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Cryptocurrency exchange Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao speaks at a Binance fifth anniversary event in Paris, France, July 8, 2022. Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani agrees, adding that Zhao's personal wealth won't be affected by his sentence. That's a different siutation from Sam Bankman-Fried, the controversial ex-CEO and founder of crypto exchange FTX. Bankman-Fried received a 25-year prison term for crimes connected to the operation of his crypto exchange. "Negative long-term impact on Binance will diminish the value of CZ's investment in the crypto exchange," said Yadav.

Persons: Changpeng Zhao, Reuters Changpeng Zhao, Zhao, Gabriel Abed, Richard Jones, Tre Lovell, Neama Rahmani, David Ryder, Binance, Braden Perry, Sam Bankman, Joshua de Vos, de Vos, Fried, Yesha Yadav, That's, Forbes, he's, Lucas Kiely, Kiely —, —, Yadav, it's Organizations: Staff, Reuters, CNBC, U.S, U.S . Department of Justice, District, Toyota, Bloomberg, Getty, Bank, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Vanderbilt University, Department, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC Locations: Paris, France, Seattle, Zhao, Binance, Los Angeles, Seattle , Washington, Dubai, U.S, bitcoin, Iran

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried faces sentencing this week. Here’s what to expect
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Sentencing is a much more fluid process, with both sides allowed to make sweeping arguments to try to make their case to the judge. But instead, his life in recent years has been one of unmatched greed and hubris; of ambition and rationalization; and courting risk and gambling repeatedly with other people’s money,” prosecutors wrote in a memo. In a letter to the court, Marc Mukasey, the lawyer Bankman-Fried retained for sentencing, called the government’s memo “disturbing” and accused the government of trying to “break” Bankman-Fried. His behavior may come back to haunt Bankman-Fried in sentencing, Fischer said. But legal experts say that even if 100% of FTX customers get their money back, it’s not necessarily going to sway the judge to go easy on Bankman-Fried.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Judge Lewis Kaplan, ”, Kaplan, Howard Fischer, Moses Singer, Prosecutors, Fried, Marc Mukasey, Bankman, ” Mukasey, “, Sam, ’, Caroline Ellison, Fischer, ” Ellison, Bernie Madoff, it’s, ’ ”, John Ray, ” Ray Organizations: New, New York CNN, Southern, of, Prosecutors, Bankman, MIT, Detention, ” Prosecutors, Alameda Research Locations: New York, Manhattan, of New York, Palo Alto , California, Brooklyn, Bankman, FTX, Alameda

☆ Texas man eavesdropping on wife’s phone calls faces criminal charges — and divorce — after $1.76 million insider trading plot
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —A Texas man is facing insider trading charges and jail time after he used information gleaned from eavesdropping on his wife’s work-from-home calls, netting him $1.76 million from an upcoming oil industry acquisition. Loudon purchased 46,450 shares of TravelCenters stock after learning of the impending merger, according to an SEC filing. When the share price popped 71% following the announcement, he sold all of his shares, raking in more than $1.76 million. The SEC’s complaint, filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas, charges Loudon with violating the antifraud components of federal securities laws. She reported the trading to her supervisor and was later terminated from the company, according to the filing.

Persons: New York CNN —, Tyler Loudon, “, Loudon, ”, Eric Werner, “ Mr, Peter Zeidenberg, Roth Organizations: New, New York CNN, The Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Fort, Court, Southern, Southern District of, US, Office, CNN Locations: New York, Texas, Houston, Fort Worth, Southern District, Southern District of Texas

(AP) — A Montana appliance store owner and supporter of former President Donald Trump was convicted Wednesday for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol that interrupted certifying the 2020 Electoral College vote. Henry Phillip Muntzer of Dillon was arrested based on social media posts and videos taken inside the Capitol, according to court records. Muntzer, 55, was found guilty of obstructing an official proceeding and civil disorder, both felonies, following a bench trial before U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb. Muntzer was also found guilty of four misdemeanor charges. In Dillon, Muntzer is known for a pro-QAnon mural on the building that houses his appliance store, according to the Dillon Tribune.

