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25 May

Reform on Hold?

By Justin Brown Bureau of Prisons, Federal Criminal Defense, Federal Sentencing, Maryland Criminal Defense, Post Conviction & 2255No Comments 0

In the past two years we have heard that Congress is on the brink of passing legislation that would reform our criminal justice system — by shifting away from the practice of warehousing drug offenders in prison, and moving in the direction of rehabilitation. This was one thing, it was reported, upon which Republicans and Democrats could agree. Well, here in the last year of the Obama Administration, that appears to be nothing more than

01 Mar

Syed Files Post-Hearing Motion to Supplement Record

By Justin Brown Maryland Criminal Defense, Post Conviction & 2255, Syed, Uncategorized1 Comment 0

Petitioner Adnan Syed filed a post-hearing Motion today to supplement the post-conviction record with two letters that were sent to the Court. One letter was sent by the State; the other was sent by University of Maryland Law School professor Michael Millemann. Here is the filing, with letters attached, by link: FILING and embedded:

23 Feb

Firm Wins Important Coram Nobis

By Justin Brown Coram Nobis, Maryland Criminal Defense, Post Conviction & 2255No Comments 0

Brown & Nieto won an important coram nobis proceeding this month that could take a decade off a client’s sentence in federal court. Leonard Shelley was facing a mandatory 15-year federal sentence as an “Armed Career Criminal.” This was in large part based on his prior convictions in state court – essentially a three-strikes sentencing enhancement that applies to certain federal offenders. He hired Brown & Nieto to attack one of the prior state convictions

13 Feb

Sitting With Adnan

By Justin Brown Bureau of Prisons, Maryland Criminal Defense, Post Conviction & 2255, Syed46 Comments 17

I recently spent the better part of five days sitting next to Adnan Syed. I had known him for about seven years, but this was the most time we had ever spent together. He was shackled in a four-point restraint so he could barely move. It must have been very uncomfortable. If it had been me, my legs and back would have cramped. Adnan insisted he was fine, and in the course of five days

10 Feb

Adnan Syed Press Conference

By Justin Brown SyedNo Comments 2

21 Jan

Justin Brown named “50 Most Influential Marylander”

By Justin Brown UncategorizedNo Comments 0

C. Justin Brown was named as one of the the 50 most influential Marylanders for 2016. The winners were selected by the Maryland Daily Record editorial board. In the past year Mr. Brown has litigated some the state’s most important criminal matters, including an allegation of misconduct by the Maryland Transportation Authority K-9 unit; the Baltimore City Police Department’s use of Stingray technology, and the Adnan Syed case, which was the subject of the podcast “Serial.”

20 Jan

Final (?) Scheduling Order for Syed

By Justin Brown Maryland Criminal Defense, Post Conviction & 2255, Syed1 Comment 3

Here is the Court’s latest Scheduling Order with the new dates of Feb. 3, 4 & 5 for the Adnan Syed post-conviction hearing: Syed cheduling Order 01-15-16.

31 Dec

Can Syed’s hearing be broadcast?

By Justin Brown Civil Litigation, Federal Criminal Defense, Maryland Criminal Defense, Post Conviction & 2255, Syed2 Comments 2

We have received many inquiries about whether Adnan Syed’s re-opened post-conviction hearing — currently scheduled for Feb. 4 and Feb. 5 — will be televised or broadcast in any form. Initially we were dismissive of the possibility. Now we’re not so sure. Maryland has a law that prohibits the broadcast of criminal proceedings. The statute, Criminal Procedure § 1-201, states that “a person may not record or broadcast any criminal matter, including a trial, hearing,

15 Dec

Court Dates Set For Syed Hearing

By Justin Brown Maryland Criminal Defense, Post Conviction & 2255, Syed8 Comments 1

The Baltimore City Circuit Court has issued a scheduling order setting the dates for Adnan Syed’s re-opened post-conviction proceedings. Here is the Order: Welch scheduling Order

07 Dec

Acquittal in 22-count Indictment for Attempted 1st Degree Murder

By Justin Brown Maryland Criminal Defense1 Comment 0

On November 2, 2015, Delonte Epps, a client of the firm, was acquitted of all 22 counts in three indictments after a 5-day jury trial in Baltimore City Circuit Court. The State Attorney’s Office alleged that Mr. Epps was responsible for repeatedly firing a gun into a car occupied by 3 men, wounding one significantly. He was subsequently charged with attempted first degree murder of all three men as well as various related offenses such

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