Court’s Erroneous Admission of Gang Evidence Resulted in Reversal of Murder Convictions
Court’s Erroneous Admission of Gang Evidence Resulted in Reversal of Murder Convictions
In a recent decision by the California Court of Appeals, it was held that the trial court erred in admitting irrelevant and highly prejudicial gang evidence of the defendants' membership in a motorcycle club, where there was no evidence that the club was a street gang or a criminal enterprise, and where the prosecution offered this evidence in its case-in-chief primarily to show defendants' criminal disposition to commit murder. (People…
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Lancaster Assault and Battery Defense Attorneys
Lancaster is located in the Antelope Valley of Southern California and is ranked as ninth on a national level for its speed of expansion. With an estimated population of 145,243, Lancaster is the eighth largest city within Los Angeles County. Lancaster serves the American Dream in being home to multiple national and local companies specializing in a wide range of industry and business. However, in being a highly populated city,…
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How an Experienced Southern California Sex Crimes Attorney Can Help You Obtain a Certificate of Rehabilitation and Help You Avoid Registering as Sex Offender in California – California Penal Code Section 290
People convicted of certain sex offenses in California who are required to register as sex offenders are told that this registration is a lifetime requirement. The lifetime requirement language is written into the penal code and many registered sex offenders believe that there is no way for them to stop registering as a result. Sex offender registration is known as a "scarlet letter" and typically has devastating effects on employment…
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Juror Misconduct Results in the Reversal of a Defendant’s Criminal Conviction
It was recently reported that a California court held that a juror in a criminal trial was engaged in prejudicial misconduct. The court found that a juror engaged in conversations with a non-juror friend about trial matters concerning the merits of the case, including discussions about the defendant's decision not to testify. (People v. Cissna (Feb. 26, 2010) Case No. D053464). It was thus decided a retrial would be granted.…
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When Petty Theft Can Turn into Commercial Burglary in California and How an Experienced Southern California Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help You – California Penal Code Sections 484 and 459
Under California law, petty theft is described as the taking of property of another valued at $400 or less. A first offense can be charged as a misdemeanor and carries a maximum sentence of six months in county jail. Commercial burglary under California law is described as entering any structure other than a residence with the intent to commit grand or petty theft or any felony therein. Commercial burglary is…
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Former Mayor and Ex-Judge Pleads Guilty to Conflict of Interest and Misuse of Funds Charges, Receives Generous Plea Deal
It was recently reported that Roosevelt Dorn, a longtime fixture in the Los Angeles legal community and Mayor of Inglewood, plead guilty to a conflict of interest charge in connection with an Inglewood loan program. Just hours after entering his plea, he resigned from his mayoral position. Dorn was charged with misusing a housing loan program designed to help municipal employees afford housing in the area. He allegedly helped create…
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Riverside Woman Charged in Hit-and-Run of Bicyclist:California Vehicle Code Section 20001
It was recently reported that a Riverside woman has been charged in a hit-and-run death of a bicyclist. Patricia Ann Izquieta, age 37, allegedly struck a bicyclist in her SUV. Izquieta allegedly fled the scene dragging the bicycle under her car for over a mile. Izquieta was allegedly under the influence of prescription drugs. Izquieta is charged with one felony count of hit and run causing a death, one felony…
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Pasadena Assault and Battery Defense Lawyers
The city of Pasadena is situated in the bustling region of Los Angeles County and is widely recognized for hosting the nationally watched Tournament of Roses parade and the annual Rose Bowl Football game. As the sixth largest city in LA County, Pasadena is home to an estimated 146,518 residents as of 2007. As a highly diverse and culturally rich area, Pasadena draws in several new residents and visitors every…
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Man Facing Robbery Charge from Del Taco Incident – California Penal Code Section 211
How a Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help You It was recently reported that 4 men are facing robbery and assault charges after they allegedly struck a man over the head with a beer bottle and took a woman's purse at a Del Taco in Costa Mesa, California. Miguel Mondragon, 19, is the sole suspect facing a charge of first degree robbery. Mondragon has plead not guilty. Under California Penal Code…
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Ventura County Assists in the Arrest of the “King of Heroin” – California Health and Safety Code section 11352
It was recently reported in the LA Times that authorities in Ventura County assisted in the arrest of an alleged heroin kingpin in Mexico. Mexican officials apprehended "the king of heroin," Jose Antonio Medina Arreguin last week based on the investigative work of Ventura County prosecutors and narcotic officers. Arreguin has been alleged to have smuggled 440 pounds of heroin monthly into California for at least three years, hiding the…
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