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Criminal Law

California Criminal Defense Blog

Focuses on drug crimes, criminal defense, white-collar crimes, drunken driving and sex crimes.
By Neil Shous, Esq.

Post Frequency: 0.7/day

Last Entry: July 28, 2010 at 20:26:09

Arraignment Postponed for Los Angeles "Grim Sleeper"

Posted on July 28, 2010
Arraignment was postponed for Lonnie Franklin Jr. (a.k.a. the ?grim sleeper) until August 23rd because of a change in his public defender. The Los Angeles man who was charged with 10 counts of murder and one count of attempted murder...

When Therapists Also Need Help

Posted on July 22, 2010
Professionals beware?if you suffer a criminal conviction (or perhaps even simply suffer an arrest)?your professional license, livelihood, and reputation are on the line. This is because most California professional organizations discipline their members for criminal conduct...

Attempted Murder -- California's "Catch-all" Crime

Posted on July 20, 2010
California?s attempted murder law is easy to charge but fortunately a little more difficult to prove. We say this because anytime someone is beaten, sexually assaulted, maimed, or even threatened, overzealous prosecutors charge this crime. They attempt to prove that...

A Felon No More

Posted on July 14, 2010
Our society stigmatizes criminals. I know, this isn?t news, right? But what is noteworthy is the fact that you don?t necessarily have to bear the lifetime burden of being labeled a ?felon?. California law allows certain felony offenses to be...

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The Difference Between Resisting Arrest and Resisting an Executive Officer

Posted on July 12, 2010
Penal Code 148(a)(1) PC California?s resisting arrest law and Penal Code 69 PC California?s resisting an executive officer law are very closely related. Both punish an individual for physically resisting an officer who is engaged in the performance of his/her...

Unexplained Fourth of July Drive-By Shooting

Posted on July 08, 2010
Last Sunday night, as people were shooting off fireworks at Collingwood and Matson Streets in Sacramento, California celebrating the fourth of July, two people were shot during a drive-by shooting. Both victims were taken to the hospital with non life-threatening...

How Injuries Affect a California Battery Conviction

Posted on July 08, 2010
There are essentially three levels of injury that are addressed under California?s battery laws: minor injury, serious bodily injury, and great bodily injury. If you are convicted of Penal Code 242 PC battery?and you caused the alleged victim to suffer...

$500,000 Worth of Illegal Fireworks Found in a La Puente Home

Posted on July 02, 2010
Last week, police discovered about $500,000 worth of illegal fireworks stockpiled in a La Puente home in Southern California. According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, an accident could have ignited a fire that could have quickly destroyed neighboring...

Felony Evasion of a Peace Officer Causing Injury or Death...What Happens When People Get Hurt

Posted on June 24, 2010
Yesterday we wrote about what happens when people attempt to evade the police and they willfully disregard the safety of other people and property. In that case, no actual injury need occur to be found guilty, nonetheless the punishment is...

High-Speed Chases and Felony Evasion of a Peace Officer...What Happens When the Show's Over

Posted on June 23, 2010
At the beginning of the day, the Manhattan Beach Police Department wanted Vincent Olivadoti for a string of felonies: identity theft, burglary, drug offenses, vandalism, and more. By the end of the day, Vincent could add another one to the...

Understanding the Difference between Robbery, Burglary, and Theft

Posted on June 18, 2010
These three California offenses are very closely related...and commonly confused. This is because each one shares ?elements? with the other. Let me explain. Penal Code 211 PC California?s robbery law punishes the act of taking someone else?s property from that...

False Imprisonment vs. Kidnapping

Posted on June 17, 2010
Penal Code 236 PC California?s false imprisonment law and Penal Code 207 PC California?s kidnapping law are frequently confused and commonly misunderstood. Many people believe that Penal Code 236 PC California?s false imprisonment law necessarily involves incarceration in a jail...

Dissuading a Witness -- A Relatively Minor Offense...That is, Unless You're a Gang Member

Posted on June 16, 2010
Penal Code 136.1 PC California?s ?dissuading a witness law? is a wobbler. A ?wobbler? is an offense that prosecutors can choose to file as either a misdemeanor or a felony. When convicted of Penal Code 136.1 PC California?s ?dissuading a...

Top Five Reasons Why California's 10-20-Life Law is Unduly Harsh

Posted on June 15, 2010
California?s ?10-20-life ?use a gun and you?re done?? law subjects an offender to ten years in prison for using a gun, 20 years for discharging a gun, and 25-years-to-life for seriously injuring or killing another person with a gun. What?s...

Prison vs. Release

Posted on June 11, 2010
Most of the time, we would assume that being free is better than being incarcerated. But that may not be the case for sex offenders or for sexually violent predators (referred to as SVPs). When these individuals are released back...

Mentally Disordered Offenders

Posted on June 10, 2010
Mentally disordered offenders (referred to as MDOs) are California state prison inmates who suffer from severe mental illness. And while it is believed that more than half of all state jail and prison inmates are affected by mental illness, MDOs...

Authorities Bust California Drug-Trafficking Gang

Posted on June 09, 2010
Authorities arrested thirty-six alleged members and associates of the Nuestra Familia (our family) criminal street gang for drug distribution conspiracy and related charges. Each defendant faces life in prison and a $4,000,000 fine. Federal, California, and local law enforcement agencies...

California Gun Laws

Posted on June 07, 2010
California firearm offenses seem to be on the rise. It?s as if there?s always a news story about a celebrity being charged with carrying a concealed weapon, someone being held-up at gun point, an innocent victim being gunned down in...

The Difference Between Negligently Discharging a Firearm and Shooting at an Inhabited Dwelling

Posted on June 04, 2010
Penal Code 246 PC ?shooting at an inhabited dwelling? prohibits intentionally firing a gun at an inhabited home or occupied car. And, for that matter, it?s not even necessary that you fire ?at? a home or car?simply shooting in close...

Shooting at an Inhabited Dwelling and its Connection to Murder

Posted on June 02, 2010
Penal Code 246 PC California?s law against ?shooting at an inhabited dwelling? prohibits willfully and maliciously firing a gun at a ?lived in? home, regardless of whether anyone is home at the time. But if the prosecutor can prove that...

Ex-Duke Football Players Plead Guilty to Gun Charges

Posted on May 28, 2010
Last week, three ex-Duke football players pled guilty to two misdemeanor gun charges: possessing a gun on school grounds and possessing a concealed weapon. Each student received a one-year probation, a $500 fine, and community service. Because these were misdemeanor...

