Tag Archives: sentencing

Court of Appeal Recuses Orange County District Attorney’s Office in Murder Case

On November 23, 2016, the Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed the Superior Court’s Decision  recusing the entire District Attorneys Office in Orange County [OCDA] in the penalty phase of a case in which the defendant had previously pled guilty to eight counts of murder. The Superior Court concluded the OCDA had such a severe … Read More

California Death Penalty. Vote November 8th

There are two measures  that deal with the death penalty in California that are on the ballot in the forthcoming November 8th election. California has the largest number of inmates awaiting the death penalty of all the states. The last execution in California was about ten years ago when it was legally challenged because of … Read More

Appeals Court Upholds California Death Penalty

On November 12, 2015, the United States 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the constitutionality of the California Death Penalty and in so doing reversed the ruling by the US District Court that decided under the 8th Amendment it was unconstitutional as cruel and unusual punishment because of lengthy and unpredictable delays. The California Attorney … Read More

Senate Committee Approves Eliminating and Reducing Certain Criminal Sentences

On January 30, 2014, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would abolish mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenders who do not have a prior criminal history, as well as reducing by 50% mandatory minimum sentences for specified nonviolent drug offenses. The proposed law among other things eliminates mandatory minimum sentences if there is … Read More

What Evidence is Required to Establish Aiding and Abetting a Crime?

On November 12, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Rosemond v. United States, #12-895, on Petition for a Writ of Certiorari to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, heard oral arguments. The underlying case involved the issue of whether the jury instructions were adequate and the offense of aiding … Read More

Alleyne vs. the United States

On June 17, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of   ALLEYNE vs. UNITED STATES, Case # 11–9335, in a 5-4 opinion, overruled the 2002 Supreme Court case of Harris v. United States, 536 U. S. 545, and in doing so held any mandatory minimum sentence that increase the penalty for a crime must be … Read More

Man Sentenced 22 Years for Criminal Threats

  A man who was shot by police inside a Carmel Mountain movie theater after he confronted his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint at her workplace was sentenced Monday to 22 years and four months in state prison. Tom Billodeaux, 22, pleaded guilty in February to four charges, including assault with a firearm on a police officer … Read More

Prison for former USD player

  University of San Diego’s former basketball star, Brandon Johnson, was sentenced to 6 months in federal prison today. The 26-year-old admitted to his participation in a game-fixing scheme, which involved an illegal sport gambling operation and marijuana distribution. According to the report three other defendants, who are considered “primary defendants”, are awaiting sentencing. Johnson … Read More

Michelle Le’s Killer Sentenced – The judge said he never saw any signs of remorse (Sam Spital)

“NBC Channel 7 News reported on December 10, 2012 in its online news edition the imposition of 25 years to life in the sentencing hearing of a nursing student after a jury found her guilty of first degree murder in the killing of a former fellow high school student who prosecutors opined occurred as a … Read More

Articles: Delinquency

LOS ANGELES DAILY JOURNAL November 02, 2004 ROLE OF DELINQUENCY ATTORNEY WILL EXPAND By Blair Clarkson Daily Journal Staff Writer ——————————————- LOS ANGELES – The juvenile-delinquency court has been called everything from a revolving door to the unwanted stepchild of the justice system. Critics lament a sloppy system that strands minors in youth camps for … Read More