District Attorney Misconduct Affecting Orange County Criminal Cases
District Attorney Misconduct Affecting Orange County Criminal Cases
All lawyers are held to strict ethical standards and bound by laws in California. District attorneys are no different. Prosecutors are required to turn over any and all possible exculpatory evidence upon receiving it and discovering its useful nature to the defense. This can include anything, ranging from: Investigator notes Interrogations Witness testimony Audio and video records Based on the Brady v. Maryland case (Brady v. Maryland 373 U.S. 83…
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Leaf Blower Movie Theater Prank Could Lead to Criminal Charges
Falsely yelling “fire” in a crowded movie theater is one of the few items not covered under free speech laws in the U.S. This act could cause an entire audience of people to act in fear and could bring great harm to movie-goers. But shouting “fire” isn’t the only act in a movie theater that could lead to criminal charges. Incidents of shootings at movie theaters have been in the…
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Are Immigration Officials Targeting Immigrants with Criminal Records?
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) recently conducted a large-scale operation across the southern half of California, taking more than 240 immigrants into custody.1 According to officials, the vast majority had been previously convicted of felony or sexual abuse related crimes.2 The operation was in part a reaction by the federal government to changes in how local authorities are handling their interactions with immigrant populations, along with recent high…
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Violent Crime Rates Rising in Los Angeles
After seeing crime decrease for many years in California, violent crime rates are on the rise in 2015. In fact, the city of Los Angeles reported an overall 12.7% increase in crime with violent crime seeing a 20% increase so far in 2015.1 Possible Causes of Crime Rate Spike Possible contributing factors leading to increasing crime are a higher prevalence of gang participation in crime, the trickle down effects of…
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Should People Be Paid Not to Shoot Guns?
The city of Richmond, California has started a unique program to attempt to decrease gun violence. The program is run by a government agency called Richmond Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS) and targets a small “focus” group of 50 or so individuals who are at “high risk” of gun violence. Officials work with the group to prevent predicted dangerous behavior. As an incentive to shoot guns, members of the focus…
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A New Program Can Give You Relief from Your Unpaid Traffic Tickets
Few inconveniences in life are as annoying as receiving a traffic fine. Sure, you know you’ve done something wrong; but the crime seems so small, and the fines so large. Many will simply sigh and relegate themselves to paying the fines. Others refuse to pay their fines. It would be nice to think of these people as some sort of traffic fine vigilantes, refusing to pay out of disgust for…
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Murder Rate Decreases as Concealed Carry Permits Increase Across the Country
According to a recent report by the Crime Prevention Research Center, the number of concealed carry permits issues in the U.S. has jumped from 4.6 million to 12.8 million since President Obama took office. Yet, the number of murders across the country has fallen. The report reveals that since 2007, the murder rate has dropped about 25 percent, from 5.6 per 100,000 people to 4.2. Not only has the amount…
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Are Drug-Sniffing Dogs Accurate?
Any time Timmy fell into the well, we could count on his dog Lassie to alert the proper people in order to save him. However, Lassie was a TV character. What happens when dogs are counted on when someone’s life is on the line in real life? The accuracy of drug-sniffing dogs used by police has come into question of late. A recent court ruling could help create the foundation…
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Stricter Gun Storage Laws Could Be Passed in LA
Residents of Los Angeles County may soon be subject to additional gun regulations under a local ordinance that would require handguns to be stored at home in one of two specific ways. While proponents of the measure say it will protect citizens from gun violence, opponents of the potential ordinance say the new rules simply serve as tools for disarming lawful gun owners. The potential new law would require that…
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How Prison Realignment Gave Thousands the Right to Vote
When Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bills 109 and 107 in 2011, more commonly referred to as “prison realignment”, many expected sweeping changes in the way that California dealt with its prison population. The legislation was part of an effort to reform the way that non-violent and non-sex o ffenders are sentenced for their crimes, as well as how they are supervised post-release.1 There is a new, somewhat unexpected outcome…
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