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Driver's License Appeals - Problems with the Substance Abuse Evaluation - Part 2

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In Part 1 of this article, we began our examination of the things that can go wrong with the Substance Abuse Evaluation form that must be filed to begin a License Appeal, and how some of these errors can cause...

INLAND EMPIRE NEWS: Family Angered that Suspected Riverside DUI Driver Still Not Charged in 3 Deaths

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COLTON, Calif. (KABC) -- A grieving father is demanding answers after his daughter, her best friend and the woman driving the two girls were killed by a suspected drunken driver who has not been charged nearly two months after the crash. Click HERE for link to story. Kylan Allen, 12, and her best friend, 13-year-old Haven Penman, were being driven by Allen's grandmother, L.E. Mason, to a church gathering on the evening of Jan. 18 when they were struck by another vehicle in Colton. Penman and Mason died at the scene. Allen was critically injured and died a few days later. "She was just an innocent lady trying to take her little girls to a church function," said Allen's father, Keith Allen. The driver of the other vehicle, 29-year-old Michael Hughes, was arrested by Colton police for driving under the influence, but no charges have been filed. Allen says there are questions about whether or not his mother-in-law failed to yield before the crash, but he wants to know why a suspected drunken driver is free. "He hasn't been prosecuted for anything yet, no charges have been brought up," the father said. "I can't understand this and I just want some justice for my daughter Kylan, and Haven." The district attorney's office tells Eyewitness News the case is still under investigation.

CRIMINAL DEFENSE NEWS: Innocent Man Released After 23 years has Heart Attack

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By GILLIAN MOHNEY March 23, 2013 Click HERE for ABC news story, and video. David Ranta has suffered a massive heart attack just two days after being exonerated of murder and leaving prison for the first time in 23 years, his attorney told ABCNews.com. Lawyer Pierre Sussman said that Ranta, 58, was being treated in an New York hospital after suffering a severe heart attack Friday night. He did not provide further details. Ranta was freed from prison Thursday after serving 23 years of a 37.5 year sentence for the murder of Brooklyn rabbi Chaskel Werzberger in 1990. Ranta left a Brooklyn courtroom Thursday after a judge said he was free to go and his family cheered. On the way out he told reporters that the sensation of walking freely out of the courthouse was "overwhelming."

Consent for Police to Search in Florida is Limited in Scope

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In Florida, many drug cases arise after a suspect has given the police consent to search. We have a hard time understanding why people give police consent to search when they know they are in possession of drugs or other incriminating evidence, but they do quite often. When a suspect gives the police valid consent to search his/her person, vehicle, residence or anything else, it eliminates the need for probable cause and a search warrant. It is often a shortcut between investigation and arrest. However, when a suspect gives the police consent to search, it can have its limits. The consent to search should be limited to the area that is agreed to by the suspect. For example, if a person is standing in his front yard, the police ask to search his person and the suspect agrees, the police cannot also go into his house without additional consent covering his house. In a recent methamphetamine case near Jacksonville, Florida, the police received a tip that the defendant was manufacturing methamphetamine at his house. The police went to his house and saw that the defendant was burning something in a pit in his backyard. The defendant said he was just burning trash. The police asked for consent to look around the pit to confirm his story. After looking around the pit, the police saw a pill bottle on the patio and opened it. Inside, they found powder methamphetamine and arrested the defendant for possession of methamphetamine. The criminal defense attorney filed a motion to suppress the methamphetamine arguing that the police did not have authority to search the closed pill bottle. The consent only applied to the area near the pit. The judge agreed that the consent was limited to the pit area and did not include closed containers away from the pit. As a result, the evidence of the methamphetamine was suppressed, and the possession of methamphetamine charge was thrown out.

