Year: 2017
There are a host of famous — or infamous, depending on your perspective — RICO Act cases throughout U.S. legal history. The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act is a federal statute that has been around since 1970. It makes headlines every now and then in the news when federal law enforcement officials and…
The assumption that most people own a cell phone would not automatically justify an open-ended warrant to search a home anytime officers seek a person’s phone. If you have a cell phone, you’re in good company. According to the Pew Research Center on Internet & Technology, about 95 percent of Americans own a cell phone…
There are definite possible outcomes and it’s important to be aware of them. No matter what kind of case you’re facing, being charged with a crime is a scary experience. It’s normal to have a lot of questions, and to worry about the possible outcomes in your case. Will this affect your career? Will you…
The company behind police tasers is introducing a body camera that will enable police to “anticipate criminal activity.” Several years ago, Steven Spielberg made a movie called “Minority Report,” in which police officers in the future used technology to predict crimes. They were able to “see” crimes before they happened, and they arrested the future…
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has pledged a get-tough approach to drug crimes in America that would lead to longer sentences for possession and dealing in drugs. However, the hardline approach is not translating into more arrests, reported CBS. Indeed, drug prosecutions dropped during the first five months of the Trump presidency. Sessions has spoken of…
This is not the first time investigators have used technology to discredit a suspect’s story. Fitness trackers like the Fitbit have become popular in recent years. People use them to monitor their heart rate, keep track of how many steps they take, and help them get more restful sleep. Recently, a woman’s Fitbit may have…
Is taunting police officers a criminal offense? Most people know what’s legal and which types of behavior will get you arrested. If you rob a bank, for example, you’re going to get charged with theft. If you punch someone in a bar, you can count on being taken into custody for assault. However, some allegedly…
The habitual exposure of children to violence in one Texas town has led the city council to make an assault in the presence of a child a criminal offense. The city council in Burleson near Fort Worth passed an ordinance with the support of Mayor Ken Shetter, reported The Ada News. Shetter is the president…
Just a handful of states have specific laws that address looting. The flooding and devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey will affect Houston and greater Texas for years to come. As people slowly begin to return to their homes and rebuild, prosecutors in Harris County and the surrounding areas have already pursued looting charges against 14…
This would give police departments the authority to use drones outfitted with weapons which they could use to inflict deadly force on citizens. It may sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but weaponized drones may soon be hitting the skies — at least in Connecticut. Lawmakers in Connecticut have introduced a bill…