Blog
4/1/16 Police Cannot Delay Concluded Traffic Stop to Conduct Dog Sniff Search The police may stop a motor vehicle when a suspected traffic violation has been committed. Once the traffic violation investigation has ended the police may not continue to detain the occupants of the vehicle, unless the police have reasonable suspicion to believe the…
3/31/16 In Arizona, the misdemeanor charge of Unlawful Imprisonment is knowingly restraining another person where the victim is released voluntarily by the defendant without physical injury in a safe place before arrest. In a recent case from the Pima County Justice Court, a defendant so charged sought to have a jury trial. In Arizona a…
3/30/16 Following the March 16th release of an opinion by Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, several cities around the Valley including Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale and Phoenix have stopped issuing photo radar or red light citations. The opinion stated that third-party contractors in charge of operating the cameras were not properly licensed in Arizona, and companies…
3/30/16 Federal prosecutors withdrew Monday from the California USDC case against Apple, where they had sought to force the company to assist in disabling the security of its own tech products, after reporting success in hacking into the phone of one of the San Bernardino terror attack perpetrators. Officials have not stated whether the method…
3/28/16 The Department of Justice and the Town of Ferguson, Missouri have this month agreed to a plan designed to end local practices which disadvantage the poor, and subject those unable to pay fines and fees to imprisonment or prevent them from receiving a court hearing until fines and fees are paid. The Town’s leadership,…
3/24/16 Solitary confinement is a controversial practice whereby a prisoner is isolated from contact with others, for various reason such as to punish infractions, to protect inmates in danger from others, or to prevent suicide. Double celling is the practice of putting 2 people into a solitary confinement cell, and this practice has led to…
3/24/16 On March 22nd, Kris R. McClain was sentenced in the Yavapai County Superior Court to 32 years in prison on the charges of manslaughter, aggravated assault, aggravated DUI and a probation violation charge. For more on this story, see dcourier.com: http://dcourier.com/news/2016/mar/22/mcclain-gets-32-years-fatal-2013-car-crash-while-i/ If you’ve been charged with DUI or another criminal offense, getting help from…
3/24/16 Arizona 8th nationwide in overall vehicle theft; crime reportedly linked to drugs, human trafficking and international terrorism. Tips to reduce your risk for auto theft range from making sure to lock the vehicle and not leaving valuables in plain sight, to car alarms and VIN glass etching. See the full story at azpbs.org: https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2016/03/23/arizona-is-8th-in-nation-for-auto-theft-with-stolen-vehicles-often-being-used-for-drug-and-human-smuggling/…
3/22/16 A hearing scheduled today to determine the status of California USDC Magistrate Sheri Pym’s February 16, 2016 order to Apple, compelling the company to create software to disable the security features of the iPhone, has been stayed at the request of federal prosecutors. Court documents filed yesterday revealed the FBI has been approached…