In our last post, we began speaking about synthetic bath salts, and the efforts of law enforcement across the country to manage the growing problem. As we noted, President Obama recently made permanent a ban on "bath salts" drugs and expanded the types of drugs...
Baton Rouge Criminal Defense Law Blog
Even after bans, problem of synthetic drug use remains, P.1
In the last two years, there has been a rapid increase in the use of synthetic drugs which mimic the effects of street drugs like cocaine, amphetamines and other illegal stimulants. The trend has been to sell the drugs at small, independent stores in packages...
Media coverage could compromise jury impartiality
In the criminal law system, every defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In highly publicized cases in which the defendant has already been convicted, so to speak, in the court of public opinion, this basic assumption...
Once-abandoned statewide DWI database potentially back in the works
In 2004, a project known as the Integrated Criminal Justice Information System (ICJIS) was proposed, developed, and abandoned. With its failure came a corresponding inability to track DWIs across counties in the state of Louisiana. Prosecutors, members of Mothers...
Illegal or improper police activity can provide grounds for DWI challenge, P.2
In our previous post, we began discussing the topic of illegal police behavior, and how this can provide various grounds for challenging DWI charges. We already noted the possibility of challenging such charges based on an improper stop or arrest. DWI challenges can...
Illegal or improper police activity can provide grounds for DWI challenge, P.1
Last week, a 27-year-old police officer in Louisiana resigned after being accused of stealing an iPhone from the scene of a DWI crash. According to a police spokesman in Baton Rouge, the phone was not in the car when the driver was released from jail. The tracking...
Shreveport dentist sentenced on two counts of Medicaid fraud
Conviction on charges of Medicaid fraud have resulted in five years of probation, including two years of home incarceration, for a Shreveport dentist. The dentist was found guilty in January on two counts of Medicaid fraud. In addition to probation and home...
Double homicide at Baton Rouge apartment sets investigators to work
In our last post, we noted that homicides have increased in East Baton Rouge Parish. Although authorities aren't clear what is behind the increase in homicides, some common have pointed to the high number of domestic cases. Detectives are apparently investigating a...
Homicides increase in first half of 2012 in East Baton Rouge Parish
Ten more homicides have reportedly occurred within the first six months of 2012 in East Baton Rouge Parish compared to the same period last year. As of Saturday, the number reached 50. Fourteen of the homicides occurred outside the city limits and are being...
Darrow man avoids conviction on rape charge stemming from hotel incident
Criminal defense isn't always a matter of denying any and all wrongdoing. In many cases, the goal is ensuring that the defendant is not convicted of crimes beyond those they admit to committing. A Darrow man who had been suspected of rape and armed robbery was...
