and judges see no evidence that Capitol rioters can’t get a fair trial in the district and believe the process of weeding out biased jurors is working. Judges presiding over Jan. 6 cases have consistently rejected requests to move trials, saying the capital has plenty of residents who can serve as fair jurors.
Chauvin appeals murder conviction for killing George Floyd
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is appealing his conviction for murder in the killing of George Floyd, arguing that jurors were intimidated by the protests that followed and prejudiced by heavy pretrial publicity.
Jurors reject array of defenses at Capitol riot trials
Jurors have heard — and rejected — an array of excuses and arguments from the first rioters to be tried for storming the U.S. Capitol. The next jury to get a Capitol riot case could hear another novel defense this week at the trial of a retired New York City police officer.
Parkland, Florida, school shooter’s jury selection begins
Jury selection in the deadliest U.S. mass shooting ever to go to trial began Monday with preliminary screening for the panel that will determine whether Nikolas Cruz will be put to death for murdering 17 students and staff members at a Parkland, Florida, high school.
COA: Trial court harmlessly erred in denying direct questioning of prospective jurors
A St. Joseph County man convicted of involuntary slaughter for a drug deal gone wrong should have been permitted to directly question prospective jurors, but that error was ultimately harmless, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has ruled.
COA affirms domestic violence convictions after trial court declines mistrial
Finding no prosecutorial misconduct or circumstances warranting a mistrial, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has affirmed a man’s two felony convictions following a domestic violence incident.
Judge declares mistrial in case of pastor’s wife’s slaying
A judge declared a mistrial in the case of a man charged in the fatal 2015 shooting of an Indianapolis pastor’s wife after learning some jurors knew she had been pregnant — a fact defense attorneys had successfully moved to keep from the jury.
Public nuisance laws in opioid cases give hope to both sides
A jury’s finding this week that three major pharmacy chains are responsible for contributing to the scourge of opioid addiction in two Ohio counties may be just the beginning of a protracted legal battle that ultimately could leave the communities no better off.
Defense attorneys rest their cases at Arbery death trial
Defense attorneys rested their case in the Ahmaud Arbery trial Thursday after calling just seven witnesses, including the shooter, who testified that Arbery did not threaten him in any way before he pointed his shotgun at the 25-year-old Black man.
Denial of Batson challenge, sentencing appropriate for kidnapper, 7th Circuit affirms
A man who went on a violent crime spree with four accomplices across three states wasn’t improperly denied a Batson challenge, and the enhanced sentence imposed on the kidnapper wasn’t inappropriate, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed.
Jury selection to start in trial over Ahmaud Arbery’s death
Hundreds of people were ordered to report for jury duty Monday in Georgia for what could be a long, laborious effort to find jurors to hear the trial of three white men charged with fatally shooting Ahmaud Arbery as he was running in their neighborhood.
Southern District to lift mask, social distancing mandates for fully vaccinated individuals
Individuals who are fully vaccinated will no longer be required to wear a mask inside public spaces at Indiana’s Southern District courthouses beginning next month, Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt announced in a Tuesday order.
High court won’t make unanimous jury requirement retroactive
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that prisoners who were convicted by non-unanimous juries before the high court barred the practice a year ago don’t need to be retried.
Jury awards Indiana girl $96K for YMCA bounce house injuries
A jury in Valparaiso has awarded nearly $96,000 in damages to a northwest Indiana girl who was injured in 2018 while playing in a bounce house at a local YMCA.
Man guilty of murder for killing groom at Indianapolis bachelor party
A jury has convicted a man of murder in the 2019 shooting death of a man celebrating his bachelor party at an Indianapolis pub.
Chauvin juror says guilty verdicts could have come quicker
A juror who cast one of the unanimous votes to convict a white former Minneapolis police officer of killing George Floyd said most of the deliberations was primarily spent trying to convince one person who was uncertain about part of the jury instructions.