Persons: HELENA, Donald Trump, Henry Phillip Muntzer, Dillon, Jia M, Cobb, Muntzer Organizations: U.S . Capitol, Attorney's, U.S, Prosecutors, Capitol, Electoral, House, Dillon Tribune Locations: Mont, Montana, U.S, Washington

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee jury has convicted six anti-abortion protesters of violating federal laws after they blocked the entrance of a reproductive clinic outside Nashville nearly three years ago. Before Roe was overturned, the Justice Department oversaw just a handful of FACE Act violation cases. Advocates like the National Abortion Federation say the uptick in cases reflects the rise in harassment and violence abortion clinics have faced since state abortion bans have been allowed to go into effect. Some have called on the Justice Department to apply the 1994 federal law more equitably and use it to investigate those who target crisis pregnancy centers. President Bill Clinton signed the FACE Act into law in 1994 following a string of high-profile attacks against abortion clinics, which included Dr. David Gunn being shot and killed outside an abortion clinic in Pensacola, Florida in 1993 — marking the first abortion provider killed in the U.S.

Persons: Roe, Wade, Chester Gallagher, Paul Vaughn, Heather Idoni, Calvin Zastrow, Coleman Boyd, Dennis Green, ”, Henry C, “, —, Steve Crampton, Bill Clinton, David Gunn Organizations: —, ”, U.S, Supreme, Prosecutors, Thomas More Society, Justice Department, National Abortion Federation, Republican, Catholic Locations: Tenn, Tennessee, Nashville, Mount Juliet , Tennessee, Pensacola , Florida, U.S

EL CAJON, Calif. (AP) — Star Memphis basketball recruit Mikey Williams pleaded guilty to one felony charge in a gun case on Thursday, and one of his attorneys said he does not expect the 19-year-old to face jail time. In a deal with prosecutors, Williams pleaded guilty to one felony count of making a criminal threat and to a special allegation of using a firearm during the threat, attorney Randy M. Grossman said. Although a judge would have the discretion to sentence Williams to a year in jail, “no custody is contemplated,” the attorney said. “Nobody was injured in this case, nobody testified that anybody saw Mikey actually fire the gun and he didn’t admit he was the one who fired the gun,” Grossman said. “He admitted responsibility and pleaded guilty.

Persons: Mikey Williams, Williams, Randy M, Grossman, “, I'm, didn't, Penny Hardaway, Laird Veatch, Melissa Garbayo, Sherry M, Thompson, Taylor, George Modlin, Tesla, Troy Owens, Mikey, “ Nobody, ” Grossman Organizations: CAJON, — Star Memphis, Superior Court, San, Memphis, Puma, District Locations: Calif, San Diego, San Ysidro, Memphis, Jamul, San Diego County

Zhao Changpeng, founder and chief executive officer of Binance greets the audience during an event in Athens, Greece, November 25, 2022. "Today, I stepped down as CEO of Binance," Zhao tweeted. Binance became the world's biggest crypto exchange within six months. As Binance hired more widely from traditional financial and regulatory worlds, Zhao's tight control over his company was undiminished. Richard Teng, a senior Binance executive who joined in 2021, is the new CEO, Zhao posted on social media on Tuesday.

Persons: Zhao Changpeng, Binance, Costas Baltas, Changpeng Zhao, Zhao, Prosecutors, Tuesday's, General Merrick Garland, Yi, Richard Teng, Teng, Tom Wilson, Lisa Shumaker, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Justice Department, Binance, New York Times, U.S, Reuters, Futures Trading Commission, Thomson Locations: Athens, Greece, Binance, Binance ., Shanghai, China, Canada, Tokyo, New York, London

☆ Alex Murdaugh pleads guilty to state financial charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Dianne Gallagher | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Murdaugh was facing dozens of state charges in alleged schemes to defraud victims of millions. Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters said the deal would bring “finality to the matter” and ensure Murdaugh would “stay in state prison for a very long time.” The agreement, if approved, would see Murdaugh spend a total of 27 years in a South Carolina state prison, according to Waters. “Alex Murdaugh’s guilty plea will finally allow his financial victims to begin the process of healing,” Eric “EB” Bland and Ronnie Richter, attorneys for some of the victims, said in a statement. It also only covers the state financial charges and does not address any of the remaining county charges Murdaugh faces. Judge Newman sentenced Murdaugh to two consecutive life sentences in a South Carolina state prison, which Murdaugh is currently serving.

