"Looking Forward: A Comprehensive Plan for Criminal Justice Reform in Ohio"
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Bechtel et al. on Pretrial Decisions
Kristin Bechtel , Alexander Holsinger , Christopher T Lowenkamp and Madeline Warren (Crime and Justice Institute at Community Resources for Justice , University of Missouri - Kansas City , AO US Courts Probation and Pretrial Services Office and Johnson County...
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"District of Cannabis: Evaluating the Cannabis Legalization Regime in the Nation's Capital"
The title of this post is the title my student developed for his coming in-class discussion of the status of marijuana reform in Washington DC. And here are the reading the student has assembled: Ballot Initiative 71: The referendum that overwhelmingly passed after a vote by D.C. residents on On...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarijuanaLaw/~4/inzwdmddWhY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>
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ISIS Takes Credit for Belgium, Republicans Pander to Fear
Police are seeking the man above in connection with the Belgian attacks. They also are trying to catch Laachraoui Najim, aka Soufiane Kayal, a Belgian national, whom they suspect of involvement in the Paris Attacks. Najim was in Syria since 2013.... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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Maryland Armed Robbery Laws
Have you been charged with armed robbery in Maryland? You probably have a lot of questions about what the State of Maryland must prove to convict you of armed robbery in Maryland. We’ve put together the laws and penalties for armed robbery in Maryland. Attorney Randolph Rice is a former Assistant State’s Attorney and has been defending individuals charged with armed robbery since 2009. He has represented thousands of clients and in the various District and Circuit Courts in Maryland. If you’ve been charged with Armed Robbery in Maryland, call the office today to schedule a free consultation. Maryland Armed Robbery Laws The Maryland Armed Robbery laws are contained in Maryland Criminal Law Code Annotated §3-403. That statute states: § 3-403. Robbery with dangerous weapon (a) Prohibited. — A person may not commit or attempt to commit robbery under § 3-402 of this subtitle: (1) with a dangerous weapon; or (2) by displaying a…
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What If I Don’t Pay My Taxes?
Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, Jesus instructed. Taxes must be paid by everyone, except those who have the means and resources to find what is commonly referred to as a “loophole.” While the concept of taxes should apply to everyone, not everyone feels obliged to return to Caesar what is owed to Caesar. The basic inequity of taxes is that loopholes are legal; evasion and fraud are not. Federal Tax Crimes Federal tax fraud and tax evasion are cousins in crime. Tax evasion is the crime most often charged by Federal prosecutors. The offense is generally tied to the taxpayer’s deliberate misrepresentation of taxable income. For the individual, the crime is punishable up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 (or both), and an assessment for the cost of the prosecution. These crimes are most often prosecuted under Section 7201 of Title 26, the Internal Revenue Code. Tax fraud, on the other hand, general involves…
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Steps to Take After a Car Accident in Baltimore
What steps should you take after a car accident in Baltimore? There may be a lot of information coming at you at once, and you may not know where to turn. That’s why it is so important to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer after a car accident in Baltimore. Attorney Randolph Rice has been fighting for individuals hurt in car accidents. So when do you need a lawyer after a car accident? The answer in most cases is immediately. The insurance companies are starting to investigate the accident, shouldn’t you have a lawyer protecting your rights. Steps to take after a car accident in Baltimore, Md. If you’re involved in an automobile accident, you’re faced with a thousand questions and concerns about your physical well being and property damage. Here are some general guidelines for what to do after an automobile accident: Stay calm. Do not argue or yell with anyone at the scene. Do not move any vehicles until after the…
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Tennessee bill requiring preservation of evidence in capital cases advances
The Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill on Tuesday requiring that biological evidence be preserved in all cases involving a death sentence. The bill in its current form requires such biological evidence to be preserved until the defendant's execution or the completion of their sentence and allows the intentional destruction of such evidence to be handled as criminal contempt. The committee discussed the bill for two weeks and heard testimony from exoneree Ray Krone, who spent more than a decade on death row in Arizona for the rape and murder of a cocktail waitress before DNA testing revealed in 2002 that he was not the perpetrator. If the biological evidence from the crime were not preserved, Krone could have been put to death for a crime committed by someone else. A representative from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations also testified, saying that the preservation of biological evidence can be the only thing that keeps an innocent person from…
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Early Voting and the Arizona Primary
Results in the Arizona Republican presidential primary are:Trump47.1%Cruz24.8%Rubio13.4%Kasich10.0%Carson2.7%Huh? How did candidates no longer in the race get 16.1% of the vote? How did a candidate not in the race beat one who is for third place?Early voting. Whatever the merits of early voting may be for the general election, it is a bad idea to vote too early in a primary. You may be throwing your vote away.