WI - Lost signals, disconnected lives: Offenders raise concerns over reliability of GPS monitoring

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Original Article03/23/2013By Mario Koran[name withheld #1] and [name withheld #2] were convicted of violent sex crimes and served many years in prison. Now they are on parole, living in Madison neighborhoods, attending treatment groups and wearing global positioning system (GPS) ankle monitors — tracking that, under Wisconsin law, will continue for the rest of their lives. But [name withheld #1], [name withheld #2] and 11 other offenders interviewed for this report say that Wisconsin’s GPS tracking system repeatedly fails, registering false alerts and landing the offenders in jail although they have done nothing wrong. “There are times when I’m afraid to leave whatever room I’m in, even to go to the bathroom,” said [name withheld #1]  53, who served 26 years in prison for sexual assault and other crimes. “I’m afraid an alert will go off and the police will show up at my door.” On July 31, [name withheld #1] stood in his Madison bedroom with a Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism photographer. On several occasions, his GPS monitor began flashing, indicating he was out of range, even though [name withheld #1] was in his own home and well within boundaries determined by his parole agent. Offenders and their advocates say GPS breakdowns waste taxpayers’ money with unnecessary police work and lockups, and hamper offenders’ efforts to restore relationships with their families and retain jobs. Even the people who make the GPS technology acknowledge that signals can be lost due to weather conditions, tall buildings and car travel. A key legislator, the chairman of the Assembly Committee on Corrections, said he was unaware of any problems with the state’s GPS monitoring system. But he was concerned by the Center’s findings, and said that an audit may be in order.VIDEO FROM TWO YEARS AGO:Video Link “Yes, I think it would be proper to inquire about the accuracy and effectiveness of our monitoring system if offenders are indeed experiencing these problems,” said state Rep. Garey Bies, R-Sister Bay. But Bies, a former Door County sheriff’s deputy, added, “I really don’t have a whole lot of sympathy” for sexual offenders and whatever “inconvenience” they may have to endure.” As of February, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections was using GPS technology to track 638 offenders. According to DOC spokeswoman Jackie Guthrie, “The majority are sex offenders with a very small number being offenders convicted of domestic violence or other violent crimes.” She was unable to provide a breakdown. And GPS monitoring in Wisconsin is projected to expand by nearly 50 percent over the next two years. A Wisconsin state law passed last April, set to take full effect in 2014, allows judges to require GPS tracking for offenders who violate a domestic abuse or harassment temporary restraining order or injunction. Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed budget recommends $10 million in new funding for expanded use of GPS tracking in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 — to monitor 783 individuals the first year and 939 the second year.'Nothing's perfect'Significant concerns about the reliability of GPS tracking have arisen in at least seven other states. The technology has been found both to sound alerts in error and miss offenders’ transgressions when they do occur. Last September, an audit in Tennessee (PDF) revealed massive oversights in the state’s GPS offender tracking system. More than 80 percent of alerts from GPS-monitored offenders “were not cleared or confirmed” by corrections agents, including alerts triggered after individuals appeared to enter prohibited areas such as parks and schools. The Wisconsin DOC insists its system, and the devices it leases from Colorado-based Behavioral Interventions, or BI, are reliable. “We are not aware of any ‘problems’ with our GPS monitoring system, and have several protocols in place to ensure that the integrity of our system is maintained,” Guthrie wrote in an email. BI spokeswoman Monica Hook maintained that GPS technology is “a reliable alternative to incarceration” and that millions of people have worn the devices over the years. Yet, she conceded, “it’s a manmade device. There are certain things that we safeguard against, but nothing’s perfect.” She said the Wisconsin DOC has “discretion” to determine how to handle alerts. The DOC rejected the Center’s request for records regarding its protocols for dealing with dropped signals or false GPS alerts, saying offenders could use this information to “defeat the monitoring device.” Guthrie said the agency does not keep statistics on how many alerts are triggered for GPS offenders, and does not track how often these result in offenders being incarcerated. The DOC, she said, also has not conducted audits or quality reviews of its GPS program, which began operating in 2007. Tracked offenders wear anklets at all times. Those with older, two-piece models must carry a portable GPS device that communicates with satellites and sends data to a central monitoring center in Madison. One-piece models include this device in the anklet. The DOC says the two-piece models are being phased out. If an offender crosses into a restricted “exclusion zone,” an alert is sent to the monitoring center, which can investigate the problem. “One of the outcomes,” Guthrie said, “could be an apprehension or arrest.”'You just want to give up'In all, the Center interviewed a dozen sex offenders, and one person convicted of stalking, who complained of problems with their tracking units.