ERRORES JURIS 2005 (Formerly known as Reversible Errors) The following is a publication of the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Districts of Northern New York & Vermont. The listed cases are from United States Courts of Appeal and the United States Supreme Court. The opinions contain at least one point favorable to criminal defendants. The purpose is to give CJA Panel Attorneys a shortcut to case law favoring their clients. The circuit cases are not necessarily precedent in all jurisdictions. If a case is preceded by an asterisk (*), that means the case may have been distinguished by another court. It should be researched to see if it is authority in other jurisdictions. None of the cases should be cited without first reviewing the entire opinion. There is some disarray in sentencing law after recent rulings by the United States Supreme Court. To the extent that courts still give “substantial weight” to the United States Sentencing Guidelines, and their misapplication remains an avenue for appeal, those cases have been retained. These materials may be duplicated for any lawyer providing legal services to indigent defendants. Duplication is encouraged. These materials may be reprinted by other free publications or free on-line providers serving the criminal defense bar. Attribution to this office is requested. Lawyers wishing to receive future publications should forward an e-mail address, name and phone number to the location below. The publications will be distributed by e-mail in Acrobat 6.0. Those who need an Acrobat reader can download one free at www.adobe.com . Alexander Bunin, Editor, Federal Public Defender, 39 North Pearl Street, 5th Floor, Albany, NY 12207 [email protected] . TABLE OF CONTENTS Release ............................................................................ 1 Counsel ............................................................................ 1 Discovery ........................................................................... 2 Arrests ............................................................................. 3 Search of Persons .................................................................... 4 Search of Private Vehicles .............................................................. 4 Search of Commercial Vehicles .......................................................... 6 Search of Packages .................................................................. 6 Search of Real Property ............................................................... 6 Warrants............................................................................ 7 Knock and Announce .................................................................. 8 Statements .......................................................................... 8 Recusal ............................................................................ 9 Indictments.......................................................................... 9 Limitation of Actions .................................................................. 10 Venue............................................................................. 10 Pretrial Procedure.................................................................... 10 Severance ......................................................................... 10 Conflicts ........................................................................... 11 Mental Health ....................................................................... 11 Privilege ........................................................................... 11 Jeopardy / Estoppel .................................................................. 12 Plea Agreements .................................................................... 13 Guilty Pleas ........................................................................ 14 Timely Prosecution................................................................... 16 Jury Selection....................................................................... 16 Closure............................................................................ 17 Jury Trial .......................................................................... 17 Confrontation ....................................................................... 17 Impeachment ....................................................................... 19 Co-Defendant’s Statements ............................................................ 20 Misconduct......................................................................... 20 Extraneous Evidence ................................................................. 21 Identification ........................................................................ 22 Expert Testimony .................................................................... 22 Entrapment......................................................................... 23 Defenses .......................................................................... 23 Jury Instructions ..................................................................... 24 Deliberations ....................................................................... 25 Variance ........................................................................... 25 Speech / Assembly................................................................... 26 Interstate Commerce ................................................................. 26 Conspiracy ......................................................................... 27 Firearms........................................................................... 28 Extortion........................................................................... 30 Drugs ............................................................................. 30 CCE / RICO ........................................................................ 31 Fraud / Theft........................................................................ 32 Money Laundering ................................................................... 34 Aiding and Abetting .................................................................. 35 Perjury ............................................................................ 35 False Statements .................................................................... 35 Contempt .......................................................................... 35 Immigration ........................................................................ 36 Pornography........................................................................ 36 Violent Crimes ...................................................................... 36 Assimilative Crimes .................................................................. 37 Miscellaneous Crimes................................................................. 37 Juveniles .......................................................................... 38 Sentencing - General ................................................................. 38 Grouping .......................................................................... 40 Consecutive/ Concurrent .............................................................. 40 Retroactivity ........................................................................ 41 Sentencing - Marijuana................................................................ 41 Sentencing - Meth. ................................................................... 42 Sentencing - Heroin .................................................................. 42 Sentencing - Cocaine ................................................................ 43 Sentencing - Crack................................................................... 43 Sentencing - Firearms ................................................................ 44 Laundering ......................................................................... 44 Sentencing - Pornography ............................................................. 45 Sentencing - Fraud / Theft ............................................................. 45 Enhancements- General............................................................... 46 Enhancements- Drug Crimes ........................................................... 47 Enhancements- Violence .............................................................. 48 Enhancements- Immigration ............................................................ 49 Career Enhancements ................................................................ 50 Cross References.................................................................... 51 Abuse of Trust ...................................................................... 51 Obstruction of Justice................................................................. 52 Vulnerable Victim .................................................................... 53 Aggravating Role .................................................................... 53 Mitigating Role ...................................................................... 54 Acceptance of Responsibility ........................................................... 54 Safety Valve ........................................................................ 55 Criminal History ..................................................................... 55 Cooperation ........................................................................ 56 Fines / Restitution.................................................................... 56 Appeals 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