Guns, Knives, Beer Bottles, and Dogs...All Deadly Weapons

Posted on May 27, 2010
Yes, that?s right. California law recognizes even seemingly innocent objects such as beer bottles and animals such as dogs as deadly weapons?that is, if used in a manner that is likely to cause a serious injury to another. If, for...

Assault with a Deadly Weapon or Assault with a Firearm?

Posted on May 25, 2010
The answer to this question can be somewhat confusing under California law. Take for example, a situation where someone points a gun at someone else. While it would seem like this would be an obvious violation of California?s ?assault with...

Are Knife Laws Becoming More Lenient?

Posted on May 25, 2010
In New Hampshire they are. In California, not so much. Last Thursday, New Hampshire repealed a law prohibiting people from carrying switchblades, stilettos, dirks, and daggers. What used to be considered a misdemeanor is now perfectly legal in that state...

Delta Pilot Arrested for Carrying a Concealed Weapon

Posted on May 21, 2010
Police arrested a Delta Airlines off-duty pilot last Saturday when airport security found a concealed loaded handgun in his luggage. Although the pilot reportedly had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, that authority doesn?t extend to an airport. This...

Orange County District Attorney's Office Drops Domestic Violence Charges against Jenna Jameson's Boyfriend Tito Ortiz

Posted on May 19, 2010
The Orange County District Attorney?s Office announced last week that they were rejecting domestic violence charges that were brought against Tito Ortiz ? the boyfriend of former porn star Jenna Jameson. Initially Jameson reported that Ortiz had ?attacked her? but...

Room for Redemption

Posted on May 18, 2010
No more life in prison without possibility of parole for juvenile offenders convicted of nonhomicide crimes. So says the Supreme Court. Such a punishment contravenes the evolving standards of decency through which we evaluate the Eighth Amendment. Such a punishment...

It's Ironic - You Don't Have to Personally Use a Firearm to be Convicted of Personally Using a Firearm in California

Posted on May 18, 2010
That?s right, you read that correctly. California law provides that you can be convicted of using a firearm even if you?re not the one who uses the gun. This is because Penal Code 12022 and PC 12022.5, California?s sentencing enhancements...

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Posted on May 17, 2010
Failed New York Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad was charged with, among other things, attempting to use a ?weapon of mass destruction?. The alleged weapon was a ?destructive device? more commonly referred to as a bomb. Shahzad faces federal charges...

California Laws Regarding Private Gun Transfers

Posted on May 17, 2010
Unlike some other states, California requires that all private party gun transfers be brokered through a licensed California gun dealer. If you don?t participate in this type of required exchange, the circumstances of the offense will dictate which California gun...

Guarding the Guardians Requires Information

Posted on May 14, 2010
Lack of transparency regarding law enforcement use of force continues in Southern California despite years of struggles waged in the courts and media. Recent articles and reports addressed this problem as it relates to the Los Angeles Police Commission and...

California's MANY Gun Laws...

Posted on May 13, 2010
California gun laws prohibit you from carrying a variety of illegal weapons. But instead of simply saying that you can?t carry a concealed weapon without a permit, or that you can?t possess an illegal gun, the California Legislature came up...

Open Carry vs. Concealed Carry

Posted on May 13, 2010
This is a big debate among gun enthusiasts. California?s open carry laws allow an individual to ?openly carry? his/her unloaded firearms in plain view. Concealed carry refers to the practice of carrying concealed firearms on your person. Both are legal...

Legal Racial Profiling

Posted on May 07, 2010
Racial profiling is once again in the headlines. Not like it?s really ever gone away, but Arizona?s new legislation certainly catapults it back into the limelight. In the broadest and strictest illegal immigration law this nation has ever seen, the...

Sincerity Is Not A Crime

Posted on May 06, 2010
California has a number of criminal bribery charges. Some involve bribing public officials, some involve private businesses, some involve jurors, and some involve witnesses. But no matter who the ?players? are that are involved in the alleged bribe, there is...

Pepper Spray - A Legal Weapon Frequently Used In An Illegal Manner

Posted on May 05, 2010
Three fifteen-year-old girls were arrested over the weekend on felony charges when they attacked another teen with pepper spray and then slammed her head into the ground. Pepper spray is a legal self-defense weapon in California. However, it is also....

Gun Lobbyists Making More Headway (Just Not in California)

Posted on May 04, 2010
On July 29, 2010, Arizona will become the third state to allow its residents to carry concealed weapons without a permit to do so. Although there will be some restrictions for ?sensitive? areas such as bars and school grounds, the...

Common "Kickbacks" May Actually Be Illegal Bribery

Posted on May 03, 2010
?Kickbacks? are common in many industries. They are regarded as a type of ?perk? and many people graciously offer and accept them without giving them much thought...or at least turn a blind-eye to the practice. Simply put, kickbacks are payment,...

Corrupt Witness Testimony

Posted on April 29, 2010
?I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?? This is the oath that witnesses take before testifying in California criminal trials. We?ve all heard it, either live in a courtroom setting, in TV, or...

The Confusion behind California's Gun Laws

Posted on April 29, 2010
California has so many gun laws on its books that it?s sometimes hard to differentiate between crimes. Carrying a concealed weapon, carrying a loaded firearm, unlawfully carrying a firearm, personally using a firearm?these are just a few of California?s gun...

Plea Bargains

Posted on April 28, 2010
Plea bargaining is a useful tool that is beneficial to both the prosecution and the defense. The parties typically enter into these negotiations when neither side is confident that the case will ultimately resolve in their favor. When the defendant...

Jesse James Finally Catches a Break...

Posted on April 27, 2010
As if a sex scandal and publicized marital problems with wife Sandra Bullock weren?t enough, West Coast Choppers? owner Jesse James got himself into some more trouble late last month when he was cited for violating Penal Code 594 PC,...

Vermont Woman Charged with Doctor Shopping

Posted on April 26, 2010
Late last week, a Vermont woman was charged with what police and prosecutors call ?doctor shopping?. This phenomenon?actually referred to as prescription fraud?is on the rise across the country. In fact, California has its fair share of cases, especially since...

Who is Affected by California's Bribery Laws?

Posted on April 22, 2010
Pretty much everyone who is involved with (or who attempts to get involved with) a bribe. This is because California?s bribery laws apply not only to the person who offers a bribe but also to a person who asks for...