[name withheld #3], convicted in 2001 of sexual assault of a child in Winnebago County, says challenges with his GPS unit have cost him jobs. In one of several discrimination complaints with the state Division of Equal Rights, he even has evidence. In response to one such complaint, filed in 2011, an attorney for a company that chose not to hire [name withheld #3] for a particular job noted that his two-hour application process was disrupted four to six times by his GPS device. The attorney said this “indicate(d) a high level of potential for disruption in any assignment where the applicant could be placed.” His attorney, Andrew Phillips, said the case was settled out of court to the “satisfaction of both parties.”[name withheld #4], convicted of sexual assaults in 2005 and 2007 in Winnebago County, estimates he has been jailed six times due to problems with his GPS equipment and that he has lost “thousands of dollars” in missed work. The Center was able to obtain some records on GPS alerts for individual offenders. They show that [name withheld #1] and [name withheld #2] triggered multiple alerts for “No GPS,” indicating their locations could not be tracked by satellite. In May alone, [name withheld #2] triggered 206 “No GPS” alerts. Records show [name withheld #1] has been booked into Dane County Jail at least eight times since June 2011, serving a total of 29 days in jail, all for violations related to his GPS tracker. In each of these cases, [name withheld #1] argues the violations occurred because of an innocent mistake, as when he went for a bike ride without bringing along a hand-held device, or despite the fact that he was complying with the rules. For instance, on Sept. 19, [name withheld #1] was jailed for four days because “he failed to have a GPS signal” for much of a two-hour period. [name withheld #1] said he was attending an approved University of Wisconsin-Madison class. His English professor, Emily Auerbach, backs him up. “I know exactly where he was” during the time in question, she said.[name withheld #2], 39, served 12 years for having intercourse with an unconscious woman. Records show he has been booked into jail at least a dozen times since April 2011 for violations related to his GPS monitor, spending a total of 74 days behind bars.[name withheld #2] admits he forgot to bring his hand-held GPS tracker with him on two occasions. He left it in his car when he entered a supermarket and left it on a bus when traveling to work. But the other violations, he says, were over lost signals and false alerts. On June 12, 2012, according to records obtained by his attorney, [name withheld #2] was at his wife’s house, an approved location. He said he left his tracker in an adjacent room, as he had done before without triggering alerts, while he watched a basketball game on television and did not hear it beep. He served a total of 51 days in jail, until after he signed an agreement admitting he “did fail to comply with the rules and conditions of GPS monitoring.” “It’s almost like taking on a new normal,” [name withheld #2] said in an interview from the Dane County Jail in June, while jailed on this violation. “If you’re trying to move on with your life, and you’ve got these barriers, you just want to give up.”[name withheld #2]’ attorney, Jessa Nicholson, thinks her client has done his best to reintegrate but has been unfairly punished: “I’ve spoken with his therapist, and she assessed him as posing no threat whatsoever.”'Unworthy of life'Now [name withheld #2] works at Voices Beyond Bars, a Madison nonprofit that assists former inmates. He said he does well at Madison Area Technical College, where he attends classes. But last year, he missed a final essay for one class because he was back in jail on a GPS violation. His grades suffered, and he was placed on academic probation.[name withheld #1], when not back in jail, lives with his elderly aunt on Madison’s north side. He paints, often giving his work away to Madison charities. He still takes a one-credit class at UW-Madison and works construction jobs part time. And while [name withheld #1] acknowledges that his past actions have caused pain and deserve punishment, he thinks being on GPS monitoring conveys that he is “unworthy of life.” He said he hopes and prays “that I’m able to continue to withstand this.”ANOTHER GPS PROBLEM VIDEO:Video Link© 2006-2013 | Sex Offender Issues