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Lawmakers Pushing To Criminalize Public Pot Smoking
The twists and turns of marijuana legislation over the last couple years have made a tough go of understanding just where Maryland stands on pot policy. It’s safe to say that Annapolis has had a hard time passing marijuana laws that were successful the first time around. A few years ago patients and decriminalization advocates initially celebrated the passage of medical marijuana, but later experienced a huge let down when it was discovered the program had absolutely no chance of being implemented. Two years after that a medical program with actual teeth was established that unfortunately is still months away from implementation. Decriminalization of possession of less than 10 grams of pot was also celebrated, but some of the celebrations were muted after police began issuing criminal citations for possession of pot paraphernalia. The legislature failed to address the paraphernalia issue two years ago, and when they did last year the governor vetoed the law for not…
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Notable new comments and commitments on criminal justice reform from GOP House Speaker Paul Ryan
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No Trespass Signs in Yard, on Front Door, Not Enough to Prevent “Investigative Knock-and-Talk, Create Violation of Fourth Amendment
Ralph Gene Carloss lived in Tahlequah, Oklahoma—a city in Cherokee County located at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. He is an ex-felon who lived in a single-family dwelling located in what was described as a “pretty old area” in the middle of Tahlequah. The owner of the residence wanted to make sure that the public knew that he or she valued the privacy of their home. They posted “No Trespassing” signs around the house and on the front door. An agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) named Ashley Stephens received information from an unidentified source that Carloss was a felon in possession of a firearm and was selling methamphetamine from this residence. Stephens contacted a Tahlequah police officer named Elden Graves who joined her in a visit to the residence. No Trespass Signs in Yard, On Front Door, Tacked on Tree in Side Yard, on Post Next to Driveway The residence did not…
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Tax Evasion Plea in Mortgage Elimination Scheme
Amaziah Yahalom, who also goes by Andre C. Page, 35, Los Angeles, California pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion, arising from his role in a mortgage fraud scheme in which he failed to report the proceeds of the fraud on his income tax return. He admitted in court that the mortgage fraud scheme in which […]
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Federal Sentencing Implications When Death or Serious Bodily Injury Results from Use of a Drug
U.S. Sentencing Guideline § 2D1.1(a)(2) applies a base “base offense level” of 38 in certain drug cases when “the offense of conviction establishes that death or serious bodily injury resulted from the use of the substance …” On March 16, 2016, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in United States v. Lawler joined the Fifth, Third, and Sixth Circuits in holding that § 2D1.1(a)(2) applies “only when a resulting death (or serious bodily injury) was an element of the crime of conviction, proven beyond a reasonable doubt or admitted by the defendant.” Large-Scale Heroin Distribution Conspiracy Along with thirty other defendants, Jean Lawler was indicted in federal court on a single count of distributing heroin and conspiring to possess heroin with intent to distribute. She was in fact, by her own admission, part of a “large-scale heroin-distribution conspiracy” that resulted in the overdose deaths…
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SCOTUS Adding Stun Guns to 2nd Amendment Precedent?
