If you’ve ever been arrested in Florida, you know the feeling. You panic and wonder who do I call to get me out of this? When you’ve been arrested, there aren’t a lot of options in most cases. Some you wouldn’t want to call out of embarrassment, others you wouldn’t call because they can’t help. […]
Arrested in Tampa Bay? Call Me First! Read More »
The short answer is yes. Police officers can lie, deceive, and falsify their true identities to obtain information from a suspect. Undercover sting operations are based on the premise of deception in order to catch criminals. It is a dangerous myth to think police have an ethical duty to tell the truth in all circumstances
Can a Cop Lie to You? Read More »
The presumption of innocence is a bedrock principle in our criminal jurisprudence and guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. However, that principle may have been tested when a judge in a case involving a USF football player spoke out against the accused, his coach, and USF in general. On Wednesday, USF defensive end LaDarrius Jackson
Is USF Football Player Still Innocent Until Proven Guilty After Judge’s Remarks? Read More »
Ladarrius Divonta Jackson, 22, a defensive end for the University of South Florida Bulls, has been arrested and charged with sexual battery and false imprisonment of a female student. The alleged incident occurred on Monday in the afternoon at one of the on-campus housing apartments. The woman immediately called university housing staff who assisted her
USF Football Player Arrested and Charged with Sexual Assault Read More »
The US Supreme Court has waded into a controversial case that pits two Constitutional principles against each other, namely, the 2nd Amendment, the right to bear arms and the 4th Amendment, the right to be protected against unreasonable searches and seizures. The case concerns the police entering a dwelling without a warrant and shooting a
Supreme Court Tackles Police Shooting Case Read More »
Florida’s Stand Your Ground law is in the spotlight this week as Curtis Reeves, a 73-year-old retired Tampa Police Department captain, is fighting for his life a second time in the last three years. This time, Reeves is fighting to avoid a trial for second-degree murder and aggravated battery charges stemming from a fatal shooting
The right to privacy is as much a cherished Constitutional right as that of free speech or the right to bear arms. Opponents of this right argue that a “right to privacy” is not clearly enunciated in the Constitution. On the other hand, proponents of a right to privacy as well as the latest judicial
Internet Porn, the FBI, and Your Privacy Rights Read More »
Defending yourself in a criminal case is the biggest mistake you can make. A famous man once said, “He who represents himself has a fool for a client.” Our 16th President Abraham Lincoln knew something about pro se defense for he was a country lawyer before he became president. Today, we saw Exhibit A in
Defending Yourself In A Criminal Case Read More »
Can a minor properly understand the implications of consenting to a police request for a search? That is an issue which is highlighted in an article published today in the Tampa Bay Times. For any police search, the consenting person must be able to understand their constitutional right to consent to a search and to
Can a Minor Consent to a Police Search? Read More »
In my last post, I discussed in a general fashion, the background, history, and legal impact of the groundbreaking US Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona which established certain legal rights for all those who are detained by law enforcement authorities. I wrote in that post that Miranda affords each of us two specific rights:
Miranda Rights and the Law Read More »