The Senate Judiciary Committee hearings are over. Thank God. What do we know? Well, not much. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony was compelling yet uncorroborated by witnesses she put forth. Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s testimony was wrought with emotion and anger. Most sex abuse incidents are not witnessed let alone reported. Where do we go from […]
Truth in the Senate Judiciary Read More »
Have you ever heard someone tell a story of a past event many times and noticed that the story changed with each recounting? Is the narrator of the story lying? Is he/she altering the story to make it more appealing? Or is he/she relying on a distant memory that’s not so reliable? Tough questions all
Our Memories-Fact, Fiction, or a Little Bit of Both? Read More »
Photos of 81-year-old Bill Cosby walking out of the courtroom in handcuffs are all over the Internet. Cosby, the disgraced actor convicted of 3 counts of sexual assault, will now spend the next 3-10 years in prison. Most people believe he got what he deserved. Others say the sentence was too lenient. Remember, each count
Bill Cosby Got What He Deserved, Or Did He? Read More »
If you witness the police arresting someone, is it legal to videotape the proceeding? Can you take photos? What about audio recordings? These are all good questions to ask before taking action. You’ve probably seen it on cop shows or Law & Order or Blue Bloods. A cop makes an arrest, a crowd gathers and
Know Your Rights When Taking Videos or Photos in Public Places Read More »
My friend Barry Cohen passed away this morning. He had been fighting Myelodysplastic Syndrome and later leukemia. He never lost his sense of humor or his humanity. I feel lucky to call him a friend. He FaceTimed me last week to tell me that he loved me and to “lose some fucking weight”. That was
A few months ago, Attorney Gino Megna and I handled a civil case in federal court in Texas. We represented the defendants in a federal case in Texas. The civil lawsuit concerned an alleged breach of a non-compete agreement and breach of fiduciary duties. The plaintiffs filed their complaint and amended it complaint on one
The Diocese of Brooklyn has agreed to pay four individuals $27.5 million for sexual abuse. The boys were abused by a lay teacher Angelo Serrano, who worked at St. Lucy-St. Patrick Catholic Church in Clinton Hill from 2003 to 2009, according to a release. Serrano pleaded guilty in 2011 to inappropriate course of sexual conduct
Largest Ever Priest Abuse Settlement Reached in Brooklyn Read More »
Since 1966, no court decision has been more impactful in criminal situations than the Miranda warning. In Miranda v. Arizona, the Supreme Court ruled that a suspect must be informed of his rights against self-incrimination and his right to legal counsel. While there is no precise language that must be used in advising a suspect
When Miranda Rights Are Not Required Read More »
Certain crimes in Florida include automatic placement on the Sexual Offender Registry. It’s often worse than the prison sentence. Placement on the Sex Offender Registry will hamper your employment opportunities, home ownership, and restrict your freedom of access. Essentially, it’s a black mark that follows you around for the rest of your life. Or is
Can I Get Removed from the Sex Offender Registry in Florida? Read More »
The allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh are serious and threaten to sink his bid to become the next Supreme Court justice. Over the weekend, the Washington Post published details of the sexual attack allegations from Palo Alto University professor Christine Blasey Ford. In summary, Ford alleges: While his friend watched, she said, Kavanaugh
The Kavanaugh Nomination, #MeToo, and Statutes of Limitations Read More »