Persons: CNN —, Alex Murdaugh, Creighton Waters, Waters, Murdaugh, Clifton Newman, “, ” “, ” Murdaugh, ”, ” Newman, Newman, “ Alex Murdaugh’s, Eric “ EB, Bland, Ronnie Richter, Judge Newman, Alan Wilson, ” Wilson, Maggie, Paul, Becky Hill Organizations: CNN, Carolina Constitution, South Carolina, Murdaugh Locations: South Carolina, Beaufort County, Murdaugh, Waters, Carolina, Colleton

☆ Former top Baltimore prosecutor convicted of federal perjury charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Nov 9 (Reuters) - Baltimore's former top prosecutor Marilyn Mosby was found guilty of perjury on Thursday for falsely claiming financial duress to withdraw funds from a retirement plan. A U.S. District Court jury in Greenbelt, Maryland, convicted Mosby, 42, on both federal perjury counts she faced after hours of deliberation. Mosby, a Democrat, lost her bid for a third term after she was indicted on federal charges in January 2022. Mosby's defense team argued in court that she did not lie in stating financial hardship because her private travel business took a hit during the pandemic. None of the six officers charged in his death was convicted.

Persons: Marilyn Mosby, Mosby, Freddie Gray, Prosecutors, Gray, Steve Gorman, Michael Perry Organizations: Maryland, Baltimore, Democrat, Maryland U.S, Attorney's, Prosecutors, Internal Revenue Service, Thomson Locations: U.S, Greenbelt , Maryland, Maryland, COVID, Florida, Los Angeles

The question is how to determine eligibility for the safety valve — whether any of the conditions is enough to disqualify someone or whether it takes all three to be ineligible. Lawyers for Mark Pulsifer, the inmate whose challenge the court will hear, say all three conditions must apply before the longer sentence can be imposed. Circuit Court of Appeals to make him eligible for a mandatory sentence of at least 15 years. Courts in Atlanta, Richmond, Virginia and San Francisco have ruled to broaden eligibility for the safety valve reductions. The safety valve has been attractive both to prosecutors and defendants because it helps obtain convictions faster and allows for more nuanced prison terms, Berman said.

Persons: —, Douglas Berman, Mark Pulsifer, Pulsifer, Nonami Palomares, Eric Lopez, James Lorenz, ” Berman, Ketanji Brown, Berman Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S . Sentencing, Ohio State, Circuit, of, U.S ., District, American Civil Liberties Union, . Sentencing Locations: Louis, Chicago, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Atlanta , Richmond , Virginia, San Francisco, Texas, U.S, San Diego, Pulsifer v

The indictment comes weeks after the collapse of a plea deal that would have averted a criminal trial and distracting headlines for President Joe Biden. Trump's include federal indictments over the handling of classified documents and efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. Trump also pointed to the lack of connection to Joe Biden in the gun charge plea agreement. Federal prosecutors investigating Hunter Biden have not indicated Joe Biden is connected over the course of their yearslong probe. Two FBI agents who worked on the Hunter Biden case testified separately behind closed doors this week to lawmakers about allegations of political interference in the case.