Top-Ten Recent SSRN Downloads

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in criminal law and procedure ejournals are here. The usual disclaimers apply. RankDownloadsPaper Title 1 15037 Ham Sandwich Nation: Due Process When Everything is a Crime Glenn Harlan Reynolds, University of Tennessee College of Law, Date posted to database: January...

Notable headlines provides signs of the marijuana times

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Though I remain on the road (for both work and play), Google news helps me make sure I do not miss too many notable news stories. And this trio of marijuana headlines caught my eye in the last fews days:...

Alleged Conspirators Indicted for Straw Buyer Scam

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John Leadbeater, 54, Kearny, New Jersey, and Daniel Cardillo, 49, Wildwood, New Jersey, have been indicted and charged as alleged conspirators in a $13 million mortgage fraud scam that used phony documents and straw buyers to make illegal profits on overbuilt condos at the Jersey shore are charged in connection with the scheme.

Do I have to tell my employer about my DUI Arrest?

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A question that comes up frequently in a Maryland DUI Arrest is whether or not a defendant should tell their employer about the fact that they have been arrested and charged for a DUI or DWI. The fact that a person is accused or charged with a crime is their own business and not anybody else's business unless there exists special job related circumstances. Remember, any person can be accused of committing a crime. Being charged with a crime is very different from being convicted of that crime. When a judge or jury has spoken and the accused is convicted of a crime that may rightly impact some types of employment. However, the fact that somebody has been charged with a crime, tends to place that person under a questionable and possibly irreversible light, even if they are subsequently found to be not guilty in court. Thus, unless you fall into a specific category of jobs, telling one's boss or employer that they have been "charged" with an offense is generally not necessary. Having said that, a few exceptions spring to mind. First, if you have a secret Government clearance and part of that clearance is a contractual obligation to tell your employer that you have been charged with a crime. In that circumstance it is incumbent upon an accused to at least advise their employer pursuant to their contract for clearance that they have been charged. Generally speaking employers under this circumstance will withhold punishment until the matter goes to court and has a final resolution. This is important because in many cases it is possible to be found either not guilty or to avoid the stigma of a "conviction". Other employers may have an employee handbook or other policy which clearly states that you must advise your employer of a DUI conviction and/or a DUI charge, generally speaking military personnel are a good example of this also folks that drive as part of their job. So for example, a travelling sales person, like medical sales; this job tends to be rather specific on the issue of reporting traffic/criminal charges. The reason is because they have civil liability if you get into an accident while on the job or otherwise driving their car or driving at their behest. If it is proven in court that the employer knew or should have known about an employee's DUI record and the employer gave them a car anyway, the employer could suffer liability for subsequent injuries to a third party. Thus, if you are a traveling sales person or if you are provided a company car, or if you have been advised by your employer at the time of hiring (or subsequently) that you must report DUIs, alcohol offenses or traffic matters, then you must do so or the employer could have a strong basis for termination or punishment, not just for the underlying DUI offense, but also for your failure to follow the employer's rules.

New Jersery Man Receives 12-Year Sentence for $7.5 Million Mortgage Fraud Ponzi Scheme

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A new Jersey man was sentenced to a 12-year term in state prison for a mortgage refinance Ponzi scheme that duped more than 40 victims out of more than $7 million.  Frederick Tropeano, 47, received the sentence from Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Ronald L. Reisner, who also ordered that Tropeano would be ineligible for parole until mid-2019.  Tropeano previously pled guilty in January to the equivalent of money laundering, which carries a maximum prison sentence of twenty years. In handing down the sentence, Judge Reisner made a downward departure from the 14-year sentence recommended by prosecutors as part of Tropeano's plea agreement.   Tropeano, through his company Hawthorn Capital Corporation, solicited homeowners to refinance their existing mortgage at a much lower rate, with the understanding that proceeds from the new mortgage would be used to satisfy the original mortgage.  In total, Tropeano raised over $7 million from more than 40 homeowners who thought they were taking steps to reduce their mortgage payments. However, according to authorities, Tropeano and his conspirators failed to use proceeds from the new mortgages to satisfy the homeowners' existing mortgages.  Instead, they operated the classic Ponzi scheme, using investor funds for unauthorized purposes that included paying personal expenses to support a lavish lifestyle.  Many homeowners were shocked to discovery that their existing mortgage had never been satisfied, often resulting in negative implications on their credit scores.  Additionally, several homeowners had their identity stolen by Tropeano and his associates, who in turn secured additional refinancings unbeknownst to the homeowners.   Three of Tropeano's co-conspirators previously pled guilty to third-degree conspiracy charges, and are awaiting sentencing.  Tropeano was also ordered to pay nearly $7 million in restitution to his victims.