The Connection between Drugs and Weapons

Posted on April 21, 2010
Both the California Legislature and California courts believe that people who suffer from drug addiction are so dangerous that they cannot be trusted to own or possess firearms. Penal Code 12021 PC, California?s ?felon with a firearm? law, specifically revokes...

The Connection between Brandishing a Weapon, Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and Criminal Threats

Posted on April 20, 2010
Although these are three completely separate charges, they are often very closely related. This is because any one of these offenses is typically (though not necessarily) carried out simultaneously with the others. Let?s take an example. Suppose that Rich points...

Be Careful of What You Ask For...

Posted on April 19, 2010
It?s human nature to try to talk our way out of trouble. But be careful of how you try to do so. If, for example, you?re stopped for DUI, speeding, or any other traffic violation?and ask the officer if there?s...

DUI with a Child - Sentencing Enhancement or a Felony?

Posted on April 12, 2010
California criminal law provides that if you are DUI with a child passenger who is under 14, you will automatically face a sentencing enhancement. The additional amount of jail time you face for this enhancement depends on whether it?s your...

The Consequences of Staged Accidents

Posted on April 07, 2010
Staged accidents are just that -- ?accidents? that are staged. Often times orchestrated by sophisticated crime rings, these intentional collisions are planned to make it look like an insured driver is at fault when, in reality, the insured driver was...

Bribery Comes at a High Cost?

Posted on April 06, 2010
While many people may not think of bribery as a major crime, it can subject an offender to substantial criminal penalties. Take, for example, the most recent publicized case against Daimler AG (a powerhouse German automaker). Daimler AG is paying...

When "Consensual" Sodomy Isn't...

Posted on April 01, 2010
Earlier this week, prosecutors charged a 20-year-old Alabama man with 12 counts of sodomy. The charges were based on acts that were committed over a nine-month period with a 14-year-old girl. The police chief acknowledged that there was no force...

Calabasas Nursing Home Employee Stands Trial for Elder Abuse and Torture

Posted on March 31, 2010
Cesar Ulloa, a former employee at the upscale Calabasas Silverado Senior Living Center, is in trial this week. The Los Angeles District Attorney?s office charged Ulloa with seven counts of elder abuse and one count of torture for abusing and...

California Woman Who Set Fire to Stripper Convicted of Aggravated Mayhem

Posted on March 26, 2010
Earlier this month, a California woman was convicted of aggravated mayhem and torture for throwing a gasoline-filled beer can at a stripper and then setting the woman on fire. She was sentenced to life in prison. The incident took place...

California's No Drop Policy

Posted on March 24, 2010
Contrary to popular belief, it is the prosecutor, not the victim who determines whether to file or drop California domestic violence charges. Many California prosecuting agencies go so far as to subscribe to a ?no drop? policy. This means that...

Not All Negligent Acts are Treated the Same

Posted on March 19, 2010
In fact, under California law, they are treated quite differently. Civil negligence (sometimes referred to as ?ordinary? negligence) involves simple carelessness. California criminal negligence, on the other hand, involves extreme recklessness. If you are guilty of ordinary negligence, it means...

Brandon Hein - Life in Prison under California's Felony-Murder Rule

Posted on March 18, 2010
Perhaps the most relatively recent controversial product of the often criticized California felony-murder rule is Brandon Hein. Brandon Hein, then 17, was sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in the 1995 stabbing of another teenager. The case received...

California's So-Called "Mandatory" Parole Law

Posted on March 12, 2010
California essentially subscribes to a mandatory parole program. In theory, this means that all eligible inmates who come up for parole will be granted parole. In reality, this means something completely different. You see, before a ?lifer? is placed on...

California's New Non-revocable Parole Program

Posted on March 12, 2010
In an effort to improve parole supervision, relieve California?s over-crowded prisons, and reduce recidivism (that is, the number of people who are released from prison and go on to commit new crimes), the California Department of Corrections recently launched a...

Understanding the Difference Between California Probation and Parole

Posted on March 11, 2010
Even though the terms probation and parole are frequently used interchangeably, they are actually quite different. Take, for example, yesterday?s reports about rapper DMX. About half of the media websites reported that the rapper violated his probation, while the other...

Former R&B Artist D'Angelo Arrested for Soliciting a Cop

Posted on March 09, 2010
R&B singer D?Angelo, whose real name is Michael Archer, was arrested in Manhattan over the weekend for allegedly offering an undercover cop posing as a prostitute $40 for oral sex. D?Angelo is maintaining his innocence and has plead not guilty...

Good Samaritan Acquitted of Battery on a Peace Officer

Posted on February 24, 2010
Earlier this month, a San Francisco jury acquitted a man of battery on a code enforcement officer following a two-day trial. The facts revealed that, upon seeing a ?meter maid? approaching a parked car, the defendant decided to be a...

California Assault and Battery - Understanding the Difference

Posted on February 19, 2010
People quite often refer to an assault as an ?assault and battery?. While it?s definitely possible to commit an ?assault and battery? the two are, in fact, separate crimes. Here?s the distinction? A California Penal Code 240 PC ?assault? takes...

Preponderance of the Evidence vs. Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

Posted on February 12, 2010
In law, we frequently refer to the ?burden of proof?. This legal term refers to how much proof the prosecutor or plaintiff needs before he/she can obtain a ruling against the defendant. Two of the most common ?burdens? are ?preponderance...

Great Bodily Injury -- A California Nightmare

Posted on February 05, 2010
California?s legal definition of ?great bodily injury? is a significant or substantial injury. Otherwise known as ?GBI? or ?great bodily harm?, great bodily injury is a sentencing enhancement. This means that when a defendant is convicted of a California criminal...

Authorities Bust Largest Medi-Cal Fraud Ring in California History

Posted on January 29, 2010
In 2009, a multi-agency unit, including the FBI and the California Attorney General, arrested 42 people suspected of Medi-Cal fraud. These defendants were accused of defrauding Medi-Cal out of $4.6 million, making it the largest single case of Medi-Cal fraud...

The Unfortunate Plight of Nursing Home Employees

Posted on January 22, 2010
As with anything in this world, there are always going to be exceptions to the rule. But in general, California nursing homes are staffed by caring, nurturing individuals who truly want to help others. The problem is lies in the...

If It's Too Good To Be True, It Usually Is...

Posted on January 21, 2010
I was at my grandfather?s house earlier this week. As he was opening his mail, he became very excited. He received a letter informing him that he had won $2,500,000.00 and just needed to send a $20 ?handling? fee to...

