Archives for: April 8th, 2014

“I’m too rich” may soon be on its way out as a criminal defense, at least in California. That’s because California Assemblyman Mike Gatto has introduced a bill that would prevent attorneys from using the controversial idea of “affluenza” as a defense or mitigating factor in criminal cases.

 

Affluenza, for those who haven’t heard the buzzword, is essentially the idea that extremely wealthy young people can’t be held responsible

Tucked away in the back of Macy’s flagship store in New York City, there is a room that looks more like a jail than a wing of a department store.With wooden benches and holding cells, this room – eerily dubbed “Room 104” -serves as a place to detain, question, and sometimes collect fines from suspected shoplifters.

 

Strange as it may seem, there are some benefits to having this room

Police have a tough job, and one of the things that’s hardest is spotting criminals before a more serious incident occurs. What does that mean? Well, ideally you would like local law enforcement to catch a person illegally carrying a gun before they shoot someone, or to stop a drug dealer hoping to sell meth to kids before he gets to the schoolyard. Almost everyone will probably agree with that.

With the successful passage of Amendment 64, the state constitutional change to legalize the recreational use of marijuana for those 21 years of age and older, many Colorado criminal defense lawyers are cautiously optimistic. However, that optimism is tempered by the likelihood, as legal experts warn, that DUI offenses will rise, as well as criminal activity in the trafficking of marijuana to other states where its recreational usage is illegal.