FindLaw News

Case Summaries

Criminal Law & Procedure

[11/10] US v. Guijon-Ortiz
Conviction and sentencing of defendant for illegal reentry after deportation, 8 U.S.C. section 1326(a) and (b)(2), are upheld where the district court correctly denied defendant's motion to suppress because the detention time it took to verify a fraudulent alien registration card did not constitute an unconstitutional seizure.

[11/10] US v. Cabrera-Beltran
Conviction and sentencing of defendant with an "aggravating role" enhancement for conspiracy to import and distribute cocaine and heroin are upheld where defendant's various evidentiary challenges fail.

[11/10] People v. Mendoza
In an automatic appeal from a judgment of the trial court convicting defendant of the first-degree murder of a police officer with various special circumstance enhancements, conviction and sentencing are upheld as modified where the trial court had no authority to strike a "lying-in-wait" special circumstance finding by the jury.

[11/10] People v. Hernandez
Conviction and sentencing of defendant for the continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 years are upheld where the trial court correctly admitted evidence of uncharged sexual offenses, tolled the statute of limitations, and refused to sustain defendant's challenge to a juror for cause.

More...