Elder Abuse on the Rise

Posted on January 18, 2010
Elder abuse has become a growing concern in California. Broadly defined in California?s Welfare and Institution Code and in Penal Code 368 PC, ?elder abuse? is any abuse, whether it?s physical, emotional, financial?and whether it?s inflicted by a family member,...

The California Plea Bargain Catchall ? ?Disturbing the Peace?

Posted on January 14, 2010
While California Penal Code 415 ?disturbing the peace? is a crime unto itself, it is much more frequently used as a California plea bargaining tool. There are a variety of crimes, such as prostitution, lewd conduct in public, and indecent...

Dancer/Choreographer "Shane" Sparks Arrested for Child Molestation

Posted on January 13, 2010
What?s interesting about this case is the fact that these child molestation charges arise out of a series of incidents that took place between 1994 and 1997?which means that the statute of limitations (the time by which criminal charges must...

Man Convicted for Indecent Exposure...In His Own Home

Posted on January 08, 2010
Yep, that?s right. Eric Williamson was convicted of violating Virginia?s indecent exposure law. This case received national attention because of the fact that Williamson was in his own home at the time of the offense. Police arrested Williamson after a...

Introducing the First Legal Male Prostitutes

Posted on January 04, 2010
In Nevada, that is. Nevada is currently the only state where prostitution is legal?as long as it is confined to brothels located in specific counties within the state. Until recently, these brothels only hired women in accordance with the state?s...

Arson Investigation - Hardly a Science

Posted on December 24, 2009
Recent reports indicate that thousands of convicted arsonists may have been falsely accused and wrongfully convicted. This is due to the fact that arson investigators have relied on a basic set of assumptions about how fires burn?assumptions which really amount...

The Importance of Being Removed from the California Megan's Law Website

Posted on December 18, 2009
Sex offenses are, perhaps, the most socially stigmatized crimes. Society often shuns, ignores, and even abuses its sex offenders. The California Megan?s Law website is largely to blame for this behavior. Depending on the particular sex crime for which an...

Decoy Officers Frequently Used to Catch So-Called Predators

Posted on December 17, 2009
Decoy officers are frequently used to catch?or entrap?so-called on-line child ?predators?. Cops, relying on the anonymity of the Internet, pose as young children (usually 13 years old) in an effort to arrest unsuspecting individuals for a variety of California sex...

Harassing Text Messages Lead to Cyberstalking Charges

Posted on December 16, 2009
Last week, police arrested Devar L. Hurd for cyberstalking the mother of R&B singer Ashanti Douglas. Prosecutors report that Hurd sent Ms. Douglas over 30 explicit text messages. Some of the messages qualified as ?sext? messages, including several photos of...

Celebrity Stalking

Posted on December 15, 2009
While celebrity stalking seems all the rage, it actually only comprises a small fraction of all California stalking charges. In fact, most California stalking charges involve domestic violence?that is, instances of stalking that involve intimate partners...

The History of California Spousal Rape Law

Posted on December 10, 2009
Many people don?t realize that California spousal rape is a crime. This misconception may be due to the fact that it didn?t used to be. In fact, California Penal Code 262 spousal rape is a fairly recent offense?it didn?t even...

Common Misconceptions about California Date Rape

Posted on December 08, 2009
The term ?date rape? conjures up different ideas for different people. Many think that it is a less serious offense than a ?traditional? rape charge. Many think it necessarily involves one person ?drugging? another with popular ?date rape drugs? such...

Roman Polanski on House Arrest for His 1977 California Statutory Rape Charges

Posted on December 07, 2009
After decades of living on the run, director Roman Polanski began house arrest last Friday. This sentence stems from his 1977 conviction where he plead guilty to California statutory rape, Penal Code 261.5 PC. He is currently serving his sentence...

An Overview of California Rape Laws

Posted on December 03, 2009
Although Penal Code 261 PC ?rape? is a crime in-and-of itself, there are a variety of sex crimes that are subject to California?s rape laws. Offenses such as spousal rape, date rape, statutory rape, and even oral copulation by force...

Highway 15 a Fertile Ground for DUI Arrests

Posted on October 27, 2009
The stretch of Interstate Highway 15 from Las Vegas to Ontario is a fertile ground for police to issue speeding tickets, DUI arrests and other driving-related citations. Barstow CA DUI attorney Robert Little says that many of the DUI arrests...

Judges Order CA to Reduce Prison Population

Posted on October 26, 2009
The California prison population will experience a 27% decrease over the next two years, or at least that?s the plan. A panel of federal judges recently ordered the state of California to reduce its prison population of 150,000 down to...

Jackson Doctor Administered Lethal Dose

Posted on October 21, 2009
According to The Washington Post, Michael Jackson was administered a deadly dosage of propofol, an anesthetic drug that a personal physician was administering to the entertainer as a sedative to help him sleep. Though the anesthetic is not recommended for...

Veteran Officer Sentenced for Making Threats

Posted on October 14, 2009
According to a recent report on nbclosangeles.com, a former Los Angeles police officer was sentenced to over four years in state prison for Penal Code 422 criminal threats charges. The officer, a 39-year-old, 10-year veteran of the LAPD was the...

LAPD Perjury Case Should Make Us All More Critical of Police Testimony

Posted on October 07, 2009
Three LAPD officers were charged with perjury Tuesday based on a videotape that surfaced contradicting their testimony about seeing a suspect toss a baggie of cocaine. The video also appears to depict the officers agreeing to "doctor" their police report...

Suspects Wrongfully Accused of Lewd Conduct at Elysian Park

Posted on October 06, 2009
The LAPD is making an increasing number of arrests at Elysian Park for Penal Code 647(a) Lewd Conduct in Public. Most of the arrests involve undercover decoy officers posing as gay men cruising at the park. When an unsuspecting gay...

Ending Penal Code 290 Registration

Posted on September 30, 2009
People convicted of certain sex offenses in California have the onerous requirement of lifetime registration as a sex offender. This means they must register with the local police every time they move and every year within 5 days of their...

Life in Prison for Forgetfulness?

Posted on September 28, 2009
People convicted of certain sex offenses in California become registered sex offenders for life. They must register with their local police department(s) every time they change their residence and every year within 5 days of their birthday. Not completing these...

Can a Bully Claim Self-Defense?

Posted on September 24, 2009
California self-defense laws allow people to use reasonable force (and even violence) to protect themselves against an attacker. The threat must be immediate and a person must use no more force than is reasonably necessary to thwart the attack. But...

Are You a Cop?

