Crowdsourcing Legislation Raises Money for the Testing of Texas Rape Kits
For years, a massive backlog of untested rape kits in Texas has hindered investigations and the potential exoneration of people wrongly convicted of sexual offenses. However, a new law that crowdfunds money for rape kit testing is making a dent in the problem. It collected almost $250,000 in its first five months, according to the...Read More
When Aggressive Cyber Gaming Becomes a Crime
A recent case in which a Romanian man was sent to a federal prison for a year illustrates how aggressive cyber gaming tactics can cross a line and become a criminal offense. Last month, a federal judge sentenced hacker Calin Mateias after he launched a series of cyber attacks after he became angry in the...Read More
Two Supreme Court Cases Protect the Right to Privacy During an Arrest
Fourth Amendment protections against unlawful search and seizure have been upheld in two recent landmark Supreme Court rulings related to the searches of vehicles. In both rulings handed down last month, the U.S. Supreme Court defended the right to privacy even when the parties in question broke the law. The cases were reported in USA...Read More
Is It Ever a Crime to Search for Information Online?
Most people use the internet every day. Whether you go online for work, school, or just to connect with friends and loved ones, there’s a good chance you conduct several searches each day. In fact, Google processes more than 40,000 search queries every second of every day. The internet has also changed just about...Read More
Debunking 5 White-Collar Crime Myths
“White-collar crime” is a phrase reportedly coined in 1939. It’s also a phrase that covers a wide range of criminal activities. To count as a white-collar crime, an offense must typically involve a financial or fraudulent activity that is non-violent. In many, but not all, cases, the individual who engages in a white-collar offense is...Read More
Why Texas Field Sobriety Tests Are Flawed
Most of us are familiar with field sobriety tests for suspected drunk drivers. A DWI suspect may be asked to walk in a straight line or to stand and turn to indicate if he or she is intoxicated. These tests are still widely used in Texas DWI cases to establish probable cause despite evidence that...Read More
Use of Hypnosis is Challenged in Death Row Appeals in Texas
Hypnosis conjures up images of magicians and pendulums but it is used to secure convictions in Texas. Now two Dallas defendants who believe the technique landed them on Death Row are challenging the state’s use of hypnosis. The Dallas Morning News reported how Texas has one of the most well-used forensic hypnosis programs in the...Read More
Why Trafficking Is One of the Most Serious Drug Crimes in Dallas
Many types of drug crimes in Dallas are felonies, and if those crimes cross state lines, defendants may be tried in federal court, where sentencing guidelines are more punitive. What’s even worse is that people can be charged with drug crimes even if they’re already in prison. Just recently, in fact, federal authorities indicted nine...Read More
Defining the Differences Between Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault in Dallas
Over the past few months, there has been a renewed interest in sexual harassment and sexual assault laws due to the numerous allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. But these offenses are not the same, and it’s important to understand the distinctions between the two. Sexual assault in Texas is usually a felony that can...Read More
Black Activist from Dallas Was Jailed for Facebook Posts
A secretive federal surveillance program led to the arrest of a black activist in Dallas who was jailed for five months over his Facebook posts, a new report claims. The ordeal faced by Rakem Balogun was detailed by The Guardian last week. The black activist described how he was picked up in an FBI operation...Read More