Hate Crimes: An Early Legacy of Donald Trump
Donald Trump didn’t divide the country. He didn’t introduce racism, bigotry or xenophobia. What Trump and his rhetoric have validated the racism and bigotry already present in many of his supporters. Trump made it “okay” to be stupid and mean and a bigot. A Muslim, Off-Duty Cop Officer Aml Elsokary thought it was another average […]
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Why Do You Need a Lawyer If You Are Offered Pre-Trial Diversion
Marcy Wills was charged with felony theft. She met the criteria for pretrial diversion and started to get her life back on track. When she had trouble paying the related fees and court costs, her case was sent to trial, she was found guilty and sent to jail. There’s the catch in the pretrial diversion […]
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A Sign of the Times
When you take the subway in New York, look about. You may recognize a sign of the times, or maybe you won’t. In the 1980s, “safety zones” were constructed by the New York Transit Authority in an attempt to make taking the subway a bit less frightening. Now, those signs are coming down. Homage to […]
READ MOREFormer Riker’s Island Guard Pleads Guilty to Murder in Inmate’s Death
Byron Taylor, 32 has pleaded guilty to helping in a cover-up regarding the fatal beating of an inmate, Ronald Spear. Prosecutors accused Taylor of helping in holding down Spears while another corrections officer repeatedly booted Spears in the head. Spears died a little while later. Taylor, formerly listed to be tried in October, told the […]
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Cellphone Alerts Used in Manhunt for NYC Bomber
Just before 8 in the morning Monday, New Yorkers’ phones started screaming — in unison. Each phone received the same message: “WANTED: Ahmad Rahami, 28-year old male. See media for pic. Call 911 if seen.” No links. No images. No context into which one could place the message. Some people stumbling around before the coffee […]
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Fracking Up the Empire State
Earthquakes, cancer clusters, and deformed babies. The rates of these tragedies increase steadily in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Missouri. The cause: runaway fracking — or hydraulic fracturing. Fracking has been operating for decades, but it’s not been fully utilized until relatively recently. Now, fracking is becoming an issue in places most people don’t think of […]
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Abuse of Position of Trust Enhancement Applies Even to a Secretary with a Fancy Title
During the course of her employment with three different employers, Laurie Bradshaw embezzled more than $240,000. Bradshaw defrauded these three Chicago area employers by taking advantage of her position with these companies in which they entrusted her with such duties as coordinating purchases from vendors, opening a new office for one of the companies, and […]
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Lessons From the Prosecution and Death of Aaron Swartz
Much has been written recently about the sad case of Aaron Swartz. Described as “a brilliant young software programmer and Internet activist,” Swartz, 26, committed suicide in January. At the time of his death, Swartz was under indictment in the District of Massachusetts for wire fraud, computer fraud, and various other cyber-crime-related offenses. The indictment […]
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Securities Issues: The Continuing Debate Over the Use of Finders vs. Broker-Dealers
A recurring and vexing issue has arisen again recently in my practice: can an (unlicensed) individual assist a public company in identifying sources of financing without the parties running afoul of the broker-dealer registration requirement under Section 3(a)(4) and 15(a)(1) of the Exchange Act? The relevant authorities on the issue appear nothing short of schizophrenic. […]
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Our Trial Was Right Here a Decade or Two Ago
Americans love trials. Criminal trials, in particular, have been a favorite subject for both television (Law &Order, Perry Mason) and movies (To Kill a Mockingbird, The Verdict). But judges, lawyers, and litigants? Not so much. It has been widely reported here and here that the number of trials of all varieties (criminal, civil, bench, jury) […]
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