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Confusion Over Insanity Defense Leads One Jury to Issue Two Verdicts in Triple Murder
by Christopher Zoukis
A jury’s decision that a defendant on trial for murder was mentally ill but should go to prison led a judge to initially withhold judgment in the case.
Dan Popp, 41, was tried in November 2017 for the murders of Phia Vue, Mai K. Vue and Jesus …
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More from this issue:
- In the Eye of the Storm: When Hurricanes Impact Prisons and Jails, by Matthew Clarke
- North Carolina Woman Attempts Bail Bond Scheme from Inside Jail, by Monte McCoin
- Porn Reading Rooms in Iowa Prisons Placed on Legislative Hit List
- U.S. Coast Guard Operating Inhumane Floating Prisons, by Christopher Zoukis
- Wrongful Death Case Against New York Jail Settles for $101,500, by Derek Gilna
- Nebraska Sheriffs Profiting from Jail Phone Contracts, by Christopher Zoukis
- Phony New York Lawyer Defrauds Prisoners, Sent to Prison, by Edward Lyon
- North Dakota: Altered Pencil in Prison Results in Weapon Possession Conviction
- Pro Se Rhode Island Prisoner Wins First Amendment Settlement, by Derek Gilna
- Oklahoma Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Lift Prison Smoking Ban, by Monte McCoin
- Major Wage Ratio Gap Between Executives, Employees at Private Prisons, by Steve Horn
- Former Michigan Prisoner Receives Over $817,000 for Wrongful Conviction
- Virginia Federal Court Holds Nation of Gods and Earth is a Religion
- Dying Prisoner’s Complaint Alleged Claim for Failure to Treat Hepatitis C
- Federal Lawsuit Filed Against Oklahoma Sheriffs – All of Them, by Derek Gilna
- Ohio: $75,000 Settlement Reached after 60-Year-Old Woman Body Slammed by Jail Guard, by Christopher Zoukis
- Newspaper Investigation Reveals Significant Problem with Life Sentences in Arizona, by Christopher Zoukis
- California: Governor Signs Bill to Block Expansion of For-profit Detention Centers, by Dale Chappell
- Washington Prisoner’s Negligence Suit Settles for $75,000
- Justice Department Failing to Assess Prison Population Reduction, Clemency and Reentry Programs, by Christopher Zoukis
- Alabama: State Agencies Have Absolute Immunity in a Court of Law or Equity
- Confusion Over Insanity Defense Leads One Jury to Issue Two Verdicts in Triple Murder, by Christopher Zoukis
- $437,500 Settlement for Brutal Beating at Missouri Jail
- The “Qualified Immunity” Doctrine Needs to be Reexamined, by Derek Gilna
- FTCA Claims Survive; PREA Policy Defeats Discretionary Function Exception, by Jeremy Pinson
- $15,000 Award for New York Prisoner in Medical Negligence Case
- Due Process Mandatory Before Texas Requires Sex Offender Registration for Crimes not Covered by Statute, by Matthew Clarke
- Indiana County Settles Jail Guard’s ADA/Discrimination Suit for $150,000, by Matthew Clarke
- Whistleblowing Angola Prisoner Who Faced Retaliation Wins Relief, Redemption
- $14.3 Million Settlement for Probationers Subject to Extortion by Private Company
- Female Prisoners More Likely to be HIV Positive than Non-prisoners, by Edward Lyon
- Former Pennsylvania Guards Settle FMLA Lawsuits for $110,000, by Derek Gilna
- $330,000 for Florida Prison Guards Abused at Training Academy
- Oregon Sex Offenders Get LWOP, Not Treatment
- Court Certifies Class of Missouri Prisoners Denied Hepatitis C Treatment, by Matthew Clarke
- New York Issues New Solitary Confinement Rules for Local Jails Amid Lawsuits, $5 Million Settlement, by Christopher Zoukis
- Seventh Circuit Affirms Denial of Qualified Immunity in Jail Suicide Suit, by Matthew Clarke
- Iowa Prison Officials Drop Disciplinary Sanctions in Controversial Case, by Matthew Clarke
- Federal Prisoner Shot in the Eye Awarded $80,000, by Jeremy Pinson
- Fifth Circuit Reinstates Denial of Medical Care Suit Against Texas County Jail, by Matthew Clarke
- Massachusetts: State Court Officers May Not Enforce Immigration Detainers, by Matthew Clarke
- Tennessee: New Trial Ordered in Prisoner’s Wrongful Death Case, by Steve Horn
- As Prison Populations Drop, Several States Close Facilities, by Dale Chappell, Matthew Clarke
- Prison Mailbox Rule Applied to South Carolina Prisoner’s Late PCR Petition
- ACLU Sues Nebraska Over Unconstitutional Prison Conditions, by Matthew Clarke
- San Quentin Newspaper Editor Arnulfo Garcia Leaves a Legacy, by Dale Chappell
