I figured that I would not be a very good criminal defense attorney if I did not at least acknowledge the holiday that many people in this country celebrate. Am I talking about Earth Day? Nope. I’m talking about Marijuana appreciation day. For some reason, and the stories of the how this date came about are as varied as the...
Continue ReadingA Florida judge has dismissed a murder charge against a man who chased and fatally stabbed a car radio thief in Miami’s Little Havana area in January. In the wee hours of the night the accused man discovered two people in his truck stealing his car radio. Alarmed, they ran off. Carrying a knife, he chased one of them....
Continue ReadingEver since GPS trackers entered the retail market, law enforcement has been searching for ways to maneuver it into their criminal and drug crimes investigation arsenal. Over the years, I have had several clients inform me that they have found a mysterious device on their vehicle. After a clear inspection and even a quick Google search of the model...
Continue ReadingPolice are obtaining court orders requiring Apple and Google to help bypass security passwords to enable them access to a person’s cell phone. According to CNET police officers are using fill-in-the-blanks court orders for judge’s to sign to obtain access to a person’s cell phone. This practice is disturbing on multiple levels. Why is Apple retaining information on an iPhone’s...
Continue ReadingI do not advocate drunk driving. It is clearly unsafe for the driver and for everyone who shares the road with the driver. However, a POLITICO article reports that the United States Congress is trying to legislatively coerce states to require the installation of a vehicle interlock device on the cars of everyone who is convicted a driving under the...
Continue ReadingProposed legislation seeks to make the current probation violation process stricter for repeat offenders accused of violating their probation. If signed into law, it would allow Florida law enforcement to hold the accused person in jail for probation violations when they have multiple felony convictions on their criminal record. In Florida’s present probation system, the person on supervised probation...
Continue ReadingThe challenges of overcoming a felony conviction for a Florida criminal charge have just been made harder by new changes passed by Florida’s Executive Clemency Board. Under the new rules even nonviolent offenders will have to wait five years before they may be considered for the restoration of their civil rights. More serious felony convictions now require a waiting...
Continue ReadingFor years we have heard that episodes of domestic violence dramatically rise on Super Bowl Sunday. Much like the common belief that hospital emergency rooms are busier when there’s a full moon, the truth of the Super Bowl violence matter is shrouded in mystery. Or is it? Many Believe There is No Link between the Super Bowl and Violence...
Continue ReadingThe Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority reported netting $251 million last year in toll collections – a $45 million increase from 2009. The toll revenue plays a crucial role, providing the funding necessary to maintain the Florida Turnpike. Unfortunately, some innocent SunPass users are playing the role of victim in this fund-raising endeavor. The SunPass transponder – also referred...
Continue ReadingWhile Orlando police have arrested people for prostitution-related crimes for decades, the enforcement methods have had to change with the times. In today’s world, law enforcement relies heavily upon the Internet in deciding who and how to arrest. Craigslist was the primary Internet source of prostitution information for police, but Backpage has now replaced it. Internet Prostitution and Solicitation...
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