Deuschlel on Guidelines Variance Calculations

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Nicholas Deuschle has posted Fun with Numbers: Gall's Mixed Message Regarding Variance Calculations (University of Chicago Law Review 2013, Forthcoming) on SSRN. Here is the abstract: This Comment seeks to resolve an unaddressed issue stemming from recent developments in the...

Social Security disability rules for Lupus

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How to win my disability case for a lupus diagnosis? Systemic lupus erythematosus, or simply lupus, is evaluated in the immune system section of the Disability Evaluation Under Social Security disability handbook, more commonly known as the Social Security Blue … Continue reading →Rating: 10.0/10 (1 vote cast) Related posts:Rheumatoid Arthritis and Social Security Disability What are the best doctor opinions for purposes of getting social security disability? Social Security Disability and moving to another state

Federal Court Upholds Controversial Maryland Gun Law

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282244_gun_2.jpgA little over a year ago, Federal District Court Judge Benson Everett Legg ruled that the "good and substantial" provision of the Maryland concealed carry gun law was unconstitutional. This provision required citizens to prove to the state Handgun Permit Unit that they had a good and substantial reason before being granted a concealed carry permit. When a Baltimore County man was denied one such permit, he filed suit in federal court, and the Second Amendment Foundation, which advocates for the preservation of the right to carry, joined in the lawsuit. Despite the Attorney General's best efforts, Judge Legg concluded that the law was too broad to satisfy the state's compelling interest to protect its citizens and prevent crime. According to the Judge the good and substantial provision did not safeguard the public from every handgun related hazard, and therefore did not do enough to justify a significant limitation on the constitutional right to bear arms. But just last week, a three-judge panel sitting for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit unanimously disagreed with Judge Legg, and reversed his decision.

Sohoni on Notice and the New Deal

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Mila Sohoni (New York University School of Law) has posted Notice and the New Deal (Duke Law Journal, Vol. 62, p. 1169, 2013) on SSRN. Here is the abstract: The New Deal Supreme Court revised a well-known set of constitutional...

Should sex offender have to pay an annual fee for their monitoring?

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The question in the title of this post is prompted by this new article from Michigan, headlined "ACLU, other groups object to Michigan bill pushing annual sex offender fee." Here is how it starts: A bill to require the more...

Sunday Night Open Thread

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Is anyone watching the Phil Spector movie on HBO? It's very strange. It's like they are all playing caricatures of caricatures. I'm switching to the Good Wife. I've been working on TalkLeft's premium page all weekend, trying to add features we have here that Wordpress doesn't have -- particularly in comments. I must... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Bellin on eHearsay

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Jeffrey Bellin (William & Mary Law School) has posted eHearsay (Minnesota Law Review, Vol. 98, 2013) on SSRN. Here is the abstract: This Article proposes a new “eHearsay” rule of evidence that will permit the admission, over a hearsay objection,...

