Monthly Archives: July 2013
Man wins settlement after being locked away and forgotten about
The following story may not have occurred here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but the extreme circumstances of an imprisoned man who was locked away and forgotten about — literally — will resonate with people locally and nationally. A 25-year-old college student in California was arrested on suspicion of drug crimes by the Drug Enforcement Agency in April… Read More »
Complaints about combating internet crimes are growing
There are two sides to every coin; and if we make the “coin” in this statement “the internet,” then the two sides could not be further apart. A lot of good can be done over the internet; and there can also be some truly bad things that occur because of the internet. The question… Read More »
Traffic stops and seizure of drugs on Pennsylvania Turnpike
I am a Pittsburgh criminal defense attorney with extensive experience representing individuals charged with Delivery, Possession with Intent to Deliver or Possession of Controlled Substances in state and federal courts in Western Pennsylvania. Frequently, my clients are arrested based on the seizure of drugs resulting from a traffic stop. In Pennsylvania, a traffic stop is… Read More »
Saliva tests for DUIs draw ire, controversy
Saliva tests for drunk driving may not be something that Pittsburgh residents are familiar with; but in other states, and even countries, saliva tests are used as a base piece of evidence to justify more comprehensive and concrete testing of a person’s blood alcohol content. Many people are skeptical of the science behind a… Read More »
Memories may not be as reliable as many people think
Last week, we wrote a post about the FBI ordering a review of a sample of cases that involved hair evidence. The convictions that came out of these cases were put under review to discover if the importance of hair evidence in a case is overstated — in other words, that prosecutors and jurors believe the… Read More »
Five-Year Prison Term for Armed Felons Proposed in Pennsylvania
After being convicted of a serious violent crime in Pennsylvania, offenders are prohibited from ever again owning a firearm. Even after release from prison and satisfactory completion of all other aspects of their punishment, these individuals can be criminally prosecuted simply for possession of a gun. But, some Pennsylvania lawmakers are saying that current… Read More »
Thousands of cases that used hair evidence under federal review
In our last post, we discussed the great potential of DNA evidence. It certainly sounds like the dawn of a new age for the criminal justice system. But just like any aspect of the system, there is a human element involved — and that means mistakes can be made and suspects can be wrongfully… Read More »
Teen arrested for alleged robberies outside Pittsburgh
A teenager has been arrested for allegedly robbing a man last Monday in Brentwood. The young man denies that he was involved, but police are also saying he is a suspect in other robbery cases that have happened in June. Police aren’t saying what evidence they might have the led them to this particular… Read More »
Domestic violence charges filed against rapper 50 Cent
Curtis Jackson, known to many people as 50 Cent, has been accused of domestic violence, stemming from an incident in late June. When police arrived at the scene, there were broken pieces of furniture and clothes were thrown on the floor. The victim of the incident was injured, she says, when Jackson kicked her…. Read More »
Man cleared of domestic violence after case dropped
While the following story is a little bit old and it did not occur here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, there are a few critical points to it that people need to hear. CeaseFire, an organization that tries to quell gang violence and gun use, fired its director after he was accused of domestic violence by his wife…. Read More »
