×
You've used up your 3 free articles for this month. Subscribe today.
SCOTUS Reinstates Boston Marathon Bomber’s Death Sentence
by Mark Wilson
In a 6-3 decision authored by Justice Clarence Thomas on March 4, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death sentence of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, reversing a lower appellate court to conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in excluding …
Full article and associated cases available to subscribers.
As a digital subscriber to Prison Legal News, you can access full text and downloads for this and other premium content.
Already a subscriber? Login
More from this issue:
- “Unconscionable and Unacceptable” Conditions in Georgia DOC With 57 Prisoners Murdered in Two Years, by Casey Bastian
- Settlement Delivers Huge Gains for Montana Prisoners with Mental Illnesses, by Kevin Bliss
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Federal Court Puts Troubled Mississippi Jail in Receivership, by David Reutter, Keith Sanders
- Sixth Circuit Again Extends Kingsley Protections for Pretrial Detainees in Deliberate Indifference Claim Against Kentucky Jail, by David Reutter
- CoreCivic Workers Unionize and Go On Strike at Arizona Prison, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- Federal Court Says Illinois Statute Barring More Than One Sex Offender per Address Is Unconstitutional, by Matthew Clarke
- 17 States and DC Have Stopped Reporting Active COVID Cases Behind Bars, by Victoria Law
- The Catalog of Carceral Surveillance: Voice Recognition and Surveillance, by Beryl Lipton, Cooper Quintin
- Arizona Closing Prison, Moving Prisoners to CoreCivic Lockup, by Edward Lyon
- Tenth Circuit Revives Suit Against Oklahoma Jail for Medical Neglect Leading To Detainee’s Death, by David Reutter
- California Court Sides With Securus in Challenge to CDCR Contract, Dealing Only Temporary Setback to GTL, by David Reutter
- All Ohio Prison Guards to Wear Body Cams, by Keith Sanders
- Monkeypox: A Global Health Emergency, by Michael D. Cohen, MD
- SCOTUS Reinstates Boston Marathon Bomber’s Death Sentence, by Mark Wilson
- Nebraska Prison Staffing Crisis Sees Supervisors Take Demotions to Get Hourly Overtime Pay, by Kevin Bliss
- $1.1 Million Settlement Paid by Michigan County to Estate of Detainee Who Committed Suicide at Jail, by David Reutter
- U.S. Supreme Court Grants Texas Prisoner Religious Touch and Audible Prayer During Execution, by Matthew Clarke
- Fifth Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Texas Prisoners’ Challenge to Pandemic Prison Conditions for Failure to Exhaust, by Matthew Clarke
- California Appeals Court Says Prop. 57 Doesn’t Require In-Person Parole Hearings, by Kevin Bliss
- Oregon Appeals Court Okays Legal Change of Transgender Prisoner’s Name and Sex, by Jacob Barrett
- Fourth Circuit Says Virginia May Require Muslim Prisoner to Purchase Prayer Oil From Vendor Also Selling Pork and “Idols”, by Matthew Clarke
- Florida Now Digitizing Incoming Mail for State Prisoners, by Kevin Bliss
- $7,500 Settlement Reached for Assault in California Jail, by David Reutter
- Impact of Felons’ Voting Minimal, MIT Researchers Find, by Keith Sanders
- $1.375 Million Award in Hawaii Prisoner’s Suicide, by David Reutter
- Third Circuit: Federal Prisoner Exposed to Risk of Assault Cannot Collect Damages if One Didn’t Occur, by Casey Bastian
- Seventh Circuit Allows Wisconsin Prisoner to Amend Inartfully Pleaded Pro Se Complaint, by Matthew Clarke
- Florida Supreme Court Reinstates Prisoner’s Appeal That Was Dismissed for Lack of Prison Date Stamp, by David Reutter
- Indiana Caps Phone Rates in State Prisons and Jails, by Ashleigh Dye
- Senators Spank BOP Director on Last Day Before Replacement by Former Oregon DOC Director, by Jacob Barrett
- New York Lifts Blanket Internet Ban on Sex Offenders, by Jayson Hawkins
- Even as U.S. Jail Population Declines, Average Length of Stay Rises, by Ashleigh Dye
- Rhode Island Supreme Court Finds Lifer “Civil Death” Law Unconstitutional, by David Reutter
- Embattled Los Angeles County Sheriff, Brawling Over Closing Decrepit Jail, Accused of Ignoring Deputy “Gangs”, by Matthew Clarke
- $90,000 Paid to Settle Lawsuit Over Recorded Attorney-Client Calls at Wisconsin Jail, by Casey Bastian
- California Sheriff’s Pay-to-Play Scandal Reflects Nationwide Corruption Potential Documented in Watchdog Report, by Jayson Hawkins
- “Jailhouse Lawyer 360” Shut Down by California Bar, by Jayson Hawkins
