J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Can I be arrested without evidence against me?” Researchers in Stockholm, Sweden have published findings that appear to show a link between two genetic mutations and a propensity to commit violent criminal acts. The researchers studied the DNA…
J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Can I be arrested without evidence against me?” Two Mecklenburg County Superior Court judges have indicated that they may be willing to unseal court records detailing how law-enforcement officers have used secret surveillance of cellphones and other wireless…
J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Do I need to hire an attorney if I have been falsely accused?” Two Robeson County men were freed earlier this week from the North Carolina Department of Corrections after serving 30 years for the rape and murder…
J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Should I talk to the police?” Two men imprisoned over 30 years for the 1983 rape and murder of an eleven-year-old girl will be freed today after a Robeson County Superior Court judge overturned their convictions. Robeson County…
J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Do I need to hire an attorney if I have been falsely accused?” The shooting death of teen Michael Brown by a Ferguson, Missouri police officer—and the subsequent protesting, rioting and looting—has many Charlotteans asking “Could that happen…
J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Do I need to hire an attorney if I have been falsely accused?” Police in Pineville are telling would-be criminals to think twice before executing any misdeeds in the tiny suburb south of Charlotte. Or if someone does…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “What is an expungement?” A recent New York Times article delved into the issue of for-profit websites that exist to catalog the embarrassing mug shots of everyone from celebrities to Average Joes. The article set off a firestorm after it revealed some surprising…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “Can the police search my car without a warrant?” A recent article in the Huffington Post dealt with the issue of some state crime labs being impacted by the danger of cognitive bias. The author of the study notes that when crime lab…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “If I simply intend to plead guilty, why do I need a lawyer?” Most people would be surprised to hear that a recent DEA (U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration) seizure of $814.22 received much if any attention. After all, the DEA is used to…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “Can the police search my car without a warrant?” One federal court judge issued an important opinion recently that will help to counter the federal government’s attempt to comb through the emails and other online actions of Americans. What is even more surprising…