Federal Defenders of New York Second Circuit Blog

Circuit Vacates Grant of Habeas Based on Prosecution’s Use of Incriminating Statement Obtained during Un-Mirandized Pedigree Questioning of Defendant

Jose Rosa v. Frank McCray, Docket No. 04-2188 (2d Cir. Jan. 27, 2005) (Miner, Cabranes, and Straub) (Op. by Miner) (Dissent Op. by Straub) Facts: On September 5, 1997, the victim (“V”) was robbed at gunpoint by two men. V subsequently went to the police and described one of the robbers — the one carrying … Read more

Creating Perverse Incentives for Lackluster Advocacy in the New York Court of Appeals? The Second Circuit’s Exhaustion Jurisprudence, Cont’d.

(By guest blogger Darrell Fields, Associate Counsel, Appeals Bureau of the Federal Defender Division): In Galdamez v. Keane, No. 03-2595, 2005 WL 15136 (2d Cir. Jan. 4, 2005) (Op. by Sotomayor), the Second Circuit held that a New York prisoner seeking habeas corpus relief (28 U.S.C. § 2254) had exhausted all of the claims he … Read more

Dismissal of § 2254 Petitioner’s First Habeas Petition by Reason of Tardiness Renders Future Petitions “Second or Successive” under § 2244(b)

Murray v. Greiner and Arce v. Fischer, Nos. 01-3833, 02-3574 (2d Cir. Jan. 5, 2005) (Leval & Cabranes, and Garaufis, D.J.) (Op. by Leval) : This decision simply extends Villanueva v. United States, 346 F.3d 55 (2d Cir. 2003), holding that dismissal of a § 2255 petition on grounds of untimliness under § 2244(d) (establishing … Read more

Second Circuit Finally Puts an End to Judge Kram’s Practice of Conducting Pleas and Sentencings in Her Robing Room

United States v. Carlos Goiry and Luz Marina Munoz, Nos. 02-1010, 03-1061 (2d Cir. Jan. 24, 2005) (No. 02-1010: Walker, Cardamone, and Straub) (No. 03-1061: Winter, Straub, and Lay) (Opinion by Straub). FACTS: In two cases consolidated on appeal, the defendants-appellants both entered guilty pleas and were sentenced by Judge Shirley Kram of the Southern … Read more

Sentence Reversed

US v. PABON-CRUZ, Case No. 03-1457 (12/03/04). Defendant’s conviction for receiving or distributing child pornography is affirmed, however, his sentence is vacated where the district court has discretion to sentence defendant to either a fine or a term of imprisonment of not less than ten years or both, a ruling which was not clear at … Read more