Scott Abeles Quoted in the Washington Post: “Justin Wolfe, Who Confessed to 2001 Murder for Hire, Could Get New Trial”

Scott Abeles was quoted in a Washington Post article titled “Justin Wolfe, Who Confessed to 2001 Murder for Hire, Could Get New Trial.” The article covers the case of a man accused of murder-for-hire who, after years of failed attempts, may now have the chance to withdraw his guilty plea and have his case heard by a jury, following a recent decision by a federal appeals court.

Based on the strength of the exculpatory evidence presented with Wolfe’s habeas petition, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reversed the district court’s dismissal of his petition and found he satisfied the strict standard of “actual innocence.” Wolfe earned this result notwithstanding pleading guilty in 2016, becoming one of the few petitioners to ever satisfy the actual innocence standard despite a guilty plea. This is the second time in 24 years Wolfe has satisfied the innocence standard, one of the highest in habeas jurisprudence.

Abeles is representing Wolfe pro bono.

“The courts keep saying he doesn’t belong in prison,” Abeles said. “It’s 24 years, and it’s time, I hope, for a new approach from the state towards this man.”

Read the article. Subscription may be required.  

News of this decision was also covered by Bloomberg Law and Courthouse News Service.

©2026 Carlton Fields, P.A. Carlton Fields practices law in California through Carlton Fields, LLP. Carlton Fields publications should not be construed as legal advice on any specific facts or circumstances. The contents are intended for general information and educational purposes only, and should not be relied on as if it were advice about a particular fact situation. The distribution of this publication is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship with Carlton Fields. This publication may not be quoted or referred to in any other publication or proceeding without the prior written consent of the firm, to be given or withheld at our discretion. To request reprint permission for any of our publications, please use our Contact Us form via the link below. The views set forth herein are the personal views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the firm. This site may contain hypertext links to information created and maintained by other entities. Carlton Fields does not control or guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this outside information, nor is the inclusion of a link to be intended as an endorsement of those outside sites.