Mississippi DUI - Do's and Don'ts

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For over thirty years attorneys at Coxwell & Associates, PLLC have been providing advice to clients when it comes to DUI cases in the Jackson metropolitan area and all over the state of Mississippi. When you hire an attorney at this firm, you receive help with everything involved with your case AFTER you are arrested. Many times current clients ask us, "What should I have done when the officer pulled me over that night?" This article is written to address a few of those concerns. If you or someone you know is stopped and investigated for a possible DUI charge, keep the following advice in mind for DUI "Do's & Don'ts" 5 Mississippi DUI Do'sDD.png 1. Do...use a designated driver - someone who is not going to consume any alcohol whatsoever while you are out. Our office represents far too many people who were asked to be the "DD" simply because they had "less to drink than everyone else." This is never a good idea. 2. Do...remain calm with the officer, and cooperate when given an order by the officer. As soon as you are pulled over, remember to remain calm with the officer. If you are "freaking out", I guarantee you the officer will testify at trial that you were being belligerent. Go ahead and have your license and proof of insurance ready to give to the officer. You are not required to answer any questions, but you are required to command any order given by the officer. If the officer orders you to get out of the car, do exactly that. On the side of the road is not the place to argue with the officer. 3. Do...realize that everything you say or do will later be written in a report by the officer, and there is a high likelihood that you are being videotaped and audiotaped. Do not do something or say something that will most certainly help in convicting yourself. This includes using inappropriate language with the officer. We have never met a client who has used colorful language with an officer and the situation end well for the client. 4. Do...understand the difference between the portable breath test (PBT) and the Intoxilyzer 8000. The PBT is only used for the purpose of determining of whether you have any alcohol on your breath. A positive reading on that test will more than likely result in the officer asking you to submit to field sobriety tests (more on these later). The results of the PBT are horribly inaccurate - so much so that courts do not allow the results in a trial. The Intoxilyzer 8000 is the official breath test machine for the state of Mississippi. Courts rely heavily on the results of this test to determine a suspect's breath alcohol content. Refusing this test when offered by an officer can result in a 90 day suspension of license. 5. Do...write down every detail about the incident after you are released from custody. Writing down everything you can remember from the time of the encounter with law enforcement will help in preparing your defense. Where you were before you decided to drive, what alcohol and food you actually consumed that day, etc. 5 Mississippi DUI Don'ts 1. Don't take the portable breath test. This test is only administered to determine if you have alcohol on your breath and can only incriminate you. If you "pass" this test, you can still be arrested. 2. Don't consent to field sobriety tests. Studies have shown officers have failed "suspects" who have ingested zero alcohol. These tests are purely subjective, and no matter how well you think you performed, I can guarantee you what the officer's testimony will be about your test results. Officers are looking for specific clues, and these officers aren't sharing with the individuals being tested just what they are looking for exactly. Don't take these tests. You will likely be arrested, but taking these tests will do you very little good, if any. 3. Don't attempt to talk your way out of the situation, and please for the love of all things holy, do NOT argue with the officer. The entire situation is likely being filmed, and the more you talk, the higher the chances you will talk yourself right into a conviction. If you argue with the officer, your demeanor will be characterized as "combative" and "uncooperative" when the officer testifies. This does not help your defense in any way and makes you 100% memorable to the officer when your court date comes. 4. Don't go to court alone. You may have talked to friends and family who have given unsolicited, unprofessional, and unethical advice about whether you "need an attorney" or not. You should probably take a non-attorney's advice with a grain of salt, which is to say you should not take it at all. I am amazed at the number of people who tell us the arresting officer gives them advice on whether they should hire an attorney or not. See a conflict here? We handle DUI cases every week. You should hire an experienced and well qualified DUI attorney to defend your case and protect your driving privileges. 5. Don't let your attorney do all the work. Taking an active role in your defense is always helpful. Developing an honest relationship with your attorney will help everyone as we prepare your case for trial. If you want someone who will do everything they can to protect your driving privileges and act immediately on your behalf, contact me today. I have represented clients all across the state of Mississippi. I can help you have a better understanding of your current situation with just a simple phone call.

Not a Good Adventure for Bonaventura: Constable Charged With DUI… Implications for Your Los Angeles DUI Defense?

