Recent Blog Posts in July 2009 |
| July 24, 2009 |
| Founder of an anti-drug program is arrested in Redondo Beach Police drug sting |
| Posted By Robert Bernstein |
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California, particularly Southern California, is a hot spot for
drug importation and
trafficking. International and interstate drug import and export leads to an increase in drug crime altogether, thus both State and Federal law enforcement agencies vigorously prosecute
drug offenses.
Kendall Craig Farris is a well known anti drug advocate who has created drug treatment programs and written books on the subject has ironically been arrested and charged in a drug case. Farris, the founder and head of the Over the Wall Foundation in Marina del Rey and author of the book "Drugs, Kids and Crime: Surviving Our Drug Obsessed Culture," was arrested at a Starbucks after an undercover Redondo Beach officer was allegedly
sold methamphetamine and ecstasy.
According to police reports, Farris arrived at the coffeehouse in a taxi and an undercover officer gave him an envelope containing $480 in exchange for the methamphetamine and ecstasy. Farris was subsequently arrested. The pills turned out to be fake, but Farris was arraigned Friday on charges of selling a substance that he alleged was drugs.
He is being held on $106,500 bail.
If you or someone you know has been arrested or is facing drug crime charges,
contact Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer Robert M. Bernstein.
By becoming involved early on, Attorney Bernstein and his staff may be able to help you avoid having charges filed in the first place. As your legal counsel, the
Law Offices of Robert M. Bernstein will thoroughly evaluate your case in accordance with State and Federal law and will conduct an independent investigation. This independent investigation may uncover an illegal search and seizure by law enforcement, an important eye witness or physical evidence that provides a defense to the crime or crimes you have been accused of.
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| July 01, 2009 |
| Chris Brown Pleads Guilty to Assault with a Deadly Weapon |
| Posted By Robert Bernstein |
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A plea deal has been reached in the assault case against singer Chris Brown in the Los Angeles Criminal Court. Brown, 20, faced charges of assaulting his pop star girlfriend, Rihanna.
Under terms of the agreement, Brown will serve five years of probation and must serve 180 days in jail or the equivalent, about 1,400 hours in labor-oriented service. He must also undergo a year-long
domestic-violence counseling class.
Brown pleaded guilty to one count of
Assault with the intent of committing great bodily injury in connection with the argument inside a rented Lamborghini on a Hollywood street in February.
Rhianna
, whose real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, made a brief appearance at the hearing after Brown had left the courtroom to hear Los Angeles Criminal Court Judge Patricia Schnegg discuss the
issuance of a "stay away" order requiring him to stay 100 yards from her. Through her attorney, Rihanna had requested that such an order not be issued. However, Schnegg refused that request, saying she would issue such an order but would revise it to 50 yards, 10 yards if the two are at the same "industry event" together.
Schnegg said Brown could apply to have his supervised probation transferred to Virginia, where he maintains his legal residence. He also can complete his community service there, she said, but it would have to meet the court's standards.
If you or someone you know has been charged with
Assault or Domestic Violence charges contact
Los Angeles Defense Lawyer Robert M. Bernstein today.
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| July 01, 2009 |
| Supreme Court Rules that Strip-Search of Student was Unconstitutional |
| Posted By Robert Bernstein |
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In a ruling that sets new limits on school searches, the U.S. Supreme Court held Thursday that a school official in Arizona violated the Fourth Amendment rights of a 13-year-old girl by
strip-searching her for prescription-strength ibuprofen.
The court affirmed a March 2008 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, in which the court, sitting en banc, held that school officials violated the Forth Amendment's protections against unreasonable searches and seizures when they strip-searched Arizona middle school student Savana Redding.
In an 8-1 decision, the court called this search degrading, unreasonable and unconstitutional.
Justice David H. Souter, in what could be his final opinion before his retirement, said a strip-search is "categorically distinct" from other efforts to find drugs or weapons on campus because it is embarrassing and humiliating to the children who are targeted.
In the past, the court has said school officials can search purses, backpacks or lockers if they have reason to believe a student has drugs. And twice, justices have upheld mandatory drug testing of high schoolers, including athletes, even when there was no reason to think any of them was using drugs. But requiring a student to remove her clothes goes too far, Souter said. He suggested such a search would be justified only if a school official had strong reason to believe a student was hiding a
dangerous drug or a weapon in his or her underwear.
Souter agreed that the vice principal had reasonable grounds for questioning Savana about drugs and for searching her backpack. But he went much too far, Souter added.
Ginsburg, the court's only woman, said the vice principal's conduct was inexcusable. He had no real evidence to suspect Savana of wrongdoing: He did not contact her mother, and he made Savana sit in the office for several hours after the strip-search, she said. |
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