Posted on September 23, 2009
An old urban legend has it that undercover cops must disclose their police status if a suspect inquires. So if a drug dealer about to sell to an undercover asks "Are you a cop?", the legend has it that the...

Penal Code 1000 and State Licensing Agencies

Posted on September 21, 2009
Stated in Penal Code 1000, California drug diversion allows certain defendants facing narcotics charges to complete a rehab program rather than go to jail. Generally, only nonviolent first-time drug users or possessors qualify. And those who underwent a prior drug...

Proposition 36 & DUI Cases: Casting Too Narrow a Net

Posted on September 18, 2009
California Proposition 36 allows nonviolent drug offenders to participate in treatment programs rather than go to jail. Eligible defendants plead guilty to the underlying drug charge, and are then placed on probation and ordered to complete an outpatient program...

Arson Charges for a Child?

Posted on September 17, 2009
The L.A. Times is reporting: Prosecutors Must Decide Whether to Charge 13-year-old Who Allegedly Started Brush Fire September 17, 2009 | 7:28 am Los Angeles prosecutors could decide today whether to file charges against a 13-year-old boy accused of starting...

Internet Sting Operations Target Child Pornography

Posted on September 16, 2009
California child pornography laws make it illegal to produce, advertise, sell, distribute or possess images depicting children engaged in stimulating sexual conduct. Offenders face prosecution, jail time and sometimes even state prison. The internet has become the primary medium through...

California Embezzlement as an Aggravated Form of Theft

Posted on September 15, 2009
Embezzlement under California law is the "fraudulent appropriation of property by a person to whom it has been entrusted." This used to be considered a distinct crime. But now California law treats embezzlement--and punishes it--merely as a variant of theft...

Blackmail as a Crime Under California Extortion Law

Posted on September 14, 2009
Most of us have seen classic "blackmail" scenarios in the movies...for example, obtaining compromising photos depicting someone's infidelity and then threatening to reveal them to the person's spouse unless he pays up. Blackmail as such is prohibited by Penal Code...

Recanting Victims Don't Stop Domestic Violence Prosecutions

Posted on September 11, 2009
California domestic violence laws make it illegal to use violent force (or threats of bodily harm) against an intimate partner. An intimate partner is usually defined as a current or former fianc�, spouse, cohabitant, boyfriend, girlfriend or the parent of...

Welfare Fraud - How it Works

Posted on September 10, 2009
Welfare fraud in California involves persons receiving benefits for which they are not eligible by way of providing false qualifying information. In most cases, the accused person failed to disclose income, assets or circumstances; the reporting of which would have...

California Burglary Law and After-Acquired Intent

Posted on September 09, 2009
Stated in Penal Code 459, California burglary law makes it a crime to enter a structure with the intent to commit petty theft or any felony inside. A person need not actually commit the theft or felony. Merely entering with...

When Does a Spanking Become a Crime?

Posted on September 01, 2009
The Bible tells us that "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him."(Proverbs 13:24). But in California, adhering to this Scripture can land a parent in jail. Stated in Penal...

Informants Must Pass Reliability Tests

Posted on August 27, 2009
Police informants in California provide the authorities with information that leads to search warrants, wiretaps, surveillance and the solving of crimes. The types of informants can range from random citizens who are aware of criminal activity...to agents of the police...

Challenging California Search Warrants

Posted on August 26, 2009
When police suspect that evidence of a crime may be found at a certain location, they can ask a judge to issue a California search warrant. If issued, the search warrant allows the cops to search the designated locations and...

San Bernardino Lacks a Camp System for Juvenile Offenders

Posted on August 24, 2009
The San Bernardino County juvenile court system has relatively few options for where to place minors who are deemed to need detention time. Most are ordered to spend time in the San Bernardino Central Juvenile Hall or the West Valley...

DUI Probation Violations

Posted on August 20, 2009
When people plead guilty to a California DUI charge, they usually get placed on probation. The court imposes certain ?terms and conditions of probation.? Violating these terms and conditions may result in a bench warrant for one?s arrest, a probation...

Serna Motions for Lack of Speedy Arrest

Posted on August 13, 2009
A defendant in California may file a Serna motion when the state fails to execute its prosecution in a speedy manner. The defendant must show that he's been prejudiced (harmed) by the delay. For example, alibi witnesses and other defense...

Police Continue to Entrap Gay Men for Lewd Conduct

Posted on August 10, 2009
Police throughout California continue to arrest unsuspecting gay men as part of lewd conduct sting operations. In spite of protests and recent court victories, cops have shown few signs of slowing down. Penal Code 647(a) ?Lewd Conduct in Public? makes...

What To Do if You Have an Arrest Warrant in California

Posted on August 07, 2009
When prosecutors file criminal charges against someone not already in custody, they take the case to a judge to issue a California arrest warrant. This authorizes the police to apprehend the defendant and detain him/her until arraignment or, if bail....

When Should Medical Conditions Cost People Their Drivers Licenses?

Posted on August 06, 2009
The California DMV reserves the authority to revoke the driving privileges of anyone determined to be unable to drive safely. One such category of drivers is people with medical conditions that impair their driving skills?such as epilepsy, macular degeneration and...

?Mistake? as a Defense to Perjury

Posted on August 05, 2009
Under Penal Code 118, a person commits perjury in California when he willfully gives false testimony while under oath. This usually happens at court proceedings or depositions, but it can also occur in affidavits or any document that?s signed under...

Crimes Involving Moral Turpitude

Posted on August 03, 2009
The term ?crimes involving moral turpitude? refers to a category of crimes that are said to involve dishonesty, deceit, or a ?readiness to do evil.? The list of such crimes ranges from murder to perjury to theft offenses. Whether a...

Post-Conviction Relief for Non-Citizens

Posted on July 31, 2009
Hundreds of thousands of non-citizens face immigration consequences for prior criminal convictions. These consequences affect legal and illegal immigrants alike, and can include deportation, denial of re-entry and denial of the chance for naturalization to the United States...

Criminal Defense of Non-Citizens is Complex and Fraught with Peril

Posted on July 30, 2009
The intersection of criminal and immigration law is extremely complex and fraught with peril for attorneys and clients. A non-citizen facing criminal charges must worry not just about jail time and a criminal record, but also possibly losing his immigration...

California Auto Burglary Requires a Break-in

Posted on July 27, 2009
The traditional common law definition of burglary is breaking and entering a structure with the intent of stealing goods or committing other crimes inside. Under Penal Code 459, California burglary law breaks with the common law by nixing the "breaking...

