Blog
Supreme Court Deals Blow to First Amendment Argument Regarding Lethal Injection
The Supreme Court vacated a federal appellate court ruling to stay the execution of an Arizona man Tuesday, despite concerns that remain regarding the secrecy that surrounds the lethal injection process. Joseph Wood was sentenced to death in 1991 for shooting his ex-girlfriend and her father, both of whom died....
Read MoreHouse Seeks to Gut DC Gun Laws, Block Marijuana Decriminalization
The battle wages on in the House of Representatives over Washington, DC’s gun and drug laws. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved an amendment to a spending bill that, if passed, would make DC’s gun laws largely obsolete. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) introduced the bill, which would prohibit the city...
Read MoreThe First Day of Marijuana Decriminalization in DC
Starting today, possession of one ounce or less of marijuana is no longer a crime in the District of Columbia. That does not mean it is legal, merely that it is a civil offense punishable by a $25 fine and confiscation of any marijuana or paraphernalia in public view. In...
Read MoreMarijuana Legalization Makes Strides in DC
Tuesday marked a major milestone for marijuana advocates in Washington State as dispensaries were finally cleared to sell their product for recreational use. People gathered outside the businesses long before the shops opened in anticipation of making their first legal recreational purchase. Supply was a concern, however, as only 100...
Read MoreIs Warrantless DNA Collection Violating Citizens’ Rights Against Unreasonable Search and Seizure?
There have been incredible advances in technology and science within the past few years. Law enforcement officials merely have to rub a swab inside a criminal suspect’s cheek in order to gain a wealth of information about the person. States such as California and Maryland have laws that permit law...
Read MoreState vs Federal Fraud Charges
Are fraud cases typically heard in state or federal court? Here in the District of Columbia, we have the Superior Court and we also have federal court, which is called the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. All prosecutors here are United States Attorneys, so the same...
Read MoreDC Mayor Signs Emergency Concealed Carry Legislation
The media was buzzing Monday with the news that Washington, DC Mayor Vincent Gray has signed into law emergency legislation allowing for concealed carry permits for gun owners who qualify. According to the popular local news site dcist.com, Gray signed the “License to Carry a Pistol Emergency Amendment Act of...
Read MoreConsequences of Money Laundering
In a nutshell, second degree “money laundering” applies to almost any financial transaction involving proceeds from criminal activity in such a way that the funds appear to be legitimate. It requires the alleged money launderer to know, “or have reason to know,” that the funds originated from criminal activity and to have...
Read MoreMarion Barry Blames Diabetes for Wrong-Way Car Accident
Former DC Mayor and current Councilman Marion Barry says his diabetes is to blame for the car collision he was involved in Saturday evening after driving on the wrong side of the road, according to USA9. It was around 9:15 p.m. when Barry was spotted driving his Jaguar X-Type into...
Read MoreWhy Criminal Defense?
After graduating from Vanderbilt Law School in 2000, I began working at a large law firm in Phoenix, Arizona. While my position was as a commercial litigation associate, I quickly learned that the “litigation” component of my job consisted almost entirely of researching caselaw and writing various motions and legal memoranda. I...
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