- Prison Chaplain Wins Standoff with BOP Over Carrying Pepper Spray, by Monte McCoin
- Judge Threatens Arizona Officials with Contempt Over Inadequate Prisoner Medical Care, by David Reutter
- New York Law Gives Reformed Offenders an Opportunity to Seal Convictions, by Derek Gilna
- California: Defendants’ Repeated Discovery Obstruction Sanctioned in Guard Sex Abuse Case
- Mother-Son Team Sentenced for Tax Fraud, Obstruction of Justice, by Derek Gilna
- “Survivors Guide to Prison,” by Matthew Cooke, director (Gravitas Ventures, February 2018); 102 minutes, by Steve Horn
- “Witness to Human Torture”: On Both Sides of the Prison Walls, Social Workers Confront Solitary Confinement, by Valerie Kiebala
- British Prison Guard Sentenced for Contraband Smuggling Conspiracy, by Monte McCoin
- PLN Censorship Suit Against Virginia Jail Headed to Trial
- New Mexico Jail Sued by HRDC for Censoring Book Orders, by Derek Gilna
- Governor Vetoes Nevada’s Anti-Private Prison Bill, by Monte McCoin
- Rash of Security Breaches Plagues Nation’s Prisons and Jails, by Christopher Zoukis
- Photos Show Aftermath of Lethal South Carolina Prison Brawl that Left Seven Dead, by Steve Horn
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Mass Incarceration is a Women’s Issue, Too, by Jessicah Pierre
- News in Brief
More from Christopher Zoukis:
- The Contraband Wars Prison authorities target books and mail, miss the goods coming through the staff door, July 1, 2021
- Trump v. Biden on Criminal Justice, Oct. 1, 2020
- Coronavirus in Prison: The Cruel Reality, Aug. 1, 2020
- With Lives of Immigrant Detainees at Risk to COVID-19, Federal Judge Forces ICE’s Hand, July 1, 2020
- A Nation on the Brink, June 15, 2020
- Federal Court Slams Michigan Jail for Bungling COVID-19 Pandemic, Demands Names of Vulnerable Prisoners for Release, June 1, 2020
- Silence: The Bureau of Prisons’ Pathetic Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, June 1, 2020
- New York Judge Orders Release of 18 Rikers Island Detainees Due to COVID-19 Risk, June 1, 2020
- Coronavirus: A Nationwide Survey of the Push for Early Release as Pandemic Fears Grow, May 1, 2020
- California Three-Judge Court Denies Emergency Motion to Reduce Prison Population During Pandemic, May 1, 2020
More from these topics:
- CDCR Held in Contempt, Fined $112 Million in Longstanding Litigation Over Mental Health Care, Aug. 1, 2025. Staffing, Mental Health, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides.
- Illinois Supreme Court Announces Conviction for Attempted First Degree Murder Requires ‘Intent to Kill Without Lawful Justification, Aug. 1, 2025. Jury Instructions, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Inconsistent.
- Policing the Vulnerable: The Criminalization of Disability, May 15, 2025. Disabled Prisoners, Mental Health.
- South Carolina Supreme Court Announces Traditional Four-Element Standard for When Person Has Right to Use Deadly Force in Self-Defense Not Applicable to Non-Deadly Force Self-Defense Analysis, May 15, 2025. Defenses, Jury Instructions.
- Georgia Eliminates Legal Standard That Sent Intellectually Disabled Prisoners to Death Row, May 15, 2025. Mental Health, Capital Punishment.
- Minnesota Supreme Court Clarifies Standard for Determining Whether a Defendant Is Entitled to Jury Instructions on Self-defense and Defense of Others, May 15, 2025. Defenses, Jury Instructions, Jury Instructions in Jury Room.
- Maryland Supreme Court: Trial Court Abused Its Discretion by Failing to Exercise That Discretion Where It Summarily Refused Requested Jury Instruction Because It Was a Non-Pattern Instruction and ‘Some Evidence’ Supported the Instruction, March 15, 2025. Jury Instructions, Evidence - Failure to Disclose.
- Fourth Circuit Reverses Denial of Counsel for “Low IQ” North Carolina Prisoner, March 1, 2025. Mental Health, Counsel - Constructive denial of.
- Oregon DOC Investigation Puts Top Medical Officials on Leave, Feb. 15, 2025. Systemic Medical Neglect, Malpractice, Staffing, Mental Health, Official Investigation.
- Massachusetts Supreme Court Vacates Threat-Based Conviction on First Amendment Grounds Because Jury Instructions Failed to Include Mens Rea Element Mandated by Counterman for ‘True-Threat’ Conviction, Feb. 15, 2025. Jury Instructions, Resentencing, Threats, Negligence/Reckless Endangerment.