Grand Theft vs. Petty Theft in California

Posted on July 24, 2009
The two most common California theft crimes are Penal Code 487 Grand Theft and Penal Code 488 Petty Theft. Both crimes are identical except for one distinction: the value of the property stolen. Theft of property worth more than $400...

Criminal Liability for Stealing & Receiving Stolen Property

Posted on July 24, 2009
California Penal Code 496 defines Receiving Stolen Property as purchasing or otherwise taking possession of items you know to be stolen. As a general rule, this means someone else actually stole the goods and you subsequently received them. The original...

Medical Marijuana Will Now Be Taxed in Oakland

Posted on July 23, 2009
This week, a measure to tax medical marijuana in Oakland passed by a landslide: Eighty percent of participants in the special mail-in election voted to impose a 1.8% gross receipts tax on the city?s four licensed medical marijuana dispensaries. Supporters...

Jury Hangs in OC Murder for Hire Case

Posted on July 22, 2009
A Santa Ana jury hung yesterday in the murder trial of Sandra Jessee, accused of hiring someone to stab her husband who was ill with colon cancer. The prosecution argued that Jessee was frustrated with the victim's mounting medical bills,...

Man Faces Trial in Simi Valley Shooting Rampage

Posted on July 21, 2009
Jaime Parades pleaded not guilty today to murder and attempted murder in connection with a July 1st shooting rampage at a Simi Valley Dental Clinic. In the incident, Parades allegedly stormed the clinic, shooting his wife to death and critically...

Negligent Operator Suspensions Can Often be Avoided

Posted on July 14, 2009
A California driver who acquires too many points on his or her driving record can be declared a Negligent Operator and see their driver?s license suspended. This happens if you receive 4 points in a 12 month period, 6 points...

Michael Jackson Doctors Could Face Murder

Posted on July 13, 2009
Although no charges have been filed yet, the doctors overseeing Michael Jackson could face prosecution--possibly even for murder--if it's determined that they knowingly and improperly administered to him a dangerous combination of drugs. Dr. Alex Farshchian, a Miami Beach doctor...

Local Officials Continue to Attack Dispensaries

Posted on July 10, 2009
Under new Obama Administration policies, Federal authorities have stopped making raids on legitimate medical marijuana clinics. But officials in Los Angeles and other municipalities are picking up the slack. The city has enacted a 2-year moratorium on new dispensaries, and...

Penal Code 470: California?s Forgery Law

Posted on July 08, 2009
Most people think of forgery as signing someone else?s name to a document without the person?s permission. But Penal Code 470 ? California?s forgery law actually reads much broader than that. In California, a person commits forgery when he knowingly....

Reforms Needed to Hone the Reach of Proposition 36

Posted on July 07, 2009
In 2000, California overhauled its drug laws by enacting Proposition 36. The ?Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act? allows most offenders convicted of casual drug use or possession to undergo treatment in lieu of any jail time. The policy goals...

Tough Sentencing for Drug Users in California

Posted on July 06, 2009
California is thought to offer one of the more lenient sentencing schemes in the nation for casual drug users. Offenders charged with first-offense drug possession almost always can escape custody time (and get the charges dismissed) through Penal Code 1000...

California Marijuana Law: Easy on Users, Harsh on Sellers

Posted on July 03, 2009
California law draws a sharp distinction between marijuana for personal use versus cultivating marijuana or selling marijuana. The former triggers only a small fine and no jail time. The latter can land a person in state prison for years. Under...

"Resisting Arrest" is Broadly Defined

Posted on July 01, 2009
California Penal Code 148 (a)(1) defines the offense commonly known as "resisting arrest." This crime most frequently gets charged in a situation where a police officer goes to arrest someone, and the person struggles physically to avoid being taken into...

Michael Jackson Dies Four Years After Famed Acquittal

Posted on June 26, 2009
Doctors pronounced pop star Michael Jackson dead Thursday, just four years after a Santa Maria jury acquitted him of child molestation charges. In that case, the prosecution charged Jackson with seven counts of Penal Code 288 -- Lewd Acts with...

Vehicle Code 14601 and Vehicle Code 12500: Punishing Unlicensed Driving in California

Posted on May 22, 2009
California has two primary criminal laws that punish people for driving a motor vehicle when they are not properly licensed. California Vehicle Code 12500 makes it a misdemeanor to drive without a valid driver?s license. California Vehicle Code 14601 makes...

Twin Towers Jail in Los Angeles Serves Multiple Purposes

Posted on May 14, 2009
The Twin Towers Correctional Facility is known to be the world?s largest jail at approximately 1.5 million square feet complex. It is built on 10 acres of land consisting of two towers, hence the idea for the name evolved from...

Sheriffs Plead Guilty to ?Assaulting and Battering? a Firefighter

Posted on May 11, 2009
On April 23, two deputies from the L.A. County Sheriff?s Office plead guilty to beating a San Dimas firefighter. All three men were off-duty at the time of the attack. One of the deputies plead guilty to California misdemeanor assault...

California Domestic Battery: What You Need To Know

Posted on May 04, 2009
There are three ways someone can be prosecuted for battery under California?s domestic violence laws. ?Simple domestic battery?, ?willful infliction of corporal injury? and ?aggravated battery? each has a slightly different angle on when and how it would be filed...

Sex Offenses in California - Defined

Posted on April 28, 2009
Sexual battery, sexual assault, and rape are often used to describe a variety of sex crimes. Because these are ?legal? terms, their actual definitions are frequently misinterpreted. Unfortunately, celebrity tabloids, news sources and other media just add to the confusion...

Singer Chris Brown Charged With Aggravated Assault

Posted on April 24, 2009
The Los Angeles District Attorney?s Office charged singer Chris Brown with felony aggravated assault last month for the high-profile alleged attack on his girlfriend Rihanna that took place in February. News sources reported that he was being hit with a...

California and Nevada Possession of an Ounce of Marijuana

Posted on April 17, 2009
Although California marijuana Law and differ in many respects, both states take a relatively lax approach to citizens convicted of possessing marijuana as long as the amount weighs in at one ounce or less (California specifically says 28.5 grams or...

Attorney Darrell York Joins the Shouse Law Group

Posted on March 19, 2009
Attorney Darrell York Joins the Shouse Law Group Darrell York , a former 24-year veteran law enforcement officer with the Glendale Police Department , has joined the Los Angeles-based Shouse Law Group. During his police career, Darrell York undertook a...

