New York State Criminal Defense
Voter fraud in New York
Voter fraud is a form of illegal interference with the electoral process. It comes in a variety of forms, including: Impersonating a registered voter Intimidating someone into voting as directed Fraudulent voter registrations Bribing voters and election officials to produce the desired result Destroying ballots that have already been cast Equally varied are the New…
Read MoreNew York City, stop and frisk, and crime
The interpretation of crime statistics in New York City can depend largely on the viewpoint taken regarding tactics and politics. For this reason, a recent story from the New York Daily News has to be considered with some context in order for it to make sense. A front page story, published June 5, 2015, states,…
Read MoreFederal drug crimes v. state drug crimes
Most drug arrests in New York State are carried out by local law enforcement, but under certain circumstances, a drug crime can become a federal matter. These circumstances include: The accused person had a large enough quantity of drugs in their possession to be charged with trafficking A federal officer makes the arrest The offense…
Read MoreOfficials push for “Blue Lives Matter” laws
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and New Jersey State Senator Joseph Kyrillos (R-Middletown, NJ) both want to classify police slayings as hate crimes. Sen. Kyrillos’s proposal would elevate simple assault to aggravated assault if defendants target police officers simply because of their occupation. Other laws already offer similar protections “based on race, on religion, on…
Read MoreHow does jury selection work?
The U.S. Constitution guarantees a defendant the right to trial by jury in both civil and criminal proceedings. In New York State, a jury pool is drawn from the following resources: Registered voter lists Names on file with the Department of Motor Vehicles Income tax filers Unemployment or family assistance recipients Volunteers Criminal felony trials…
Read MoreDistracted driving
We rely on our cell phones for several reasons: to communicate with friends and family, go shopping, get directions and even snap a selfie for posterity. It has gotten to the point where we reach for the phone automatically whenever it rings, or a text message alert comes through, even when the safety of doing…
Read MoreDifferent types of warrants in New York
Many people are confused over the difference between arrest warrants and bench warrants. Some think they are the same thing. Not quite. Both can result in the police taking you into legal custody but there the similarity ends. They are issued under different conditions, and the implications are not always the same. Arrest warrants An…
Read MoreInfographic: Homicide Rates on the Rise
Homicides Create your own infographics
Read MoreThe Miranda warnings turn fifty
”You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense.”…
Read MoreDon’t make decisions too quickly in the aftermath of a DUI arrest
When you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence or any other kind of criminal charges in New York, it can be tempting to want to cooperate with law enforcement in the hopes of a quick resolution to your dilemma. The arresting officers speaking with you immediately after your arrest are counting on your vulnerability.…
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