Category Archives: Criminal
Are New York Legislators Already Backtracking On Criminal Justice Reforms?
We previously discussed that a number of important criminal justice reforms went into effect here in New York on January 1, one of them being a majority of individuals arrested being released without bail while their cases are pending. However, in early January, legislators announced that they would be returning to the Capitol to… Read More »
Harvey Weinstein Trial Gets Underway In New York & Highlights Juror Bias Issue
As the high-profile trial against Harvey Weinstein begins here in New York in January, the issue of to what extent Weinstein can truly receive a fair trial in terms of impartial jurors remains a serious issue. Specifically, the chances of being able to find a full complement of jurors that are unfamiliar with the… Read More »
Police & Law Enforcement Quickly Adopt Forensic Genealogy Methods to Sold Cold Cases & Charge Suspects Using DNA Evidence That Is Damaged or Contaminated
Forensic genealogy is being used more and more to solve criminal cases, while also raising a number of questions about privacy. The field links DNA testing and family histories to solve a number of criminal cases, including cold cases. Hair, for example, is becoming a powerful source of DNA for researchers, who are reportedly… Read More »
U.S. Supreme Court to Hear “Bridgegate” Case That Could Completely Transform Federal Fraud Charges
In January, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear the controversial “Bridgegate” case involving then New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s staff closing lanes on the George Washington Bridge that connects New York and New Jersey over the course of four days in order to punish the mayor of Fort Lee for refusing to endorse Christie’s… Read More »
A Majority of Female Criminal Defendants Are Abuse Victims: What This Says About Self-Defense
According to studies, 77 percent of female criminal defendants are also victims of abuse and a significant number of women serving time in prison were tried, found guilty, and incarcerated because they were acting in self-defense against their abusers, which is within their legal rights. Take, for example, the story of LeToya Ramseure, who… Read More »
Revenge Pornography Prosecutions Could Be Hampered by Increasingly Successful Free Speech Defense Claims
New York is one of the most recent states to pass a law outlawing what is known as revenge porn, or posting explicit images of others without their consent. Specifically, it makes the malicious publication or sharing of an intimate image of someone without their consent a misdemeanor that can land you in jail… Read More »
If You Have Been Charged with A Military Crime, Know Your Rights
Many people do not realize that being charged with a military crime is the same as being charged with any other crime in that you have the same rights as anyone else—the right to remain innocent until proven guilty. It is crucial that you know how to protect your rights throughout the process, as… Read More »
New York Courts Experience Significant Divergence in Opinion in Sentencing in Terrorism Case
According to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, a 17-year-sentence that was handed down in a Brooklyn federal court for a New Yorker who allegedly sought to engage in a terrorist activity – trying to kill an FBI agent who was searching his home – on behalf of the Islamic State… Read More »
Court Finds That an Immigrant Does Not Forfeit Their Appeal When They Are Deported, Even If They Have Illegally Reentered the U.S.
In December, a federal appeals court declared federal regulations allowing for an immigrant who is in the process of appealing their deportation order to be considered as having forfeited his appeal by getting deported to be illegal. As a result, the court officially reinstated the appeal of the defendant’s deportation. The immigrant had entered… Read More »
New York Moves to Add All Fentanyl Analogs as Schedule I Drugs
Fentanyl-related deaths have skyrocketed in New York and throughout the country, surpassing even the prescription opioid painkiller crisis. According to statistics, there were more than 30,000 fentanyl-related overdose deaths; just last year. As a result, New York may soon have a new drug crime in its criminal code: In December, Governor Cuomo announced that… Read More »