Clark County Detention Center is Safe Without Segregation

Posted on March 13, 2009
Four years ago, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Johnson v. California that California may no longer segregate prisoners based on race except in the most extraordinary of circumstances. California argued that separating the races was sometimes the surest...

San Bernardino Cocaine Trafficking Probe

Posted on March 04, 2009
In November 2008, the Press-Enterprise reported in a story on the developments in a large-scale federal cocaine trafficking probe in San Bernardino County. A criminal complaint in San Bernardino Superior Court names 19 defendants and includes felony counts for a...

Southern California Welfare Fraud

Posted on February 25, 2009
In late December 2008, KABC-TV Los Angeles put out a report regarding the pending arrest of county in-home care employees allegedly involved in over 700 cases of fraud. Over 174,000 residents of Los Angeles County receive in-home care from the...

Los Angeles DNA Evidence Backlog: The Perfect Storm

Posted on February 18, 2009
According to a NPR report, a recent audit of the Los Angeles Police Department crime labs found that the department had missed legal deadlines to test DNA samples that were collected as evidence in over 200 rape cases. Police Chief...

Tustin Sex Crime Arrest of School Athletic trainer

Posted on February 11, 2009
On Christmas Day 2008, the Los Angeles Times reported in an article on the arrest of Hope Jacoby, a 23-year-old athletic trainer at Tustin High School for suspicion of committing sexual offenses that included illegal sex acts with an underage...

Comparing The Nevada and California Burglary Laws

Posted on February 06, 2009
The basic definition of burglary is the same in California and Nevada: entering a structure or vehicle intending to commit certain crimes once inside. But the two states differ in whether or not they distinguish between residential and commercial burglary...

Man Faces Vehicular Manslaughter in Fatal Street Racing Incident

Posted on January 27, 2009
Erin Mua, a 21-year-old, has been charged with vehicular manslaughter in connection with a speed racing auto accident that killed Mua?s cousin, 25-year-old Lee Liu Chan. According to this ABC news report, the two cousins were on their way home...

LAPD Officer Arrested On Suspicion of Sexual Assault

Posted on January 20, 2009
Eduardo Bermudez, a 29-year-old Los Angeles Police Department officer, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape, according to this NBC news report. The arrest was made in connection with an LAPD holiday party at a hotel near the Los...

Three Men Arrested In Connection with Robberies

Posted on January 13, 2009
Police have arrested three men in connection with a string of armed follow-home robberies from casinos in Gardena and Commerce, the Daily Breeze reports. John Atkins, 21, of Barstow and his cousins ? 18-year-old Raymond Little Jr. of Duarte and...

Man Pleads Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity

Posted on January 06, 2009
Miguel Ramos, a 28-year-old Chino man, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to charges that he murdered his cousin after finding out that his wife and cousin had an affair. According to this news report in the Inland...

Martial Arts Teacher Pleads Guilty to Molesting Boys

Posted on December 26, 2008
A karate instructor in Orange County pleaded guilty to molesting seven boys in his Westminster studio. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, 51-year-old Patrick Shawn Magnan could face up to 110 years to life in state...

Driving Under the Influence of Drugs Detection Tests on the Way

Posted on October 27, 2008
A recent Los Angeles Times blog by Susan Brink talks about new tests just like a Breathalyzer that researchers hope will detect drivers operating under the influence of illegal drugs. The National Institutes of Health has reportedly released guidelines on...

DUI Suspect Pursued By Police Strikes and Kills Pedestrian

Posted on October 20, 2008
Los Angeles Police officers arrested 41-year-old Robert Palacios on suspicion of murder in Lincoln Heights after he struck and killed a pedestrian during a police pursuit, the Los Angeles Times reports. Police say it was not considered a ?pursuit? because...

Camarillo Man Arrested on Suspicion of DUI and Vehicular Manslaughter

Posted on October 13, 2008
Nicholas Lagrotta, 23, of Camarillo was arrested Aug. 28 on suspicion of striking and killing a jogger on a Thousand Oaks street. Police say, Lagrotta, who hit 46-year-old Kerry Marsh as she was jogging in a bicycle lane on Lindero...

Sexual Assault against Patients Lands Doctor in Jail

Posted on October 06, 2008
A 44-year-old doctor in Rowland Heights has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting his patients during office visits, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports. Dr. Wazir Nadir Ali was reportedly booked on five counts of penetration with a foreign...

San Bernardino Birthday Party Clown Pleads Guilty to Molesting Girls

Posted on September 29, 2008
A birthday party clown pleaded guilty to molestation in San Bernardino County, the Daily Breeze reports. David Albert Lemus aka Trim-Trim the Clown, reportedly agreed to the plea deal at the San Bernardino Superior Court in Fontana. He faces up...

Los Angeles Medicare Fraud Case Ensnares 18

Posted on September 22, 2008
Federal authorities have arrested 18 people in the Los Angeles area on suspicion of filing more than $33 million of phony Medicare bills, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. Officials arrested the suspects Sept. 17 after searching six locations including...

Torrance DUI Crash Injures Two, Jails One

Posted on September 18, 2008
A man suspected of DUI in Torrance crashed into a tree injuring himself and his passenger, the Daily Breeze reports. A passenger?s thumb was cut off when the Ford Taurus overturned. The accident reportedly occurred near the intersection of Van...

Police Arrest Parolee-at-Large After High-Speed Chase

Posted on September 15, 2008
Police in Boyle Heights arrested a parolee-at-large after a chase, which ended in a crash. According to an article in the Pasadena Star News, Lepoldo Monarrez, 28, of Los Angeles was arrested on suspicion of felony evading, resisting arrest and...

Sitcom Actress Arrested In LAX On Suspicion of Drug Possession

Posted on September 08, 2008
Mackenzie Phillips, former sitcom actress and star of ?American Graffiti,? has been charged with the possession of drugs after she was arrested at LAX, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. Phillips, 48, was reportedly arrested Aug. 27 after she went...

DUI Suspect Attempts to Flee, Injures Sheriff's Deputy

Posted on September 04, 2008
A San Diego County Sheriff?s deputy was injured after his holster got caught on the door of a vehicle he had just pulled over and the driver tried to flee the scene, dragging the deputy. According to an article in...

Myths & Truths About Nevada Prostitution Law

Posted on May 30, 2008
Truth: Nevada is the one state in the US where prostitution is legal. Myth: A person can visit Las Vegas and purchase a prostitute legally. The fact is that Nevada prostitution law makes the trade legal only in counties with...

