Seizure of man’s Land Rover violated protections against excessive fines under the Eighth Amendment applicable to the States under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause.
SCOTUS
McCoy v. Louisiana, No.16-8255, __US__ (May 14, 2018).
The Sixth Amendment guarantees a defendant the right to choose the objective of his defense and to insist that his counsel refrain from admitting guilt, even when counsel’s experienced-based view is that confessing guilt offers the defendant the best chance to avoid the death penalty.
Lee v. United States, No. 16–327, __ US __ (June 23, 2017)
The Court reversed defendant’s conviction, finding that he was prejudiced by the ineffective assistance of counsel during the plea-bargaining process based on counsel’s incorrect advice as to the immigration consequences of a conviction.
Pena-Rodriguez v. Colorado, No. 15–606, __ US __ (March 6, 2017)
When a juror makes a clear statement indicating that he or she relied on racial stereotypes or animus to convict a criminal defendant, the trial court must consider the evidence of the juror’s statement and any resulting denial of the jury trial guarantee.
Utah v. Strieff, No.14-1373, __US__ (June 20, 2016).
Evidence seized by police officer as part of his search incident to arrest is admissible because his discovery of the arrest warrant attenuated the connection between the unlawful stop and the evidence seized incident to arrest.