A stun gun is more commonly known as a Taser. It is a device or weapon from which an electrical current may be fired through wires with the ability to incapacitate, injured or even kill someone. In 2014, the State of Massachusetts enacted a law that prohibited anyone from buying, possessing, selling or using a stun unless they are a law enforcement officer or a merchant selling to a law enforcement officer. The penalty for violating this law is six to 30 months in jail, a fine of $500 to $1000, or both. Massachusetts Criminalizes Possessing Stun Gun A Massachusetts resident named Jaime Caetone was arrested, tried, and convicted for possessing a stun gun. She appealed the conviction to the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. Caetone’s argument on appeal was that the stun gun law violated her Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. The state’s high court disagreed, upholding the stun gun ban. The state Supreme Court took…
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CYCLING UNDER THE INFLUENCE IS A CRIME IN CALIFORNIA
Its springtime and Daylight Saving Time is back on the clocks — time to take the bikes out of the garage and head down to the beach. One of the joys of living in California is cruising on the many bike paths, stopping along the way for a beer or two. Be careful! You can get arrested for riding a bike under the influence. Under California Vehicle Code section 21200.5, it is illegal to ride a bike on a public road, path, or sidewalk while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Although the statute does not specify a threshold blood alcohol level, the level applied to motorist (0.8% BAC) is the presumed threshold level for biking as well since the vehicle code provides that cyclists are subject to the same responsibilities as are drivers. (It is possible, however, to be considered under the influence at less than .08% BAC.) When an officer stops a cyclist suspecting that the cyclist is under the influence, the officer will usually ask the cyclist to perform a field…
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PETITIONING THE COURT TO SEAL JUVENILE RECORDS IN CALIFORNIA
PETITIONING THE COURT TO SEAL JUVENILE RECORDS California law permits a person to petition the court to order the sealing of his or her juvenile criminal record if certain conditions are met. A juvenile who was found by the juvenile court to have committed any misdemeanor and some felonies can petition the court to seal all records at any time after the offender has reached the age of 18 or five years after termination of the juvenile court’s jurisdiction. Prior to January 2015, the juvenile offender had to petition to seal the juvenile records before the offender reached that age of 21. New law that took effect on January 1, 2015 now allows a person of any age to petition for this relief if his or her probation terminated after January 1, 2015. This relief is not available to juveniles who were found to have committed certain felonies as enumerated in Welfare & Institutions Code section 707(b), including murder, rape, robbery and other offenses. There are…
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Commercial Vehicle Injury Crash in Idaho Falls
IDAHO STATE POLICE NEWS RELEASE - generated by our News Release ListServer DO NOT REPLY --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Idaho State Police District 6 1540 Foote Dr. Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402-1828 (208) 525-7377 FAX: (208) 525-7294 For Immediate Release: 3/23/2016 7:00 p.m. Please direct questions to the District Office On Wednesday, March 23, 2016, at 3:04 p.m., the Idaho State Police investigated a commercial vehicle rollover on southbound Interstate 15 at milepost 119 in Idaho Falls. A 2003 Peterbilt loaded with fresh potatoes was southbound on the 119 on-ramp from U.S. Highway 20. The driver, Todd Eaton, 53, of Menan, failed to negotiate the curve and the vehicle tipped over. Eaton was transported by ground ambulance to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls. Both the southbound lanes of Interstate 15 were blocked for approximately 3.5 hours. This crash is under investigation by the Idaho State Police…
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Ars Technica: Representatives say NSA must end plans to expand domestic spying
Ars Technica: Representatives say NSA must end plans to expand domestic spying by Megan Geuss: Americans “deserve a public debate” on 4th amendment encroachments, reps say. Today, two representatives from the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee sent a letter … Continue reading →
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NYTimes: Apple Policy on Bugs May Explain Why Hackers Would Help F.B.I.
NYTimes: Apple Policy on Bugs May Explain Why Hackers Would Help F.B.I. by Nicole Perlroth and Katie Benner: For all the steps Apple has taken to encrypt customers’ communications and its rhetoric around customer privacy, security experts said the company … Continue reading →
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