A hasty review of the SL&P year that was 2018

Year in review stories are catnip to me, so I figured I might as well use an unexpected little pocket of free time to create my own listing of big events in 2018 based on a lightning quick review of blog posts from the past year.  This listing is not representative or even all that reflective, and I welcome reader input on stories forgotten or unmentioned (or poorly ranked).  So, for giggles and comment, here is a list of post titles and links providing an imperfect, too-quick review of some notable stories from the past year:

25. Congress finally enacts "Paroline fix" that should improve victim restitution in federal child porn cases 

24. The Matthew Charles saga: another sad example of why complete abolition of parole was a mistake for federal sentencing

23. Entire First Circuit urges Supreme Court to revisit Harmelin's limits on Eighth Amendment challenges to extreme adult prison sentence 

22. What a difference a DA can make: new Philly District Attorney taking new approach to juve lifer resentencings 

21. Noticing the continued decline of the federal prison population (for now) ... and a story embedded with intricacies 

20. Judge Aaron Persky recalled by voters in response to lenient sentencing of Brock Turner 

19. "Charlottesville Jury Recommends 419 Years Plus Life For Neo-Nazi Who Killed Protester" 

18. Examining thoughtfully modern trend to prosecute overdose deaths as homicides

17. California reduces reach of its broad felony-murder law, and provides for retroactive sentence reductions accordingly 

16.  Paul Manafort found guilty of 8 of 18 counts ... and now faces real possibility of spending many years in federal prison

15. DPIC releases year-end report noting that 2018 was "fourth consecutive year with fewer than 30 executions and 50 death sentences"

14. DOJ casting new marijuana enforcement memo in terms of "rule of law" and "local control"

13. Bill Cosby gets 3 to 10 years of state imprisonment with no bail pending appeal

12.  Michael Cohen sentenced to three years in federal prison ... and joins ranks rooting hard for passage of the FIRST STEP Act

11. Washington Supreme Court strikes down state's death penalty based on its arbitrary administration

10. Child molester/gymnastics coach Larry Nassar gets (only?!?) 40 to 175 years as state prison sentence for mass molestation

9. Supreme Court grants cert on Haymond from Tenth Circuit to address when Apprendi and Alleyne meet supervised release!! 

8. Kimme’s accomplishment: Prez Trump commutes LWOP sentence of Alice Johnson!!

7. Prez Trump makes (tough) nominations to US Sentencing Commission (notably, these USSC nominees never got a Senate hearing or vote) 

6. How many federal prisoners may have Dimaya claims and how many procedural challenges will they face raising them? 

5. Criminal justice reform ballot measures passing in Florida and Louisiana, but losing badly in Ohio

4. Jeff Sessions is no longer Attorney General of the United States 

3. Justice Anthony Kennedy has announced his retirement ... which means a lot for the future of sentencing jurisprudence and so much more

2. DC Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh nominated by Prez Trump to replace Justice Kennedy

1. Prez Trump signs historic (though modest) FIRST STEP Act into law ... and now comes the critical work of implementing it well!!

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