- California Jail Enters Settlement Agreement Resolving DOJ Investigation into ADA Violations, by David Reutter
- Pennsylvania County Pays $147,500 to Jail Detainees Held in Solitary for Refusing To Cut off Dreadlocks, by Matthew Clarke
- News in Brief
More from Mark Wilson:
- Indiana Prisoner Sues Prison Abolition Group, Wins $1,097 Default Judgment, April 26, 2024
- Eighth Circuit Affirms Denial of Qualified Immunity to Minnesota Jail Guard Accused of Grabbing and Squeezing Detainee’s Penis, Feb. 1, 2024
- Former Oregon Prison Nurse Gets 30 Years for Raping Prisoners, Dec. 1, 2023
- After Ninth Circuit Refuses to Compel Arbitration, National Class Certified in HRDC’s Challenge to Jail and Prison Debit Card Fees, Oct. 15, 2023
- Seventh Circuit Revives Illinois Prisoner’s Claim Over Knee Surgery Delayed 29 Months, Oct. 15, 2023
- Fourth Circuit Reinstates North Carolina Prisoner’s Suit, Finding Grievance Procedure Availability an Open Question, Oct. 15, 2023
- Congress Forces BOP to Upgrade Security Cameras, Sept. 15, 2023
- Oregon Will Hold Release Hearings for 73 Prisoners Sentenced to LWOP as Juveniles, Sept. 15, 2023
- Senators Slam “Egregious” Prisoner Sexual Abuse by BOP Employees, Sept. 15, 2023
- Minnesota Supreme Court Denies Qualified Immunity for Delayed Transfer of Sex Offenders, Sept. 15, 2023
More from these topics:
- Tenth Circuit Announces Resentencing After Probation Revocation Must Begin with Chapter 7 Range, Holding Chapter 5 Range Should Be Considered When Deciding Whether to Vary, Sept. 1, 2026. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Revocation/Modification of Probation, etc., Statement of Reasons, Sentence, Factors To Be Considered.
- Relevant Conduct: How Federal Sentencing Law Punishes More Than the Crime of Conviction, Aug. 1, 2026. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Prior Conviction/Sentence/Incarceration, Plain Error, Acquitted Conduct/Uncharged Crimes/Dismissed Counts, Relevant Conduct.
- U.S. Sentencing Commission: 2026 Amendments to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, June 1, 2026. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Alternative Sentencing, Sentence Enhancements/Departures, Multiple/Multiplicious Counts, Drug Quantity.
- First Circuit Vacates Drug Courier’s Sentence, Holding District Court Erred by Failing to Conduct Proper Comparative Culpability Analysis Under § 3B1.2 When It Excluded Other Participants in Drug Shipment From Universe of Comparators, May 1, 2026. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Mitigating Role/Circumstances/Evidence, Appellate Jurisdiction/Review, Sentencing Findings, Relevant Conduct.
- Sixth Circuit Announces Federal Coercion and Enticement Statute Requires Knowledge of Victim’s Minor Status, Deepening Circuit Split, May 1, 2026. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Sentence, Miscalculation of the Guidelines Sentencing Range.
- Tenth Circuit Holds Prior California Child Pornography Conviction Does Not Trigger Federal Mandatory Minimum Because State Statute Encompasses Conduct Beyond Federal Definition Under Categorical Approach, April 1, 2026. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Qualifying Offenses, Mandatory Minimum Sentence, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Child Pornography.
- U.S. Sentencing Commission Report Breaks Down Federal Contraband Sentences, March 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Mechanical Searches/Scanners, Statistics/Trends, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Bribery/Extortion/Theft.
- Acquitted Conduct Sentencing: Not Guilty – But Punished Anyway, March 1, 2026. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Federal Legislation, Fifth Amendment, Sixth Amendment, Acquitted Conduct/Uncharged Crimes/Dismissed Counts.
- First Circuit Clarifies Mitigating Role Analysis – Sentencing Courts Must Consider All Identifiable Participants in Drug Shipment, Not Just Crew Members, and Use § 3B1.2 Factors to Assess Relative Culpability, Not Guilt, Dec. 15, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Mitigating Role/Circumstances/Evidence, Miscalculation of the Guidelines Sentencing Range.
- Third Circuit Announces “Commencement of the Instant Offense” in Guidelines § 4A1.2(e) Unambiguously Refers Only to Specific Offense of Conviction, Not Relevant Conduct, Nov. 15, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Prior Conviction/Sentence/Incarceration, Adequacy of Criminal History Category, Statutory Construction/Interpretation.