Persons: — Hunter Biden, Biden, Joe Biden, doesn't, Hunter, He's, Donald Trump’s, Hunter Biden, James Comer, Trump, David Weiss, ”, Weiss, Abbe Lowell, “, Republicans ’, Lowell, Hunter Biden's, Christopher Clark, Adam Winkler, Thomas Sobocinski, Farnoush Amiri Organizations: WASHINGTON, Democratic, Republicans, ”, Republican, Delaware U.S, Prosecutors, ., University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, Supreme, Circuit, Congressional Republicans, FBI, Baltimore Field Office, Justice Department, Associated Press Locations: Delaware, Washington, California, Wilmington , Delaware

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Prosecutors have asked a federal judge to revoke the bond for the mother of a Virginia boy who shot and wounded his first-grade teacher after she allegedly failed multiple drug tests while awaiting sentencing on two felony charges. The boy was 6 when he pulled out his mother's gun in January and fired one shot at Zwerner in a classroom full of students. Taylor was released on bond pending sentencing on the condition that she refrain from unlawful drug use and possession. James Ellenson, one of Taylor's lawyers, told The Virginian-Pilot that he will ask U.S. District Judge Mark Davis not to revoke her bond. As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to ask for a sentence of 18 months to 24 months in prison.

Persons: Deja Taylor, Abigail Zwerner, Zwerner, Taylor, Lisa McKeel, Peter Osyf, James Ellenson, Mark Davis, ” Ellenson, Ellenson Organizations: — Prosecutors, Elementary School, Virginian, U.S, District, Associated Press, Prosecutors, Newport News Locations: RICHMOND, Va, Virginia, Newport News, U.S, States, Newport, Coast

☆ Judge sentences ex-Proud Boys leaders to 17 and 15-year terms for US Capitol attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Sarah N. Lynch | Thomson Reuters | Sarah N. Lynch Is The Lead Reporter For Reuters Covering The U.S. Justice Department Out Of Washington | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

In one of the debates during his 2020 presidential campaign, Trump famously told the Proud Boys to "stand back and stand by" when he was asked by the moderator to denounce white supremacists. [1/2]A mob of supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump storm the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021. They are requesting a 20-year term for Pezzola, who was acquitted of seditious conspiracy, but convicted of other serious felonies. The sentences he imposed, while far lower than what the government requested, still represent among the most stringent to date in connection with the Capitol attack. It is one of four indictments now facing Trump, as the 2024 campaign is about to kick into high gear.

Persons: Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, Donald Trump's, Timothy Kelly, Biggs, Rehl, Kelly, Jan, ”, “ I’m, ” Rehl, “, Joe Biden's, Trump, Jason McCullough, ” Trump, Biden, Donald Trump, Leah Millis, Ethan Nordean, Dominic Pezzola, Enrique Tarrio, Rehls, Stewart Rhodes, Jack Smith, Stormy Daniels, Sarah N, Lynch, Scott Malone, Mark Porter, Grant McCool Organizations: Boys, U.S, Capitol, Prosecutors, Democratic, Republican, REUTERS, Trump, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Georgia, Florida, New York

☆ Judge sentences ex-Proud Boys leader Biggs to 17 years over US Capitol attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Sarah N. Lynch | Thomson Reuters | Sarah N. Lynch Is The Lead Reporter For Reuters Covering The U.S. Justice Department Out Of Washington | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] A mob of supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump storm the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021. Ahead of his sentencing, Biggs apologized for his actions as he faced Kelly, choking up as he spoke about his daughter whom he said was a sexual assault victim who needs him. Together, Biggs and Rehl will become the first Proud Boys convicted of seditious conspiracy to be sentenced for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack. Norm Pattis, an attorney for both Biggs and Rehl, asked Kelly to sentence his clients to a term that is below U.S. sentencing guidelines. In May, a jury convicted Biggs, Rehl, Tarrio and Nordean of seditious conspiracy, a Civil War-era law that makes it a crime to conspire to oppose the government by force, and other felonies.

Persons: Donald Trump, Leah Millis, Joseph Biggs, Donald Trump's, Timothy Kelly, Kelly, Jan, Biggs, “, ”, “ I’m, Zachary Rehl, Rehl, Stewart Rhodes, Jason McCullough, Enrique Tarrio, Ethan Nordean, Joe Biden's, Trump, Biden, Jack Smith, Norm Pattis, Pattis, Dominic Pezzola, Pezzola, Sarah N, Lynch, Scott Malone, Mark Porter Organizations: U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, Democratic, Republican, Prosecutors, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S

