Recent Blog Posts
Murder She Wrote: Tattoos and Rap Lyrics Can Be Used as Evidence in Criminal Proceedings
In Florida, several gang members of the Latin Kings have been arrested for racketeering charges, among others. Within the indictment, 23 members were implicated as being associates of one of the largest and most well-organized gangs set up in the United States. The most powerful evidence being put forth in the case includes tattoos,… Read More »
Does a Tryst on The Beach Deserve 15 Years of Prison?
The recent conviction of a couple that had a sexual encounter on a Florida beach in front of the public eye is drawing serious attention nationwide. The reason: the male defendant in the case could be sentenced to 15 years in prison. The Florida Case The case at the center of the public eye… Read More »
How NeuroImaging and Brain Function Can Help Our Defense Attorneys
As technology advances, society is provided the uncanny opportunity to see into what has been previously considered mysterious: the human brain. As doctors and researchers are learning more and more about the differing functions of the varied sections of the brain, we have become more and more fascinated with the brain process behind everyday… Read More »
Body Cameras on Police Officers: Who Has the Right to the Footage?
In the last two years, citizens around the United States are calling for changes in the policies and procedures of police officers and other law enforcement agents. One of the main requests relates to the use of body cameras on police officers as they go about their jobs so as to protect men and… Read More »
A Minor Mark Not So Minor: Changes to Juvenile Expunction Law
A recent bill was introduced in Florida’s legislature to attack the negative effects that a juvenile record may have on persons who committed nonviolent offenses as minors, but are now, as adults, attempting to apply to jobs, join the military, or receive loans for college tuition and other essentials. In Florida, the police records… Read More »
Juvenile Sentences are Redefined under Florida Supreme Court Ruling
A recent Florida Supreme Court ruling is seen as a victory for those juvenile inmates who are currently serving extensive sentences in prison. Under the new ruling made by the Florida Supreme Court, the sentencing guidelines for juveniles who were charged as adults will reflect the leniency that the criminal justice system is trying… Read More »
The Teenage Mind and Criminality: The Reasoning Behind Resentencing for Juveniles
The recent decision by the Florida Supreme Court to reevaluate the sentencing guidelines for juveniles charged as adults falls into line with the most recent research into the teenage brain. In the last few decades, with the advancement of technology and psychology, psychologists have been evaluating the brains of adults, teenagers, and children alike,… Read More »
New DNA Research Could Improve the Criminal Justice System and Help Exonerate Defendants
Sometimes it is the smallest things that can have the biggest impact, especially when it comes to evidence and putting defendants on trial. DNA evidence and forensic evidence has had a significant impact on the way that cases are investigated and evidence is admitted in criminal proceedings. With the progress of technology, forensic science… Read More »
Is FitBit the New Big Brother? The Use of Information Mined by Wearable Devices as Evidence in Criminal Proceedings
Technology has provided us with significant benefits, especially within the last five years, and the extraordinary inventions created post-iPhone. At our fingertips, there is technology that we can slip into our pockets or around our wrists that provides incredible technological advantages to our day-to-day life. But, what comes with incredible advantage also has incredible… Read More »
Study Finds that Personality Distortions May Be Significant Factor in Criminal Offenses, Not Mental Illness
When assessing the character traits of criminal defendants who have committed extremely violent acts, sometimes the conversation stops at the suggestion that the defendants were afflicted by serious mental illness and their actions were the result of this. It is easy to group all criminal defendants with violent tendencies into one category of “Serious… Read More »