Christmas Tree Thief Sought by Police
This Miami theft case is making national headline news. There are some things that you would have thought could never be stolen because either they are far too big, too visible or impossible to conceal. This latest Florida theft incident has seen the theft of 2 semi trailers stacked up with Fraser fir Christmas trees which are not only conspicuous but emit a noticeable fragrant smell too. Miami police are searching for the two trailers which went missing last week from the Co
New Caselaw: Your Can Still Withdraw Consent to a Search Even if At First You First Consented
You’re pulled over in Miami or Fort Lauderdale, and the cop asks for consent to search your car. He’s not really telling you if you’re free to go, and you unfortunately agree to the search. You thought he meant a quick search up front, but now he’s wants you to pop the trunk. Is it too late to change your mind? Probably not, you can change your mind about consenting to a police search of your vehicle or person according to a recent case out of the Fourth Circuit. Even if you
Why are Some Acts of Alleged Criminal Activity so Obvious?
Just recently, police arrested a man in central Florida for stealing two big screen TVs, but in rather a bizarre manner. The crime was carried out in a way that reminds me of a 1970’s movie. The man, 46 year old Vantice Beshears, was arrested after he broke into a Honda dealership to carry out the theft. He made the whole act quite obvious because he appeared to have no getaway vehicle to put his loot into, so he placed it in an SUV on display in the showroom. He then didn’t
Bug Searcher Arrested for Indecent Exposure in Ladies Restroom
Lorenzo Adan Ramirez is now in prison for allegedly exposing himself to a woman in a restroom in a swimming pool area at the Villages, Leesburg. Ramirez, who normally works as a landscaper, told police officers that the exposure took place while he was searching for a bug in his pants. It appears that the motive he gave for his behavior was not accepted by the police. Women in the restroom claim that he was so busy doing the searching that it was unlikely he was searching for
How Severe is the Penalty for Being a Drug Mule?
It seems that swallowing 15 cocaine pellets was just a practice run for seasoned drug smuggler Matthew Lawson, aged 32 years. He was arrested in September 2015 at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport when he flew in from Jamaica for swallowing and smuggling 115 pellets of cocaine, which weigh around two pounds. He has just pleaded guilty in Fort Lauderdale’s federal court. He said he had been smuggling the drug for years, beginning with only 15 pellets. When
What if I’m Charged with a Crime While Visiting Miami?
Miami is one of the most popular cities for tourists in the entire United States. Last year, more than 14 million tourists came to enjoy the city. More than 7 million were visiting from abroad. Many millions more were visiting from out-of-state. And that’s just Miami – add Fort Lauderdale or Key West and we’re talking even higher numbers. That’s no surprise. Maybe you came to enjoy a cruise, and you were one of the more than 8 million people who departed from PortMiami o
Man Pulls Gun and Crashes After Being Denied Job
It has been reported that a man appeared to have become extremely upset after being denied a hair cutting job in a barber’s shop. The incident ended up in a police chase in Casselberry where the barber’s shop was located. It has been alleged that the suspect pulled a gun after being turned down for a barber’s job but then fled from police. In the process, he crashed into two cars and damaged them. He then flipped his own vehicle and as a result damaged bushes, trees and a
Jacksonville Man Still Waiting for Murder Trial 7 Years On
A man who allegedly shot his friend nearly seven years ago is still in jail waiting for a trial that never seems to come. He has pleaded not guilty and his argument is that he shot the other man in self defense, but it seems that it has been hard to sort out the best way to defend him. Harold Hammond is now 54 years old and has been talking with his sixth defense attorney since his arrest in 2009 for the murder of his friend, Kenneth Solada. It appears that Hammond and Sola
One Trial or Two? Why it Matters
A Miami criminal defense attorney may request that a defendant be given more than one separate trial in certain circumstances. This may happen if the defendant has been charged with multiple offenses and the offenses are alleged to have been committed at separate times and are not necessarily connected with each other. Prosecutors tend to prefer to have all offenses tried together, especially if one of the alleged offenses is particularly convincing. The thinking on both s
How Intellectually Disabled Should You Be to Avoid Death Row?
Rodney Renard Newberry, aged 46, was convicted of the 1st degree murder of Terrese Pernell Stevens, aged 38, when he used an AK-47 to shoot him a dozen times while along with two other males he robbed him in the parking lot of a club just north of Jacksonville’s Springfield district. The Florida Supreme Court doesn’t know how intelligent Newberry is, and that may make it hard for the justices to make an intelligent ruling on whether the Jacksonville man belongs on Death Row.
