Syed’s Motion to Re-Open GRANTED
Syed’s Motion to Re-Open Post-Conviction proceedings was granted today. Syed will be allowed to introduce evidence related to the alibi and the cell tower issue. The hearing date has yet to be determined. Here is the link to Judge Welch’s Order:…
State Files Consolidated Syed Response
The State has filed its response to Syed’s Motion to Reopen Postconviction Proceedings: State’s Consolidated Response. Here are the State’s Exhibits:…
Syed Files Reply Brief — Upload Here
Adnan Syed today filed his Reply brief in his Motion to Re-Open Post-Conviction Proceedings in the Circuit Court of Baltimore City. The brief: Exhibits:…
Syed Files Supplement Re: CELL TOWER EVIDENCE
Here is today’s filing regarding cell tower evidence: Supp. to Mot. to Reopen FINAL And here is Exhibit 1: Exhibit 1 (AT&T fax) 404…
Brian Parker Cleared of Federal Charges
Brian Parker, a client of the Firm, was cleared today of all federal charges against him. Federal prosecutors had alleged that Parker was a leader of a Cherry Hill drug conspiracy. But yesterday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office agreed to drop all charges against him, and a motion to dismiss was granted today by a federal…
Baltimore City Jail: Worse Than Ever
More than two years have passed since federal prosecutors handed down a massive indictment charging gang members and correctional officers with operating a drug conspiracy inside the Baltimore City Detention Center (BCDC). The story gained national media attention and the U.S. Attorney’s Office trumpeted its success in getting convictions of all but a few of…
Stingray: Next Frontier in Fourth Amendment Law
Read the Firm’s cover story in The Champion magazine about Stingray technology, the latest frontier in Fourth Amendment law: STINGRAY ARTICLE…
Supreme Court Strikes Down Part of Armed Career Criminal Act
Lost in the excitement over the Supreme Court’s blockbuster decisions last week was a significant, albeit technical, case dealing with federal sentencing under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA). The ruling should help a significant number of federal defendants who are serving harsh mandatory sentences. These people may be entitled to substantial sentence reductions. In…
Syed Files Motion to Re-Open Post-Conviction
Today we filed Syed’s Motion to Re-Open Post-Conviction. This is in response to the Remand Order issued by the Court of Special Appeals on May 18, 2015. Here is a link to the filing: Motion-to-Reopen-As-Filed-w-Exs.-optimized…
Firm Wins 97-month Sentence Reduction
The Law Office of C. Justin Brown this week obtained a sentence reduction of 97 months for a federal inmate. Sentence reductions of this magnitude are rarely seen in federal court. The client was convicted on drug charges in 2007 following a four-day jury trial. He was sentenced to 240 months (20 years) in prison….
Appeals Court’s Order / Remand
Here is today’s Order from the Court of Special Appeals in the Syed case: Remand Order…
Syed Oral Arguments FAQs
Oral arguments in the Syed case are set for the morning of June 9. I have been receiving a lot of questions about how the appeal will proceed. Here are the answers, as best as I can give: Q: Is the hearing open to the public? A: Yes. However, there is limited seating capacity. As…
Syed: Against All Odds
We recently came across some statistics regarding how frequently the Maryland Court of Special Appeals grants an Application for Leave to Appeal (ALA). As you recall, Adnan Syed, after losing his post-conviction proceeding, filed an ALA. Essentially, in the ALA, Syed asked the Court for permission to file an appeal. This was necessary because a…
Will Baltimore Police Get New Venue?
It is highly probable that the six officers charged in Freddie Gray’s death will attempt to have the case removed from Baltimore City. A change of venue would be based on the obvious: with a unprecedented amount of public attention following Gray’s death, it will be almost impossible to find unbiased jurors in Baltimore City….
Suing the Police Is About to Get Easier
Amidst the turmoil following Freddy Gray’s death, a significant change in law is about to take place that will make it easier for victims of police brutality to recover compensation. The Maryland Legislature recently passed a bill that will increase to $400,000 from $200,000 the cap on damages that can be collected against negligent police…
Fourth Circuit Disappoints… Yet Again
Remember when it looked like the Fourth Circuit was on the brink of a significant change? When, after Obama got his nominees on the court, it would go from being super conservative to progressive? Well, that day has not yet come. The court today issued a major opinion that is heartbreaking for a class of…
Syed’s Opening Brief to COSA
Click here to read Syed’s Opening Brief with the Court of Special Appeals, filed 3/23/15: APPELLANT’S BRIEF…
How We Won It: The Philandering Cop
The Firm won a major victory in a state post-conviction proceeding early this year. The client, who we will call CM, was convicted of murder about 10 years ago, and sentenced to life with all but 50 years suspended. The facts were cloudy at best, and CM maintained his innocence. Because it is extremely difficult…
Firm Files New Syed Brief
The Firm today filed a supplement to its appeal in the Adnan Syed case today. The full filing can be found here: Syed Supplement FINAL….
Fourth Circuit Disappoints in Whiteside
The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals this month issued a disappointing en banc opinion in U.S. v. Whiteside. At issue was whether Whiteside could obtain relief from a sentence in which he had been wrongly classified as a career offender. The panel held that he could not get relief because his petition was filed too late. The…
