US Supreme Court hears case involving drug charges and legal residents

The individual at the center of the case had lived in the United States since he was just three years old. He came to this country in 1984 with his parents. Throughout the time he lived in the U.S., he was a legal resident. Then, in 2007, the man was stopped by a law enforcement officer in Georgia. The officer conducted a search of his vehicle, which uncovered a small quantity of marijuana. The amount of marijuana found could have made just two to three cigarettes.

New Supreme Court ruling will influence drunk driving charges

If Minneapolis police arrest you after you are involved in a fatal accident, there is a very real possibility that you could face vehicular manslaughter or vehicular homicide charges. When faced with these kinds of charges, it is important to remember that a strong criminal defense attorney can help clear your name or have your charges reduced. Trying to handle such serious charges alone is not only extremely difficult, but a mistake could cost years of your freedom.

St. Paul natives acquitted of Craigslist theft charges

As we have mentioned previously in this blog, for someone in St. Paul to be convicted of a crime, the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the individual did what he or she was charged with doing. If the prosecutor can’t prove this, then the jury must acquit the defendant of the charges. If it is clear that the prosecutor doesn’t have any evidence or not nearly enough evidence, the prosecutor may drop the charges altogether.

3 defendants plead guilty to murder, sentenced to prison

It is a common misconception that the role of a criminal defense attorney is to acquit an individual of the charge with which he or she has been charged. Yes, at times criminal defense attorneys can clear their clients’ names and reputations, getting charges thrown out, but just as often the role of a lawyer is to mitigate a sentence and protect his or her client’s rights during a trial. So, when Minneapolis residents read cases of a defendant pleading guilty or being sentenced to prison, it is not necessarily because the attorney failed in his or her job.

Will internal Teamsters investigation lead to criminal charges?

Many people in Minneapolis may not have a problem with a company or organization doing their own internal investigations into individuals’ behaviors, but questions may be raised when that information is turned over to police for criminal prosecution. What may start as an investigation into the possibility of missing money can quickly turn into an accusation of a white-collar crime. But because company officials are not restricted to the evidence rules that limit what police officers can do, individuals’ privacy may be violated.

Minneapolis’s high rape statistics are misleading

Many people in Minneapolis are likely aware that the number of rapes reported within the city are much higher than any other city in the country. What they may not know, however, is that the Minneapolis Police Department has been reporting far more crimes than just rapes to the FBI. For at least the past eight years, the Minneapolis Police Department has been operating under a much broader definition of rape than what has been requested by the FBI for its statistical comparisons.

How high should bond be set for drunk driving?

When someone in Minneapolis is arrested for felony drunk driving, he or she will still likely be able to leave and remain at home until his or her trial. Only if the suspect refuses to or is unable to afford bond would he be stuck in a jail cell until he or she is able to appear in court. With a potentially long wait, it is likely that most people will pay the bond if they can.

Minnesota Sex Offender Program will change, one way or another

This blog has previously mentioned the Minnesota Sex Offender Program, a program designed to hold former sex offenders after they have finished serving their sentences because the court believes they could be dangerous, and the fact that it has come under scrutiny. Several of the offenders who are trapped in this program have very little hope of getting out and they are arguing that their constitutional rights have been infringed upon.

Prosecutors insist on trying man on 26-year-old charge

People in Minneapolis have certainly heard of cold cases, but many likely assume that cold cases involve murder, rape or some kind of other crime that has a victim and carries a certain degree of grief. Something like driving under the influence of alcohol, especially if it did not include a car accident or injuries, seems somewhat silly to prosecute years after it allegedly happened.