In a federal criminal case involving a sentencing issue, the United States Supreme Court ruled that a federal appellate court cannot increase a defendant’s sentence in the absence of a Government request to do so. In Greenlaw v. United States, the defendant was convicted of various drug and firearms offenses.…
In a federal criminal case that was prosecuted in Atlanta, Georgia, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals recently affirmed the sentences of two individuals convicted of conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets. This federal case received a lot of media attention because it involved an allegation that a Coca-Cola…
In a federal criminal appeal involving an individual’s right to counsel, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit recently ruled that the dual sovereignty doctrine applies in the Sixth Amendment context. Although the legal issue presented in the case was one of first impression, the underlying facts…
Last week, I traveled from Atlanta to New Orleans to attend a seminar for attorneys that represent individuals who have been accused of federal criminal offenses. The seminar was sponsored by the Office of Defender Services in Washington, D.C. The seminar was entitled “Winning Strategies” and it included sessions on…
In a federal criminal case involving an internet sex crime, a federal judge recently ruled that the phrase “minor victim” does not include an undercover detective posing as a minor. The decision in the case interpreted provisions of the recently-enacted Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, as well as…
In a federal criminal case originating in Atlanta, Georgia, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed substantial sentence reductions for two executives who were convicted of public corruption charges. In the lower court, the two defendants faced sentencing ranges under the United States Sentencing Guidelines of 41 to 51 months.…
In a federal mortgage fraud case origninating out of Atlanta, Georgia, the Eleventh Circuit affirmed a 360 month sentence against a real estate closing attorney. The appeal arose after a two week federal trial that occurred in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. On appeal,…
Earlier this month, the Pensacola News Journal reported that a federal prosecutor who was charged with an internet based sex crime committed suicide by hanging himself inside his cell at a federal detention facility. In recent years, those of us who engage in the defense of individuals charged with federal…
Last week, I argued a federal criminal case here in Atlanta in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. The main issue in the case was whether a search warrant that was obtained by an Atlanta Police Department Officer could survive scrutiny under the Fourth Amendment. Procedurally,…