6th Amendment Violation.

Byline: Derek Hawkins

7th Circuit Court of Appeals

Case Name: United States of America v. Otis Hunter, et al.

Case No.: 18-2013; 18-2044

Officials: FLAUM, KANNE, and SCUDDER, Circuit Judges.

Focus: 6th Amendment Violation

Police arrested five men involved in a string of Milwaukee armed robberies in late 2016. Three of the defendants cooperated with the government and pled guilty. The two remaining defendants, Otis Hunter and Deshawn Evans, proceeded to trial where a jury convicted them. Through counsel, the pair challenges the district court's handling of jury selection and denial of their Batson challenge.

They also challenge our circuit precedent and argue that the district court violated the Sixth Amendment's Confrontation Clause when it prevented them from cross-examining government witnesses about the specific prison terms they avoided through their cooperation. After obtaining authorization from the court...