☆ Former Proud Boys leaders could face longest sentences yet for US Capitol attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Sarah N. Lynch | Thomson Reuters | Sarah N. Lynch Is The Lead Reporter For Reuters Covering The U.S. Justice Department Out Of Washington | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Proud Boys member Joe Biggs speaks during a rally in Portland, Oregon, September 26, 2020, before he was later arrested for his involvement in the storming of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington. Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to sentence Joseph Biggs to 33 years in prison and they are seeking a 30-year sentence for co-defendant Zachary Rehl. They are due to become the first Proud Boys convicted of seditious conspiracy to be sentenced for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack. Former Proud Boys Chair Enrique Tarrio and another former leader, Ethan Nordean, were scheduled for sentencing on Wednesday but their hearings were postponed after the judge called out sick. Rehl, meanwhile, "spent his time as president of the Philadelphia Proud Boys trying to present a legitimate-looking front while behind the scenes amassing an army that was ready and willing to fight," they added.

Persons: Joe Biggs, Jim Urquhart, Donald Trump's, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, Stewart Rhodes, Enrique Tarrio, Ethan Nordean, Joe Biden's, Trump, Biden, Timothy Kelly, Biggs, Rehl, Jack Smith, Norm Pattis, Kelly, Dominic Pezzola, Pezzola, Sarah N, Lynch, Scott Malone, Mark Porter Organizations: U.S . Capitol, Washington . D.C, REUTERS, Rights, Boys, Democratic, Republican, U.S, Philadelphia Proud, Capitol, Prosecutors, Thomson Locations: Portland , Oregon, Washington ., U.S, American

Listening to the men in the short Opinion Video above is like encountering visitors from another planet. They are serving life sentences at Angola prison, in rural Louisiana, with little to no hope for release. The men are among the thousands in Louisiana — and more than 50,000 nationwide — locked up for life without parole. The point is not to diminish the severity of the crimes that put these men behind bars. But, ask yourself as you watch the video, how long is long enough?

Organizations: . Sentencing Locations: Angola, Louisiana, Louisiana —, Maryland, South Carolina, New Mexico

☆ US Supreme Court sidesteps 'acquitted conduct' cases for now
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( John Kruzel | Industry Insight | Corporate Attorneys Don T Want To Pay Law Firms For Chatgpt When They Could Use It Themselves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The justices turned away appeals in cases that would have given them an opportunity to prohibit the consideration of "acquitted conduct" in sentencing decisions in criminal cases. Sentencing Commission, a bipartisan panel responsible for crafting U.S. criminal sentencing policy, before addressing the issue. The commission in January proposed amending federal sentencing guidelines to prohibit judges from considering a defendant's acquitted conduct with only narrow exceptions. Numerous criminal defendants have asked the justices to revisit a 1997 Supreme Court ruling that said a jury's verdict of acquittal does not prevent a sentencing judge from considering conduct underlying an acquitted charge. Some current and former Supreme Court justices have questioned whether judges should be permitted to extend a defendant's prison sentence based on acquitted conduct.

Persons: Sonia Sotomayor, Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, John Kruzel, Nate Raymond, Will Dunham Organizations: U.S, Supreme, U.S . Sentencing, U.S . Justice Department, Liberal, Constitution's, National Association of Criminal Defense, Thomson Locations: Boston

☆ US criminal justice alliance seeks to erase 'trial penalty'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Sarah N. Lynch | Thomson Reuters | Sarah N. Lynch Is The Lead Reporter For Reuters Covering The U.S. Justice Department Out Of Washington | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The effort is complicated by the U.S. criminal justice system's diffuse nature, with local, state and federal courts. Defendants who plead guilty typically get credit for accepting responsibility for their crimes and spend less time in prison. Criminal justice advocates point to a downside. Defendants who plead guilty are not given access to all evidence against them and their appeal rights are limited. The National Registry of Exonerations, which collects information about exonerations of innocent criminal defendants, has tracked 3,300 exonerations since 1989.

