Tag Archives: Emerging Issues in Criminal Law

“Actually, Eye Didn’t See a Thing!”: How Jury Instructions in New Jersey May Affect the Jury’s Ability to Effectively Weigh Eyewitness Identification Beatrice Campbell* One of the most essential pieces in identifying whether a crime has taken place is if someone witnessed that crime take place. It has long been held that eyewitness identification isContinue reading ““Actually, Eye Didn’t See a Thing!”: How Jury Instructions in New Jersey May Affect the Jury’s Ability to Effectively Weigh Eyewitness Identification”

Maryland’s Justice Reinvestment Act: What You Need to Know Brett Smoot* On May 19, 2016, Governor Larry Hogan signed the Justice Reinvestment Act (JRA) into law.  Proponents of the JRA believe that the Act represents a progressive and necessary step in reforming the state’s criminal justice system.  However, the JRA also represents the largest andContinue reading “MARYLAND’S JUSTICE REINVESTMENT ACT: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW”

The Holding That Career Offenders Should Be Waiting for: Beckles v. United States Stephen A. Ortiz* Defendants who are classified as career offenders and found guilty of a crime typically receive an enhanced sentence.  U.S. Sentencing Commission, Guidelines Manual, § 4B1.1 (Nov. 1, 2015), http://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/guidelines-manual/2015/GLMFull.pdf.  The United States Sentencing Guidelines (USSG) state: A defendant isContinue reading “THE HOLDING THAT CAREER OFFENDERS SHOULD BE WAITING FOR: BECKLES V. UNITED STATES”