Currier v. Virginia, USSC No. 16-1348, 2018 WL 3073763, June 22, 2018, affirming State v. Currier, 779 S.E.2d 834 (Va. App. 2015), reasoning adopted by 798 S.E.2d 164 (Va. 2016); Scotusblog page (includes links to briefs and commentary) A defendant who agrees to have overlapping charges considered in two separate trials cannot invoke the doctrine of issue preclusion adopted in Ashe… Read more
F. Successive prosecutions, Sec. 939.71
Currier v. Virginia, USSC No. 16-1348, certiorari granted 10/16/17 Question presented: Whether a defendant who consents to severance of multiple charges into sequential trials loses his right under the double jeopardy clause to the issue-preclusive effect of an acquittal. Lower court decision: State v. Currier, 779 S.E.2d 834 (Va. App. 2015), reasoning adopted by 292 Va. 737 (Va… Read more
Question presented: Whether, under Ashe v. Swenson, 397 U.S. 436 (1970), and Yeager v. United States, 557 U.S. 110 (2009), a vacated, unconstitutional conviction can cancel out the preclusive effect of an acquittal under the collateral estoppel prong of the Double Jeopardy Clause? Lower court opinion: U.S. v. Juan Bravo-Fernandez, 790 F.3d 41 (1st Cir. 2015)… Read more
Esteban Martinez v. Illinois, USSC No. 13-5367 (May 27, 2014) (per curiam), reversing State v. Martinez, 990 N.E.2d 215 (Ill. 2013) In this unanimous per curiam decision, the Supreme Court reaffirms two clear rules of criminal procedure: jeopardy attaches when the jury is impaneled and sworn; and a trial court’s dismissal of the case due to insufficient… Read more
Evans v. Michigan, USSC No. 11-1327, 2/20/13 United States Supreme Court decision, reversing People v. Evans, 491 Mich. 1, 810 N.W.2d 535 (2012) A trial judge entered a directed verdict of acquittal in favor of Evans after concluding the state had not provided sufficient evidence of a particular element of the offense. A state appellate… Read more
State v. Trevor McKee, 2002 WI App 148, PFR filed 6/28/02 For McKee: Kenneth P. Casey, SPD, Jefferson Trial Issue/Holding: “(T)he prohibition against double jeopardy does not bar a prosecution for murder when the victim of an ‘assault and battery’ dies after a defendant has been convicted of the lesser offense. Diaz v. United States, 223 U.S. 442… Read more
State v. Prokopios G. Vassos, 218 Wis.2d 330, 579 N.W.2d 35 (1998), on certification For Vassos: Edmund C. Carns Holding: Successive prosecution for misdemeanor battery (§ 940.19(1)), following acquittal of felony battery (§ 940.19(3)) arising from same incident, wasn’t barred by double jeopardy. Successive prosecutions are barred under § 939.71 when the subsequent charge is the “same” offense under… Read more