Justices suspend jury trials until March as pandemic continues
The Indiana Supreme Court has taken the “drastic” step of suspending all jury trials in Indiana until March 2021 as Indiana continues to report high numbers of positive COVID-19 cases.
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Jury trials halted in South Bend courts
All jury trials have been halted in St. Joseph County as the COVID-19 virus continues to spread and the positivity rate tops 15%.
Allen Superior Court halts jury trials until out of COVID-19 ‘red’ status
The Allen Superior Court is halting jury trials until at least Jan. 11 due to the ongoing surge in COVID-19 infections in the community, the court announced Tuesday.
Supreme Court wrestles with nonunanimous jury cases
The Supreme Court on Wednesday struggled with whether to require new trials for potentially thousands of prisoners who were convicted by nonunanimous juries before the court barred the practice earlier this year.
Trial postponed in case of alleged excessive force in Muncie
A judge has granted a long delay in the trial of three Muncie police officers who were charged in an investigation of excessive force.
Jury duty? No thanks, say many, forcing trials to be delayed
Jury duty notices have set Nicholas Philbrook’s home on edge with worries about him contracting the coronavirus and passing it on to his father-in-law, a cancer survivor with diabetes in his mid-70s who is at higher risk of developing serious complications from COVID-19.
Indiana Northern District judge recuses herself from Portage mayor’s bribery retrial
A federal judge has recused herself from the bribery case of a former northwestern Indiana mayor only days after setting a date for his retrial in that case.
Ex-Portage mayor faces retrial on bribery charge
A former northwestern Indiana mayor is facing a December retrial on a federal charge alleging that he solicited a bribe from two local businessmen.
Web Exclusive: Jury social media cautions revamped
Twenty years ago, most people learned about major court cases and trials from newspapers or local television stations. But with myriad online distribution channels and social media available at virtually everyone’s fingertips, staying up to date with the latest news has become and more accessible than ever.
Justices approve annual master jury pool list
The Indiana Supreme Court has completed its annual list for jury pool assembly, once again reminding trial courts to cease the past practice of obtaining lists of potential jurors from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
Jury convicts Jeffersonville man accused of killing, cannibalism
A southern Indiana man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend and eating parts of her body was convicted of a murder charge Friday.
Clark Co. murder trial starts with warning of gruesome photos
The murder trial of a southern Indiana man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend and eating parts of her body began with a prosecutor warning jurors that they’ll see photos of the 2014 crime scene “worse than anything you would see in a horror movie.”
Tippecanoe Co. man faces January trial in twin sons’ 2014 deaths
A northern Indiana man whose guilty plea in the 2014 house fire deaths of his twin 3-year-old sons was vacated last year is set for a January trial after being charged a second time in their deaths.
Prosecutors: Similar charges warrant 1 trial in Floyd death
Prosecutors in the case of four former Minneapolis officers charged in the death of George Floyd told a judge Friday that the men should face trial together because the evidence and charges against them are similar, and multiple trials could traumatize witnesses and Floyd’s family.
Video outlines Southern District jury precautions during pandemic
Hoping to allay fears of people summoned to federal court for jury duty as trials resume next week, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana has posted a video detailing the steps the court is taking to protect jurors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Attorney juror at center of Supreme Court murder appeal also suing state
As the Indiana Supreme Court takes up the question of whether a man convicted of murder should get a new trial because of misconduct by an attorney who served as jury forewoman at his trial, that attorney also is suing the state over her firing related to her conduct in the case.
Marion County courts plan to resume jury trials
Following a months-long hiatus, the largest county court system in Indiana will resume felony jury trials next week. The Marion Superior Courts announced that major felony trials will resume Monday, while low-level felony, misdemeanor and civil jury trials will resume the week of Sept. 14.
Legal community mourns passing of long-time Floyd Co. prosecutor Henderson
Keith Henderson, who served as Floyd County prosecuting attorney for nearly 20 years, died Aug. 1 at his home surrounded by his family following a battle with Lyme disease. He was 59.
7th Circuit rejects convicted killer’s habeas petition over uncommunicated plea deal
A convicted killer lost his appeal in a federal habeas case in which he claimed he was entitled to relief from a 65-year prison sentence because his lawyer failed to convey a plea deal before he was convicted after a second trial.
Southern District to resume limited in-person criminal proceedings next week
Limited in-person criminal proceedings can resume in all divisions of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana beginning next week, the district court announced Friday.