By Ronald W. Chapman II If a federal judge sees credible evidence that someone may be innocent—or that Congress itself now says his sentence is way too long—should the judge be allowed to take that into account when deciding compassionate release?On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear Fernandez v. United States, with two consolidated “companion”
Ronald Chapman II Blogs
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Zero Chance Letitia James’ Motion to Disqualify Halligan Wins
By Ronald W. Chapman IISaturday, October 25, 2025 Abbe Lowell Needs to Check His Citations
When New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted in Virginia on charges of bank fraud and false statements, the case immediately became political theater. But her latest move — a motion to
NBA’s Betting Conspiracy, DOJ Overreach?
Did a handful of locker‑room whispers and pre‑release injury updates turn NBA games into a cash machine for insiders? Federal prosecutors say yes—and they’ve now sketched, in black‑letter detail, how it worked, who profited, and why this was more than a few bad bets. [1]
Crawford v. Mississippi: SCOTUS OK’s Execution Despite Innefective Assistance of Counsel
Do we execute prisoners despite constitutional defects in the trial? The Supreme Court gives a silent answer in Crawford v. Mississippi. If you tell your lawyers not to admit you did it—and they do it anyway—does the Constitution guarantee you a new trial? And if that constitutional rule came after your case was final, can
Federal Judge Dismisses Most Counts for Memphis OBGYN
A Federal Judge Reined in an Overbroad Indictment Against Dr. Kumar. By Ronald W. Chapman IIDate: October 17, 2025
Short version: A federal judge dismissed the most inflammatory counts in the government’s case against my client, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar—including the much‑publicized “sex travel” charges—and threw out a stack of over‑aggregated FDA counts. What remains
Here’s What Makes Former NSA John Bolton’s Indictment Different
By Ronald W. Chapman II, White‑Collar Defense Attorney
If you think the John Bolton case is just another “classified‑documents” brawl, you haven’t read the charging paper. This is not a storage‑unit saga; it’s a diary‑to‑family indictment with compartments like HCS and SI splashed across the pages, an alleged Iran‑linked hack of a
How Confidential are Juvenile Records Under Federal Law?
The federal system has long recognized that juveniles who come into contact with the criminal justice process deserve a degree of protection and privacy that is not typically extended to adult defendants. Central to this protection is the confidentiality of juvenile records, which reflects a rehabilitative philosophy: a belief that minors should not be permanently
Sean “Puffy” Combs Trial Jury Selection
By Ronald W. Chapman II, Esq. LL.M.
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Talking Points: Keys to the Diddy TrialThe Diddy case appears to be overcharged, stale, and lacking any resemblance to Weinstein, Epstein and other the Abercrombie case. Its time to see if the case was that of an overzealous prosecutor or
Too Big to Fly? How an Airline Oligarchy Derailed the U.S. Airline Industry
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The United States Airline industry was once a testament to American innovation. 2025 marks the year that this dream has ended. Buckling under the weight of increased profit margins, the reality is dire. Safety is at an all time low, regulators no