Law & Information
Can Google Street View Images Be Used as Evidence in Criminal Cases?
An elaborate hoax in Scotland involving Google Street View has highlighted the use of third-party satellite images in criminal cases. Google's Street View is a popular feature of the Google Maps online application. While searching for directions via Google Maps, Street View gives people the option to see turn-by-turn directions with real images showing actual streets instead of illustrated maps. Google obtains these images by strapping a 360-degree camera to…
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Should California Adopt a Gun Violence Restraining Order Law?
Prompted by the recent shooting rampage that claimed the lives of seven residents of Isla Vista near the campus of UC Santa Barbara, lawmakers in Sacramento are considering whether to adopt a statewide measure to temporarily restrict the gun rights of individuals who pose a potential risk of violence. The family of Elliot Rodger, the young man suspected in the Isla Vista killings, had notified the police about his mental…
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Should the Police be Allowed to Coerce Minors into Confession?
In Modesto, the family of a mentally challenged teen filed a federal lawsuit against the Modesto Police Department for coercing the teen into a false confession. 1 In 2012, the teen, Anthony Nunez, was arrested as a suspect in a drive-by shooting. 2 On the night of his arrest, the police were informed that Nunez was mentally challenged and could not fully comprehend police interrogations. 3 Nonetheless, the police interrogated…
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Should Los Angeles County Stop Locking Up the Mentally Ill?
An estimated 15% of inmates held in Los Angeles County's massive jail system require some kind of mental health care. Those prisoners cost more to house, remain in custody longer and are more likely to end up back in jail after being released than other inmates.1 Recently, L.A. County District Attorney Jackie Lacey suggested to the County's Board of Supervisors that more than 1,000 people with mental illnesses currently incarcerated…
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Eyewitness Testimony May Not Be as Reliable as You Think
Prosecutors have long relied on the testimony of an eyewitness to a crime to prove a defendant guilty at trial. Once considered the "gold standard" in a criminal prosecution, eyewitness testimony is not as reliable as many people may think. In reality, decades of studies show that eyewitness identification of a suspect during a police lineup is only accurate about 50% of the time. Reform advocates say that changes in…
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New Oath Requires “Dignity, Courtesy, and Integrity” from all Attorneys
Aside from years of rigorous legal study and passing the infamously difficult California Bar Exam, new lawyers in the state are always required to take an oath. This pledge is essentially a promise to uphold certain duties. These duties include: Supporting the laws of the United States, the state, and the Constitution; Maintaining the respect of the courts and judicial officers; Responding promptly to clients' requests and keeping them informed;…
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Comparing California’s Probable Cause Law to New Pennsylvania Law
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently ruled that police officers no longer need a warrant to search a person's vehicle. Before the ruling, law enforcement could only search a person's vehicle if they had a search warrant signed by a judge. Police officers in Pennsylvania can now search vehicles as long as they have "reasonable probable cause" to do so. 1 Before the ruling, Pennsylvania police officers who smelled marijuana inside…
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Did Major League Baseball Purchase Stolen Property? (California Penal Code Section 496)
It was recently reported that Major League Baseball (MLB) knowingly purchased stolen documents relating to Alex Rodriguez's involvement with Biogenesis, the Florida health clinic accused of supplying Rodriguez and other baseball players with performance enhancing drugs. It is alleged that MLB ignored repeated warnings that the documents were stolen. In a report published by the Boca Raton Police Department, Porter Fischer, a former Biogenesis employee, obtained documents relating to Rodriguez's…
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The City of Carson Takes a Stand Against Bullying
The city of Carson has decided to take a stand once and for all against bullying. A newly introduced ordinance now criminalizes the bullying of school children, teens and young adults. City officials instituted the ordinance in hopes of sending a strong message to would-be bullies. While bullying largely goes underreported by children and young adults, federal data suggests that 28 percent of students in grades 6-12 are victims of…
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Some Cops are Willing to Break the Law to Put you in Jail
When you are in danger, you expect the police to protect you; when someone is breaking the law, you expect the police to act accordingly, and above all, when the police make an arrest, you expect them to do so with a strong sense of morality and for the betterment of society. These expectations are usually met during most police-civilian interactions, but that is not always the case. When corruption…
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