Residents of San Diego often encounter various DUI checkpoints located in Pacific Beach, Imperial Beach, Coronado, El Cajon, South Bay, Poway, or Vista. These temporary checkpoints are usually put in place by the San Diego Sheriff’s Department on Friday and Saturday nights between 8 P.M. and 2 A.M. to remove “The Constitutionality of San Diego DUI Checkpoints”
Defending Drug-Related Crimes in San Diego
I often represent individuals accused of committing crimes related to possession, sale and transportation of illegal drugs, prescription drug offenses related to pharmacy crimes, and offenses related to marijuana cultivation and possession. The primary defense in most drug possession and sale matters involves whether the prosecution can establish that the evidence was “Defending Drug-Related Crimes in San Diego”
Trial for Michael Jackson’s Doctor Conrad Murray Delayed until September
A Los Angeles judge delayed the trial of Michael Jackson’s doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, at the request of his defense attorneys who sought additional time to prepare for cross-examination of new prosecution witnesses. The parties are now scheduled to resume jury selection on September 8, 2011. Last week when the “Trial for Michael Jackson’s Doctor Conrad Murray Delayed until September”
Drugs and Gun Found During Illegal Search Admissible Evidence
The Ninth Circuit court of Appeals just upheld the admissibility of drug and firearm evidence in a case where law enforcement conducted an illegal search of a vehicle under the doctrine of inevitable discovery. In United States v. Ruckes, the Court followed the recent Supreme Court decision of Arizona v. Gant. “Drugs and Gun Found During Illegal Search Admissible Evidence”
Drug Detectives Play Wii While Executing a Search Warrant
Drug investigators have been caught on tape playing Wii games while executing a search warrant at the home of Michael Difalco. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd lamely defends his investigators by claiming that the Wii gamesmanship would not invalidate the search. Perhaps the Sheriff should read up on the law. “Drug Detectives Play Wii While Executing a Search Warrant”
Michael Jackson’s Death Ruled a Homicide: Murder Charges Possible?
Now that the Los Angeles Coroner has ruled Michael Jackson’s death a homicide, what charges will be contemplated by the Office of the District Attorney? Two charges are possible. A second degree murder charge is possible if it can be proved that injecting Jackson with the powerful anesthetic propofol was “Michael Jackson’s Death Ruled a Homicide: Murder Charges Possible?”
Juvenile Offenses Can Be Used as Strikes
Juvenile adjudications (convictions) can be used against adult criminal defendants under the “three strikes” law even though juvenile defendants have no right to a jury trial. The California Supreme Court, in People v Nguyen, held that prior juvenile adjudications that qualify as serious or violent felonies (“strikes”) can used to “Juvenile Offenses Can Be Used as Strikes”
Is that Drug Really Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Marijuana, or Heroin?
In serious drug prosecutions, criminal defense lawyers cannot blindly trust police crime lab reports supposedly confirming that a substance is really cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, or heroin. For that matter, anything coming out of the crime lab, such as blood toxicology results, DNA results and chain-of custody receipts should not be “Is that Drug Really Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Marijuana, or Heroin?”
Sneaking past the Attorney to get the Defendant: Montejo v. Louisiana
Criminal defense lawyers uniformly advise their clients to provide information to law enforcement only by and through an attorney, and for good reason. Many cases are prosecutable only because the defendant gave the police what they needed to make their case. In the past, attorneys did not have to worry “Sneaking past the Attorney to get the Defendant: Montejo v. Louisiana”
Under California Law, Who Acted Unlawfully? Professor Gates or Officer Crawley?
Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., an African-American scholar, was recently arrested at his residence by Cambridge police officer Sergeant Crowley who was investigating a reported break-in. Professor Gates was arrested after he yelled at the investigating officer repeatedly from inside the residence. He showed identification and then reportedly resisted “Under California Law, Who Acted Unlawfully? Professor Gates or Officer Crawley?”