Seventh Circuit Win in RICO Conspiracy Appeal | The Keleher Appellate Law Group, LLC

This week, an appellate opinion was issued by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in United States v. Watkins, et al., Case No. 20-2048. I represented the Appellant Lloyd Dotson in this appeal of a jury trial finding of guilt against Mr. Dotson and a dozen other defendants for RICO violations. One of the issues raised in the appeal was the trial court’s handling of jury selection. Specifically, we argued the trial court ran afoul of Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79 (1986), when selecting the jury. To the point, Mr. Dotson asserted that the prosecution improperly selected jurors based on race. This of course patently violates the United States Constitution. The Seventh Circuit agreed. And it remanded to the district court for further proceedings to assess the degree of discrimination, which may entail a new trial. I am proud of the reversal, and the work of my co-counsel in this sprawling conspiracy case.

About the Author

Christopher Keleher clerked for the Hon. William J. Bauer of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. This unique opportunity provided Mr. Keleher with an invaluable understanding of the inner workings of an appellate court. He saw what persuades judges and what does not, and utilizes this knowledge every time he writes an appellate brief. The Keleher Appellate Law Group handles all phases of appellate litigation in federal and state courts across the country. Read more here.