Smith's Criminal Case Compendium

Smith's Criminal Case Compendium

Table of Contents

Smith's Criminal Case Compendium

About

This compendium includes significant criminal cases by the U.S. Supreme Court & N.C. appellate courts, Nov. 2008 – Present. Selected 4th Circuit cases also are included.

Jessica Smith prepared case summaries Nov. 2008-June 4, 2019; later summaries are prepared by other School staff.

Instructions

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State v. Sims, 297PA18, ___ N.C. ___ 2025-03-21
Criminal Procedure > Appellate Issues > Failure to Raise Issue/Object at Trial & Related Issues
Criminal Procedure > Jury Selection
Criminal Procedure > Sentencing > Eighth Amendment Issues
Criminal Procedure > Sentencing > Life Without Possibility of Parole
Post-Conviction Proceedings > Motions for Appropriate Relief > Claims That Can Be Raised > Newly Discovered Evidence
Post-Conviction Proceedings > Motions for Appropriate Relief > Claims That Can Be Raised > Unconstitutional Conviction or Sentence

In this Onslow County case, the Supreme Court affirmed the Court of Appeals decision finding no error in defendant’s sentence of life without parole for first-degree murder. Defendant’s co-defendant for this murder also appealed, and the Supreme Court considered that appeal in...
State v. Bell, 86A02-2, ___ N.C. ___ 2025-03-21
Capital Law > Jury Selection
Criminal Procedure > Appellate Issues > Failure to Raise Issue/Object at Trial & Related Issues
Criminal Procedure > Jury Selection
Post-Conviction Proceedings > Motions for Appropriate Relief > Claims That Can Be Raised > Newly Discovered Evidence
Post-Conviction Proceedings > Motions for Appropriate Relief > Claims That Can Be Raised > Unconstitutional Conviction or Sentence

In this Onslow County case, the Supreme Court granted certiorari to review defendant’s post-conviction motion for appropriate relief (MAR), and an amendment to the MAR, after receiving a sentence of death for first-degree murder. The Court affirmed the superior court’s judgment denying defendant...
State v. Rhodes, 366 N.C. 532 2013-06-13
Post-Conviction Proceedings > Motions for Appropriate Relief > Claims That Can Be Raised > Newly Discovered Evidence

Reversing the court of appeals, the court held that information supporting the defendant’s motion for appropriate relief (MAR) was not newly discovered evidence. After the defendant was convicted of drug possession offenses, his father told a probation officer that the contraband belonged to him...
State v. Burnett, COA23-246, ___ N.C. App. ___ 2023-12-19
Evidence > Opinions > Expert Opinions > Ballistics
Post-Conviction Proceedings > Motions for Appropriate Relief > Claims That Can Be Raised > Newly Discovered Evidence

In this New Hanover County case, defendant appealed his conviction for first-degree murder, arguing error in (1) denying his motion to dismiss for lack of evidence he was the perpetrator; (2) overruling his objection that the trial court did not make necessary findings on reliability for expert...
State v. Peterson, 228 N.C. App. 339 2013-07-16
Post-Conviction Proceedings > Motions for Appropriate Relief > Claims That Can Be Raised > Newly Discovered Evidence

In this murder case, the trial court properly granted the defendant a new trial on the basis of newly discovered evidence. At trial one of the State’s most important expert witnesses was SBI Agent Duane Deaver, who testified as an expert in bloodstain pattern analysis. Deaver testified that the...
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