People love Hollywood. Tinseltown loves a good mystery. Put them together, and there is enough fodder for gossip and the industry rags to last, well, until the next murder mystery. When the next enigma is five months away, the intrigue grows. When American actress Brittany Murphy died in, a 9/11 call was the first indicator […]
READ MOREBlack Collar Crime Round-Up: December 26, 2010
Awaiting sentencing: Carlton F. Hammonds, 56, former pastor, Willows Baptist Church, Willows, California, after an October 1 conviction of three felony counts of lewd acts and one misdemeanor count of sexual battery against two teenage girls. Hammonds was due to be sentenced in November, but prosecutors are considering asking for a psych evaluation before sentencing. […]
READ MORELennon’s Killer Isn’t Leaving Prison Soon
Mark David Chapman, the killer of former Beatle John Lennon, won’t be traveling anyplace shortly. The 61-year old Chapman was refused release — for the ninth time — Saturday. Although the rationalizing supporting the ruling was not stated; previously the Parole Board has said that letting Chapman out would weaken “respect for the law.” Chapman […]
READ MOREArguing Constitutional Due Process Rights in Criminal Cases
In the People v. Collier case, on February 8, 2005, the defendant was found guilty of five counts of armed robbery (Penal Law § 160.15 [3]) for holdups at five different Albany, New York area stores during a two month period in the fall of 2004. The defendant was accused of displaying and threatening the […]
READ MOREWill Engineer in Commuter Train Derailment Be Charged With Criminally Negligent Homicide?
There is speculation that the accident involving the commuter train that derailed near the Hudson River recently could turn out to be a criminally negligent homicide investigation with potential charges against the engineer if there is enough evidence to support an indictment. At least four passengers died and dozens more were injured. Investigative reports reflect […]
READ MORECould Social Media Analysis Be the Difference in Winning or Losing Your Next Trial? Strategies to Use Social Media Analysis as a Litigation Tool
The Internet can be an evidentiary goldmine on prospective jurors, opposing parties, opposing counsel, and potential witnesses. Recently trial consultant Amy Singer proclaimed “Social media was the difference between winning and losing” the Casey Anthony trial, legitimizing and raising awareness of the use of social media analysis as a litigation tool. Social media, which began […]
READ MORERussian Cyber Criminal Awaits His Fate
One of the biggest cyber criminals in the world sits in a jail in France, waiting on the United States to prosecute him and, subsequently, extradite him to the United States. Vladislav Khorokhorin has been in jail since 2010 for his alleged role in a credit card theft gang known as “CarderPlanet.” The United States […]
READ MOREDangers Of Internet Dating: One Less Liar Dating Online
Many women dating over 40 think that online dating is a great way to meet people you would never otherwise meet, but there are several dangers of Internet dating. In order to successfully find someone special online, you need to be careful and smart about the things you share and with whom. Too many women […]
READ MOREAddressing Drug Policing and Racial Disparities: An Interview with Ryan King of The Sentencing Project
A recent report by The Sentencing Project documents, in considerable detail, something that many Americans uneasily suspect about the way the war the drug war is policed: namely, that it affects African American communities vastly more than those communities “deserve” based on their level of drug use. This isn’t the only report or the only […]
READ MOREAlleged Boston Marathon Conspirator’s Father Supports Son in Criminal Defense
Azamat Tazhayakov, friend of Boston Marathon bombing suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, pled not guilty to charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstructing justice and engaged the help of a criminal defense attorney. Tazhayakov, along with friend, Dias Kadyrbayev, attended college with alleged bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, at UMass Dartmouth, during the time of the bombing. They […]
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