Adrian Peterson accused of Violating Release Conditions

Adrian Peterson admitted that he smoked marijuana before taking a drug test last week.  He told the courthouse employee that he “smoked a little weed” prior to giving his urine sample. One of his conditions of release was to refrain from using illegal drugs. He posted a $15,000 bond in his felony child abuse case in Texas. The prosecutor is now trying to get his bail revoked and increased because Peterson violated his conditions of release. This would mean that he would be arrested again. Peterson’s conditions of release are broad and have no direct link to the facts of the case he was charged with.

In Minnesota, it is also common to be given conditional release with conditions not connected to the crime. For example, it is possible for individuals charged with domestic assault to be given release conditions such as to refrain from alcohol and drugs even though there is no correlation between the two.  In driving under the influence of alcohol cases, common conditional release terms are to refrain from alcohol and drugs, to refrain from entering bars, and to be randomly tested. Individuals must also promise to appear for all future court appearances.  Sometimes judges will also order individuals to wear ankle bracelets to ensure sobriety.

It important for criminal attorneys to argue about the terms of conditional release. As seen in Peterson’s case, the terms are important and can come back to haunt you later in the case. Peterson’s attorney should have argued that random testing should not have been a condition as there is no correlation between drugs and child abuse. Max Keller is a criminal attorney in Minneapolis, MN. He argues about the conditions of release at the bail hearing and if needed, at later appearances in the case. Because Max Keller has been a criminal attorney in Minneapolis, MN for so long, he knows how to properly argue about bail and conditional and unconditional release.  He is one of the few attorney to have ever appealed bail and conditions of release.  Keller Criminal Defense Attorneys has two criminal attorneys in Minneapolis, MN. Call 952-913-1421 for a free consultation.

Max Keller has won countless jury trial cases involving misdemeanors and felonies, sex crimes, and DWI’s. He is a member of the Minnesota Society for Criminal Justice, which only allows the top 50 criminal defense attorneys in the state as members. Max is a frequent speaker at CLE’s and is often asked for advice by other defense attorneys across Minnesota.

Years of Experience: Approx. 20 years
Minnesota Registration Status: Active
Bar & Court Admissions: State of Minnesota Minnesota State Court Minnesota Federal Court 8th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals State of Maryland

What to Do If You Have Been Charged with a Criminal Offense

Stay calm and compose after getting accused of a crime but not charged in Minneapolis, MN. Do not discuss the facts of your case with anyone, including your relatives and family members. Hire a criminal defense attorney with a demonstrated record of winning cases like yours. Your attorney will discuss your rights, guide you on how to cooperate with law enforcement within the legal boundaries, and build a solid defense strategy to fight the charges you could face in the future.
Expungement and sealing of records in Minnesota affect how your criminal history appears to government agencies and the public. The main difference between the two legal actions is that expungement permanently removes past arrests, criminal charges, or convictions from private and public databases, while sealing hides the criminal record from the public. Courts, government entities, and law enforcement agencies can access sealed criminal records.
Minnesota recently passed a public safety bill that brings sweeping changes to the state’s juvenile justice system. While minors sometimes run afoul of the law, the juvenile justice system seeks to account for the differences between children and adults. Therefore, while the penalties for adults convicted of crimes focus on punishment, those for juveniles are aimed at diversion and restorative practices.