CNN —A Minnesota judge found former Minneapolis police officer Tou Thao guilty of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter for his role in the May 2020 killing of George Floyd, according to court documents filed Monday. “Like the bystanders, Thao could see Floyd’s life slowly ebbing away as the restraint continued,” Cahill wrote in the verdict. Tou Thao Hennepin County Sheriff's Office“The conviction of Tou Thao is historic and the right outcome,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, the lead prosecutor of Floyd’s murder, said in a statement. Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in state court and was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison in June 2021. Lane, Kueng and Thao were found guilty in federal court of violating Floyd’s civil rights and of failing to intervene to stop Chauvin during the restraint.

Sentencing Commission approved new guidelines on Wednesday that will expand federal inmates' ability to qualify for compassionate release from prison. The First Step Act, signed into law by former President Donald Trump in 2018, expanded compassionate release criteria for sick and elderly federal inmates. Requests for compassionate release then surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 7,014 motions filed in fiscal year 2020. The new compassionate release guidelines approved on Wednesday expanded the criteria for what can qualify as "extraordinary and compelling reasons" to grant compassionate release, and it will give judges more discretion to determine when a sentence reduction is warranted. Among the new categories that could make an inmate eligible for compassionate release is if he or she becomes the victim of sexual assault by a corrections officer.

Sentencing Commission is obliged to increase sentences for those defendants under a provision of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the major gun safety measure that President Joe Biden signed into law in June. The commission, which has seven voting members, in January proposed two options to increase penalties, by either allowing judges to enhance sentences for straw purchasers or amending the federal sentencing guidelines to increase the starting, or base, range for sentences. "A knee jerk response to the directive in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will not make us safer," she said in a testimony at the hearing, arguing policy makers should collect data first before adopting any measure. The panel faces a May 1 deadline to submit any amendments to the guidelines to Congress. Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Aurora EllisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Glencore sentenced to pay $700 million in US after bribery guilty plea
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Glencore PLC FollowNEW YORK, Feb 28 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Tuesday ordered Glencore Plc (GLEN.L) to pay $700 million in connection with its guilty plea over a decade-long scheme to bribe foreign officials across several countries. Prosecutors have said Glencore paid more than $100 million in bribes to officials in countries including Nigeria, Brazil, Venezuela and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to win business or avoid audits. Overall, the Swiss-based multinational has said it expects to pay more than $1.5 billion to settle bribery and market manipulation accusations, including more than $1 billion in the United States. Last year, Glencore was ordered to pay $341 million in fines and $144 million in forfeiture after pleading guilty to a market manipulation charge in Connecticut federal court. Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York Editing by Marguerita ChoyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Sentencing Commission to Offer Guidance on New Laws After Yearslong Hiatus
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Mariah Timms | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Sentencing Commission, back in action after more than three years without enough voting members, is advancing a broad set of proposals to make federal criminal sentencing more consistent. The commission sets guidelines and practices for the federal courts, instructing judges on the specifics of how to apply broadly worded laws written by Congress. Among its biggest projects now is providing guidance on the 2018 First Step Act, a bipartisan criminal justice overhaul that walked back some of the harsh sentencing policies of the 1980s and 1990s.

Sentencing Commission unanimously voted to publish for public comment a proposed amendment to federal sentencing guidelines relied upon by judges nationally that would limit them from considering a defendant's "acquitted conduct." The vote came a day before U.S. Supreme Court justices were scheduled to meet privately to consider hearing, among other cases, four different appeals by criminal defendants urging them to end to this common judicial practice. The U.S. Supreme Court in 1997 held that a jury's verdict of acquittal does not prevent a judge at sentencing from considering conduct underlying the acquitted charge. Some U.S. lawmakers and defense lawyers have criticized the practice as unfair and a potential violation of defendants' civil rights. Some members of the judiciary including current Supreme Court justices have questioned it.

☆ QAnon Adherent Is Sentenced to Five Years in Jan. 6 Riot
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Jan Wolfe | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—A judge imposed a five-year prison sentence on an Iowa man who led a mob that chased a police officer near the Senate chamber during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. “You played a leading role in egging that mob forward,” U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly told the defendant, Douglas Jensen, during a Washington, D.C. sentencing hearing Friday .

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