California & Nevada Lewd Conduct Laws

Posted on May 20, 2008
Nevada law as to lewd conduct offenses is generally modeled upon California law. But Nevada?s statutes cast a wider net and impose harsher punishments. California?s Penal Code 647a Lewd Conduct in Public prohibits touching oneself sexually in public, when third...

California Marijuana Law Differs for Users versus Sellers

Posted on May 15, 2008
Marijuana law in California could be described as unusually lenient when it comes to casual users, and rather draconian as to sellers and distributors. A casual user caught with under an ounce is charged with Health & Safety Code 11357...

Attorney Gabriel Dorman Joins Neil Shouse & Associates

Posted on May 09, 2008
Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Gabriel Dorman has joined the Southern California law firm of Neil Shouse & Associates. Gabriel Dorman brings 12 years of experience practicing criminal defense law throughout Southern California. He is familiar with courts from Beverly...

Baltimore Case: Miranda Rights Need Not Be Verbatim To Count

Posted on January 30, 2008
State attorneys are celebrating after the Maryland Supreme Court ruled that a detective who told a murder suspect she could ?get a lawyer at some point? if she could not afford one now did not misstate her Miranda rights. Just because the detective did not state the Miranda warning verbatim does not mean that he violated the rights of the suspect, according to the Supreme Court...

Murder Witnesses Called Into Question

Posted on January 28, 2008
Prosecutors thought the father and son who witnessed a California Highway Patrol officer?s murder could be the key to a guilty verdict for suspect Columbus Allen, but credibility issues are calling their testimony into question. The Modesto Bee reports that Christopher Hicks and his son Dujuane both have ?credibility issues?; Dujuane faces his own charges of murder in a recent arrest, and Hicks was known to have possessed weapons and drugs in his home...

?Atonement? And Criminal Defense

Posted on January 26, 2008
The romantic epic film ?Atonement? is sweeping the box office and the awards ceremonies, recently picking up a Golden Globe Award for Best Drama. What does this have to do with criminal defense? A lot, since the story behind ?Atonement? highlights the damning power of words...

Marion Jones Convicted ? Why You Need A Criminal Defense Lawyer Every Step Of The Way

Posted on January 24, 2008
Marion Jones? recent conviction and sentencing to six months in prison for lying to investigators about her use of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs highlights yet another reason why people who run into criminal situations need a competent and skillful criminal defense attorney to partner with them every step of the way...

San Francisco Zoo Highlights Question of Criminal Negligence

Posted on January 22, 2008
After the tiger attack that left a 17-year-old zoo patron dead and injured two of his friends, the San Francisco Zoo will have an uphill legal battle to face if lawsuits are in fact filed in connection with the attack. Though it?s likely the legal battle will be fought entirely in civil court, the question of responsibility for the tiger attack brings to light relevant questions of criminal negligence that are faced by California criminal defense lawyers on a regular basis...

Pretext Calls ? What You Need To Know

Posted on January 16, 2008
News that United Kingdom law enforcement officials are set to begin trying to make rape suspects incriminate themselves via telephone or text message means there?s no time like the present to review pretext calls. This self-incriminatory tactic is often used by California police early on in rape cases, and you need to know how to protect yourself against the dreaded pretext call...

California Hit and Run Law in the News Lately

Posted on December 19, 2007
Brittney Spears? recent prosecution for Hit and Run in Los Angeles has drawn attention to the duties of a driver following an accident. California has two hit and run statutes. Vehicle Code 20001 defines felony hit and run as fleeing the scene of an accident in which a third party is injured...

The case of Genarlow Wilson

Posted on November 19, 2007
The case of Genarlow Wilson is provides yet another reason that the general public should never blindly trust the government. This is true regardless of how strongly state legislators emphasize that their main goal is to protect their constituents from injustice and cruelty, including those constituents who happen to be accused of committing a crime...

Mike Nifong and The Duke Lacross Case

Posted on November 18, 2007
Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong stated publicly that a small group of lacrosse players from Duke University raped a woman. After putting these young men and the University through a living hell, it was Nifong who was the ultimate wrong doer. He has had his bar license taken from him and he, himself, is facing criminal charges...

Right To Remain Silent

Posted on November 14, 2007
Your right to remain silent is probably one of the most well known rights we enjoy as Americans; yet, at that time when that right is most important, nobody asserts it. In fact not asserting and remaining silent is better than giving a false statement thinking that is going to get rid of the cops...

Former Orange County Church Pastors Decline DA?s Plea Deal

Posted on November 11, 2007
Two former pastors of an Orange County church turned down a plea deal to serve a three-year prison term on charges of grand theft and conspiracy to commit fraud. According to an article in The Orange County Register , Richard and Philip Cunningham ? father and son ? turned down a plea bargain on the felony counts for which they could?ve faced up to six years in state prison...

Not Guilty Plea Entered In Fatal San Fernando Valley Road Rage Crash

Posted on November 09, 2007
Two men have pleaded not guilty to charges that they caused a fatal San Fernando Valley road rage crash that killed a 5-year-old boy and seriously injured the boy?s mother and infant sister, according to an article posted on KCBS TV?s Web site . Brian Barnes, 44 and 19-year-old Armando Ayon both face one count of murder and vehicular manslaughter and three counts of reckless driving, the article states...

Teen Arrested On Suspicion Of Hacking Orange County?s 911 System

Posted on November 06, 2007
A 19-year-old man from the state of Washington was arrested recently and faces numerous felony charges including those involving illegal computer access of Orange County?s 911 System, according to a news report posted on the NBC Web site . Snohomish County resident, Randall Ellis, is believed to have gotten into the Orange County?s 911 System and placed a false report of a fatal shooting and threats at a couple?s Lake Forest residence...

Arson Tip Reward Increased in Santiago Fire

Posted on November 03, 2007
In a recent display of their resolve and commitment, authorities have bumped up the reward for assistance and promised to track down the people responsible for causing the Santiago Fire in Orange County. According to an article in The Los Angeles Times , the reward for any leads that would bring about a conviction has now grown to $285,000...

Los Angeles Sheriff?s Deputies Had An ?Arrest Contest?

Posted on October 30, 2007
A recent Los Angeles Times article uncovered a strange kind of contest in the Los Angeles County Sheriff?s Department. It was not a friendly type of sports contest between police departments or even within the department. Rather it was a competition among deputies ? a game ? to see who could make the most number of arrests in one day...

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