Verdict . News

•Former LVMPD officer Solomon Coleman sued his department and seven officials claiming constitutional violations during an internal investigation

9th Circuit Upholds Summary Judgment Against Ex-Vegas Officer's Civil Rights Suit

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court's summary judgment ruling against former Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officer Solomon Coleman, who sued his department and seven officials claiming constitutional violations during an internal investigation that led to his arrest and prosecution for sex-related crimes.

•Coleman was acquitted on most criminal charges and had his remaining conviction overturned by the Nevada Supreme Court

•Ninth Circuit reversed summary judgment dismissing excessive force claim against Phoenix police officer

9th Circuit Reverses Police Excessive Force Ruling in 2020 Phoenix Curfew Case

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court's summary judgment dismissal of an excessive force claim against a Phoenix police officer who shot David Saccoccio with less-lethal rounds during civil unrest enforcement in May 2020.

•Officer Eric Gomez shot David Saccoccio with less-lethal rounds during May 2020 civil unrest curfew enforcement

•Mother and daughter from El Salvador represented themselves in federal immigration appeal

9th Circuit Denies El Salvador Family's Asylum Appeal

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reviewed a petition from Reina Madelin Torres-Contreras and her minor daughter, both El Salvador citizens, challenging the Board of Immigration Appeals' dismissal of their asylum case. The family had previously been denied asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture by an Immigration Judge.

•Case involved denial of asylum, withholding of removal, and Convention Against Torture protection

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

Fourth Circuit Denies Dominion Coal's Black Lung Benefits Challenge

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit denied Dominion Coal Corporation's petition challenging a black lung benefits award to coal miner Darrell G. Meade. The unanimous three-judge panel upheld the Benefits Review Board's decision granting compensation under federal workers' compensation programs.

•Fourth Circuit unanimously denied Dominion Coal Corporation's petition challenging black lung benefits award

•Court upheld Benefits Review Board decision granting compensation to coal miner Darrell G. Meade

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

4th Circuit Affirms Enhanced Gun Sentence for Repeat Felon

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the conviction and enhanced sentence of Elias Phillip Francis, who pleaded guilty to federal firearm possession charges. The court upheld the district court's determination that Francis qualified for enhanced sentencing under the Armed Career Criminal Act due to his three prior violent felony convictions.

•Francis pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)

•District court found Francis had three prior violent felony convictions qualifying him for Armed Career Criminal Act enhancement

•Ninth Circuit partly reversed district court's summary judgment on grandmother's excessive force claims against SWAT officers

9th Circuit Reviews SWAT Team Excessive Force Claims by Grandmother

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is reviewing a case where grandmother Norma Eisenmann sued police officers after a SWAT team allegedly used excessive force while apprehending a fugitive from her vehicle. The federal appeals court issued a memorandum decision affirming some claims while reversing others.

•Original case involved allegations SWAT team used overzealous tactics while apprehending fugitive from grandmother's vehicle

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

6th Circuit Upholds 50-Year Prison Term for Child Exploitation

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a maximum 50-year prison sentence for Eric Kelsey Shepherd, who pleaded guilty to enticing a minor to participate in sexually explicit visual depictions. The federal appellate court rejected Shepherd's challenge to his sentencing guidelines calculations and his request for concurrent sentencing with anticipated state charges.

•Eric Shepherd received the statutory maximum 50-year sentence for enticing a minor to participate in sexually explicit visual depictions

•The Sixth Circuit rejected his appeal challenging sentencing guidelines calculations and concurrent sentencing requests

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

Sixth Circuit Rules in Boyd v. Northern Biomedical Research Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued a decision in Robert B. Boyd v. Northern Biomedical Research, Inc., resolving an employment-related dispute between an individual plaintiff and a Michigan biomedical research corporation and its executives.

•Sixth Circuit affirmed lower court ruling in favor of Northern Biomedical Research, Inc. and individual defendants

•Case involves employment dispute between Robert Boyd and Michigan biomedical research company

Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals

7th Circuit Affirms Prison Officials' Win in Inmate Conditions Case

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment for prison officials at East Moline Correctional Center in a case where inmate Jaryan Gills alleged Eighth Amendment violations. Gills claimed he was forced to live without basic sanitation facilities and denied bathroom access after being assaulted by another inmate.

•Seventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for prison officials in Eighth Amendment case

•Inmate alleged he was forced to live without sink or toilet after assault by another prisoner