Johnnie Mertice Wesley v. Randall Hepp, No. 22-2968, 1/5/24 Wesley’s challenges to law enforcement conduct which resulted in him giving inculpatory statements fail, as the Seventh Circuit concludes that the Wisconsin Court of Appeals reasonably applied SCOTUS precedent. (See our post on the previous state court litigation here). Wesley was brought in for questioning related… Read more
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Seventh Circuit holds that Wisconsin Court of Appeals did not unreasonably apply harmless error test
Deshawn Harold Jewell v. Gary Boughton, No. 22-3082, 1/22/24 Despite an obvious constitutional violation, Jewell is still precluded from obtaining a new trial given that Wisconsin courts did not unreasonably find the error harmless. (See our post on the previous state court litigation here). During Jewell’s trial, the jury sent a factual question to the… Read more
January brought a few criminal (or criminal adjacent) cases our readers might find interesting: United States of America v. Byron Pierson, No. 21-3248: Pierson appeals two discretionary rulings of the district court. His first issue has to do with a proffer agreement. Here, Pierson initially agreed to plead guilty to possession of a firearm by… Read more
State v. Jacob Karl Schindler, 2023AP755, 1/25/24, District 4 (one-judge decision, ineligible for publication); case activity Schindler appeals from an order revoking his operating privileges after he refused to submit to chemical testing of his blood pursuant to Wisconsin’s implied consent law. The court of appeals affirms after concluding that the arresting deputy had probable… Read more
State v. Kasey Ann Gomolla, 2022AP199-CR, 2/6/24, District 3 (recommended for publication); case activity Even if the court of appeals had not recommended this decision for publication, Gomolla’s case seems destined for further review. While the facts here are somewhat distinguishable from State v. Cross, 2010 WI 70, 326 Wis. 2d 492, 786 N.W.2d 64… Read more
State v. M.D.B., Jr., 2023AP620, 2/6/24, District I (1-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity The State’s efforts to revive this delinquency case on appeal fail, as they are unable to persuade COA that the circuit court erroneously exercised its discretion in dismissing the petition with prejudice for failure to comply with a statutory deadline… Read more
State v. Joshua L. Thering, 2023AP1253, 1/23/24, District 4 (1-judge decision, not eligible for publication); case activity (including briefs) While the court of appeals agrees the facts in Thering’s case are “similar in significant respects” to the SCOW-approved police encounter in County of Grant v. Vogt, 2014 WI 76, 356 Wis. 2d 343, 850 N.W.2d… Read more
State v. Troy Allen Shaw, 2023AP697, 1/24/24, District II (1-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity (including briefs) Shaw’s challenge to improper closing argument persuades COA that the prosecutor erred, but fails to overcome the imposing tests for plain and harmless error. Shaw appeals his conviction for criminal trespass to a dwelling. (¶1). In a… Read more