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As someone who was recently arrested and charged with driving under the influence in Los Angeles, you’re feeling pretty sheepish and scared and regretful. John-Bonaventura-dui-los-angeles.jpg You wish you had use more common sense -- handed the keys to a friend or associate or just cabbed it home. As much as you want to take responsibility for events -- and speak with an experienced Los Angeles DUI attorney, ASAP -- appreciate that you're not the first person who's ever been in this compromised position. Plenty of other, normally law abiding folks get into DUI trouble in Los Angeles all the time. In fact, if you’ve been following our blog for any length of time, you’ve read endless accounts of celebrities, sport stars, politicians, and even legislators who’ve been busted for DUI. Even police officers get in trouble for the crime! Case in point. Consider the sad story of 50-year old John M. Bonaventura, the head of the Constable’s Office for Las Vegas Township. A Nevada highway trooper pulled over Bonaventura on US 95 near Boulder Highway, after he saw the “official constable vehicle” driving pell-mell all over the freeway. Bonaventura’s speeding and DUI charges are actually just the tip of the iceberg. Commissioners for Clark County (the home of Las Vegas -- a.k.a. the "City of Sin") are about ready to abolish the entire Constable’s office, which employs over 20 deputies. These officials perform work ranging from serving paperwork to evicting people. According to a local paper, the Las Vegas Review Journal, critics have hammered the Constable’s office for “creative accounting practices that circumvent county oversight, as well as for filming a profanity-laced pilot for a reality television show.” (quote from an AP article) Perhaps the deputies were jealous of the modern day Keystone Cops on Reno 911. Maybe they didn’t realize that that show is actually a fictional comedy. On a more serious note, as a Los Angeles DUI defendant, you may or may not have been negatively affected by police errors or bad police behavior. The vast majority of officers in Los Angeles County are hardworking and fair. Yet you should pull out all the stops during your Los Angeles DUI defense -- investigate any angle that could lead to a reduction in your sentence or a dismissal of the charges. Of course, this is no small task, even for experienced attorneys. Fortunately, you can turn to former city prosecutor Michael Kraut and his team at the Kraut Law Group in Los Angeles for adept, thorough, and insightful guidance on your case. Mr. Kraut has a special vantage on L.A. DUI cases because he served for nearly a decade and a half as a prosecutor. He maintains good relationships with his old prosecutorial colleagues as well as with other key people in the system.

Ridiculous Los Angeles Petty Theft News: Lemur Theft Played Out “Like a Bad Disney Movie”

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In all likelihood, your Los Angeles petty theft charges are pretty dry and mundane. crazy-theft-case-los-angeles-lemur.jpg Maybe you shoplifted some clothes or jewelry from an open market shop in Venice Beach or the Promenade; or maybe you accrued a petty theft charge on top of other charges, like robbery, assault, and fraud. You understand that your situation is serious: you need a good Los Angeles criminal defense attorney to help you solve your mess and move on with your life. Fortunately (hopefully) your case is not as convoluted as the case of James Edward Welborn, Jr., a Mississippi native who pilfered a lemur named Gizmo and tried to ransom the little critter back to his rightful owner. According to a local Sheriff’s Department detective, Ben Brown, the whole episode played out “kind of like a bad Disney movie.” Here's how the strange case went down. Mobile, Alabama resident Julie Harris reported a burglary at her home. The break in artist stole her TV and also pilfered Gizmo the lemur, a small mammal valued at around $1,500. According to local investigators, Welborn (the alleged thief) took the little creature to his sister Shandi’s house and lied about where he found it. Shandi began to doubt her brother’s story, after she saw a local news report about a stolen lemur whose picture matched that of her new foster friend. She called her brother and told him about the report and about the cash bounty on the lemur’s return. She told him to take the animal away. Here's where the plot thickens! Welborn talked to his friend, 34-year-old Brian Sanders, and the two men apparently hatched a plan to ransom the lemur for the reward money. Sanders got in touch with Harris and arranged a meet-up at a gas station in Mobile. He didn’t bring the creature with him, but he did have a picture of the lemur on his computer. The police later questioned Sanders, who confessed everything, and then investigators made the connections and reunited Harris with her little pet. Meanwhile, Welborn eluded officers for a while, until he got pulled over in Mobile for a traffic violation. The officers who stopped him ran his identity through a local info system and connected him to Gizmo, the burgled TV, and everything else. Brown expressed his bemusement to reporters “to take the monkey to his sister, cross state lines and get somebody else to contact the family… and try to get the reward money … this is hands down the oddest, funniest case I have ever worked.” Of course, petty theft cases like this are amusing. But if you face serious charges yourself, you probably find very little humor about what’s happened to you and what may await you. Get in touch with the astute and experienced Los Angeles criminal defense team at the Kraut Law Group now for a free evaluation of your case. We can help you build a good defense.
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