A driver accused of killing a cyclist and critically injured another cyclist in a January 2012 accident on Perkins Road in Baton Rouge has been charged with vehicular homicide, first-degree vehicular negligent injuring and second-offense DUI. The driver has reportedly pleaded not guilty to the charges
Two Baton Rouge men charged with murder
Earlier this month two Baton Rouge men were arrested after being accused of the murder of a man in Sorrento on January 12th. Gerald Wilkins was reportedly found shot to death on the side of a road in what authorities are calling an execution style slaying. Both the victim and the suspects are from Baton Rouge.
Two Lafayette students accused of sexually assaulting fellow student
Following a suspected rape of a female student at N.P. Moss Preparatory last week in Lafayette, both the school system and the Police Department have made changes to procedures at the school. A police officer trained as a school resource officer is now assigned to the school, and two police officers have been providing support to the campus since November.
High court hears case involving the question of warrantless blood draws in DUI cases
The Supreme Court seemed skeptical on Wednesday during oral arguments involving the issue of whether states should permit police officers to administer warrantless blood draws on DUI suspects. Right now, 50 states permit officers to skip the general warrant requirement in order to obtain a more accurate blood alcohol reading. The other 50 states require officers to obtain a warrant from a judge prior to all blood draws.
Social media to play a prominent role in upcoming trial in Ohio rape case
We recently told our readers about an Ohio rape case that made national news after social media sites began to discuss the issue. As we noted, the press the case has received has not been particularly helpful for the defendants, who now face the added challenge of public judgment before they are tried in a court of law. Now, social media is being used in support of pending legal arguments for both the alleged victim and the defendants, creating a unique dynamic between prosecution, defense, and the jury.
Former Tara High School student sentenced in rape case
We have previously written about a former Tara High School special needs student accused of raping another special needs student in the school auditorium. The 18-year-old, who was accused back in February, had been on probation for a 2010 rape and was wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet at the time of the incident. He had received a juvenile life sentence for that prior rape, which was later suspended in favor of supervised probation.
Baton Rouge police to focus on high murder rate in coming year
Baton Rouge's high murder rate will reportedly be a focus in the coming year. According to Baton Rouge Police, unofficial estimates indicate the city's murder rate rose slightly in 2012. Over the course of the year, 67 people were murdered within city limits, which is about a five percent increase from 2011.
Alleged rape of teenage girl in small town makes national news
One of the aspects of criminal defense that can be a real challenge to deal with is what happens outside the courtroom. The reality is that there is a court of public opinion which can reach its own judgment before a criminal case is even tried. This can lead to numerous personal difficulties for the accused, and can even affect how a trial moves forward, beginning with jury selection.
