Woman freed after murder conviction vacated in 2001 slaying
An Indiana woman who successfully argued she had ineffective legal counsel at her murder trial for the 2001 slaying of her boyfriend in Lafayette during a sex game has been released.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
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Ban on Indiana abortion parental notification law upheld
A federal appeals court has upheld an injunction blocking a 2017 Indiana law that would have required parental notification for mature minors seeking an abortion. One member of the three-judge panel dissented, however, and would have allowed the law to take effect.
Indiana Youth Group seeks to intervene in lawsuit against Brownsburg schools
A group representing transgender students filed a motion Thursday to intervene in a lawsuit brought by a teacher who claims Brownsburg Community School Corp. violated his religious freedom rights by requiring him to refer to students with gender dysphoria by their preferred names.
Attorney ordered to pay nonprofit $76K in fees after losing copyright case
An Indiana-based nonprofit that works to reduce instances of sexual assault has been awarded more than $76,000 in fees and costs as the prevailing party in a copyright case brought by a Hoosier attorney known for copyright litigation.
Federal jury convicts alleged drug ringleader, 4 others
The alleged leader of a violent Indianapolis-based drug trafficking ring has been convicted on federal drug charges. A federal jury in Evansville convicted Richard Grundy III and four co-defendants on all charges Thursday during the 14th day of their trial.
7th Circuit rules against inmate’s FOIA requests in triple-murder
A Southern District Court judge’s order that the federal government disclose personal information stemming from a triple murder it had previously refused to turn over has been reversed. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals found that public interest does not support the information’s disclosure, simultaneously affirming that certain documents were protected by an exception of the Freedom of Information Act.
Southern District bans on pro se prison filer for ‘pattern of dishonesty’
A pro se prisoner and serial litigator has been barred from making additional civil filings in the Southern District of Indiana unless he pays nearly $5,000 in filing fees. A judge also raised the possibility of a perjury referral for any future violations.
7th Circuit affirms pro bono denial; judges may recruit to amend complaints
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the denial of a man’s request for pro bono representation, but not before correcting a district court’s reading of language about its discretion to recruit counsel until after the complaint was answered by the defendant.
Resuming executions: As DOJ reinstates capital punishment, Southern District unsure what’s next
With federal death row in its jurisdiction, the Southern Indiana District Court is preparing but does not know what to expect as the U.S. Department of Justice moves forward with the resumption of executions after nearly two decades.
Blind Hoosiers claim Indiana failing to provide access to benefits programs
Claiming “systemic violations of the civil rights of blind Indiana residents,” two individuals and the National Federation of the Blind filed a complaint in federal court Tuesday against the directors of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration and the Indiana Division of Family Resources. The plaintiffs assert the defendants failed to provide printed communications about government benefits in alternative formats, such as Braille, and instead directed the blind individuals to have sighted third parties read the materials to them.
District Court: IPS must face teacher’s age discrimination claims
A former Indianapolis Public Schools teacher’s age discrimination claims will proceed against her former employer after a district court judge determined that a factfinder could conclude that IPS failed to hire her because of her age.
Authorities make arrests in Indiana gun shop burglary
Authorities say they’ve arrested suspects after 33 handguns and rifles were stolen from a central Indiana gun shop in a matter of minutes.
Southern District warns of scam using court’s telephone number
Federal court officials in Indianapolis are warning that scammers are using the court’s main phone number to scam and intimidate people.
Charlestown zoo owner must keep big cats during animal-rights case
A federal judge is doubling down on an animal-rights ruling that prohibits the owners of a southern Indiana zoo from moving its large cats out of its possession, though the judge stopped short of issuing sanctions for an alleged failure to follow that order.
Five federal death row inmates face executions beginning this year
After the Justice Department announced Thursday that it will resume executing death row prisoners for the first time in nearly two decades, five inmates are facing potential execution dates at the high-security U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute.
Woman who bought gun used to kill deputy sent to prison
A 13-month prison sentence was handed an Indianapolis woman who purchased the handgun used to kill a Boone County sheriff’s deputy in March 2018.
Fired Zamboni driver loses discrimination appeal
A Zamboni driver that was fired after crashing the machine in an ice rink lost his appeal when the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals concluded he failed to prove his employer failed to accommodate his disability.
Alleged drug ring leader’s trial moved to Evansville
Richard Grundy III and four co-defendants first stood trial July 8 in Indianapolis on federal drug trafficking charges, but a mistrial was declared July 10 after a court order concerning jurors’ personal information was violated. Court documents show Grundy will now stand trial July 29 at the U.S. district court in Evansville.
AG Hill won’t appeal injunction of second-trimester abortion law
Indiana will not appeal a federal court order blocking a new law that would have banned the most common form of second-trimester abortions, Attorney General Curtis Hill announced Wednesday.
2 arrested in multi-year probe of Muncie public corruption
A Muncie city official and a local contractor have been indicted on federal charges that are the latest to come out of a probe of public corruption in the Delaware County city.