Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Am I allowed to videotape an interaction with police? Can they make me stop filming?” A recent incident in Wilmington highlighted an area of legal uncertainty. The case involved an Uber-driving criminal defense attorney, a smartphone and an irritated police officer.…
Articles Posted in Criminal Defense
Were crimes committed related to Michael Flynn’s resignation?
In the days since Michael Flynn resigned as President Trump’s national security adviser, there have been a lot of questions and not many answers. Many still wonder exactly what transpired between Flynn and the Russian ambassador he now admits to having had contact with. Though we still don’t…
Could “Faithless Electors” Face Criminal Penalties?
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “What are the long term effects of being convicted of a crime?” In the divided political world of 2016, it’s something that conspiracy theorists love to discuss. What impact could a group of “faithless electors” have on the election results? Though…
Are law enforcement officials collecting pictures of your face?
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Am I allowed to videotape an interaction with police? Can they make me stop filming?” Most people assume that if they’ve never been arrested and charged with a crime, there’s no way their personal information would be inside a criminal database.…
Could Trump Throw Hillary In Jail?
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Should I ever plead guilty to a charge?” For those following the 2016 election, it’s been a very interesting past year or so, to say the least. No one could have predicted many of the headline-grabbing events that have occurred, including…
New DWI Deadlines: One May Help Defendants, the Other Helps…Court Scheduling?
Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “What steps should I be taking outside legal guidance to help my DWI case?” Two (2) new deadlines for DWI trials in North Carolina took effect at the beginning of this month, and it’s a mixed bag for defendants. One of…
China Gives Plea Bargaining A Try
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Should I ever plead guilty to a charge?” Anyone who’s even remotely familiar with the criminal justice system or, for that matter, television shows revolving around the criminal justice system, has likely heard of plea-bargaining. Plea bargains are deals reached between…
How Slow Motion Can Harm Criminal Defendants
Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Can the police search my car without a warrant?” It’s something you may never have thought about: what impact does slow motion video have on your perception of an event? Your first reaction may be, nothing. After all, slow motion is…
North Carolina Moves To Block Release of Police Camera Footage
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Am I allowed to videotape an interaction with police? Can they make me stop filming?” North Carolina now joins the ranks of other states attempting to block the release of potentially inflammatory body camera footage. Earlier this month the governor, Pat…
Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and the criminal implications of secret recordings
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony?” For pop culture junkies the Taylor Swift/Kanye West feud dates back a long way, to 2009, to be precise. It was then that Kanye stormed the MTV VMA stage, interrupting Swift’s…