LOTTER, JOHN L.

DOB: May 31, 1971
Race: White
Gender: Male

Crime and Trial

County of conviction: Richardson
Number of counts: 3
Race of victim: White/white/African-American
Gender of victim: Female/female/male
Date of crime: December 31, 1993
Date of sentencing: February 21, 1996

Trial Counsel:

Mike Fabian

Legal status

Current proceedings: 

• Petition for habeas corpus pending in U.S. District Court, D. Neb., (before Kopf, J., with referral to Piester, M.J.)
• Motion to bar death penalty due to mental retardation pending in Richardson County District Court

Last judicial decision:

• Denial of certiorari following Nebraska Supreme Court's affirmance of denial of motion for post-conviction relief, new trial, and writ of error coram nobis.  See State v. Lotter, 664 N.W.2d 892 (Neb. 2003), cert. denied, 124 S.Ct. 2904 (2004).
   

Current counsel:

On federal habeas petition

Andre R. Barry
Cline, Williams Law Firm
1900 U.S. Bank Building
233 S. 13th St.
Lincoln, NE  68508
402-474-6900
e-mail:  abarry@clinewilliams.com

Sean J. Brennan
Brennan, Nielsen Law Firm
140 North 8th St., Suite 340
Lincoln, NE  68508
402-441-4848
E-mail: sbrennan@alltel.net

On motion in Richardson County

Paula B. Hutchinson
4001 S. 8th Street
Lincoln, NE  68502
402-420-2156

Reported Opinions:

• Denial of motion for post-conviction relief, new trial, and writ of error coram nobis affirmed by State v. Lotter, 664 N.W.2d 892 (Neb. 2003), cert. denied,  124 S.Ct. 2904 (2004).

• Convictions and sentences (other than non-capital burglary sentence) affirmed on direct appeal by State v. Lotter, 586 N.W.2d 591 (Neb. 1998), modified on denial of rehearing, 587 N.W.2d 673 (Neb. 1999), cert. denied, 526 U.S. 1162 (1999).

Significant legal issues:

• co-defendant's alleged recantation of certain trial testimony against Lotter, admissibility of co-defendant's cellmate's account of recantation in post-conviction proceedings, and propriety of co-defendant's refusal to testify at PCR hearing under Fifth Amendment

• due process claim stemming from trial judge's ex parte communications with prosecutor (who sought judge's assurance that Lotter's accomplice would receive a life sentence in exchange for his testimony against Lotter)
   
• claim of mental retardation.

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