Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Should I talk to the police?”
Back in 2010 a North Carolina man was convicted of a crime and given a suspended sentence. Now, nearly seven years later, his lawyers are preparing to argue their appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court. What did the man do to warrant such a fuss? He signed up for a Facebook account.
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 know the details of many of those conversations, we can discuss potential criminal aspects of Flynn’s resignation, of which there are several.
First, let’s talk about Flynn. Did he break any laws that could result in criminal action? There are two issues at play here: 1) the Logan Act and 2) potential false statements. First, the Logan Act is a piece of legislation that makes it a crime for a private citizen to communicate with a foreign government without proper authority in an attempt to influence the actions of the foreign government. The law is an oldie, but a goodie, having been signed back in 1799 by then President John Adams. The law resulted from actions by a state legislator who went behind the president’s back to try and negotiate a settlement to an undeclared war with France.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question:”A past conviction is keeping me from finding work. What can I do?”
For many people, what goes on inside the walls of a prison isn’t the focus of much attention. Most seem content to embrace the idea that what’s out of sight should be kept out of mind. Unfortunately, this tendency to ignore sometimes-difficult issues allows the issues to continue to cause harm.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Can I be arrested without evidence against me?”
Anyone who has been watching the news recently has likely come across a number of stories about problems associated with the police. The Black Lives Matter movement grew after a number of African-Americans were injured or killed by police officers engaged in questionable behavior. Even putting aside these most tragic cases, many agree that aggressive policing tactics have caused problems that our society must now address as many people feel victimized by those who are meant to protect and serve.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Should I ever plead guilty to a charge?”
States across the country are wrestling with finding ways to deal with increasingly large prison populations. People on both side of the issue acknowledge that as the population of people incarcerated continues to swell it presents a multitude of challenges, some budgetary, some logistical, others societal. One approach advocated by many is to try and reverse the trend by reducing criminal penalties for a range of mainly low-level offenses. By reducing the number of crimes that result in time behind bars, you not only save money, but also hopefully address underlying issues through treatment and reduce recidivism.
Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Can I represent myself on a traffic ticket?”
It’s something that’s become increasingly common in recent years, signs warning that drivers are under remote surveillance and can be fined for a variety of bad behaviors, including speeding or running red lights. If and when such a fine occurs, most people open their mail and send in a check, quickly dispensing with the issue and avoiding needless hassle. Thankfully, one law professor in Maryland decided to take a different approach and fought his traffic violation. His story, published on Quartz, is an interesting one and raises some serious concerns about the legal validity of the traffic camera system that so many jurisdictions have so warmly embraced.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “If I have an outstanding warrant, what should I do?”
The Supreme Court will soon hear an important case touching on several hot topics: immigration, deportation and crime. The Court will weigh into the thorny issue of how much power the government should have to deport immigrants who are found to have committed criminal acts. The case comes at an especially heated time given the recent election and heated rhetoric surrounding the topic of immigration, legal and otherwise.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Do I need to hire an attorney if I have been falsely accused?”
The news became a national sensation almost immediately after it happened. A group of four black young people in Chicago attacked a mentally-challenged white teenager, tied him up with tape and proceeded to torture him while hurling racial epithets. The group also yelled derogatory things about President Elect Trump. Making matters even more heinous, the group broadcast the video, streaming it live on their Facebook feed.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “When can I post on Social media about my ongoing case?”
The news that prosecutors have asked Amazon to release data from its Echo personal assistant grabbed headlines across the country this past week. The tech industry has been abuzz with one of the industry leaders embroiled in a dispute with law enforcement. Privacy advocates have been alarmed by the effort to further invade a person’s home, a formerly sacred space. Finally, the law enforcement community is up in arms, arguing that if information exists which could solve a murder it should be brought to light to assist victims rather than protected to help suspects.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Should I ever plead guilty to a charge?”
Though there’s been surprisingly little coverage, experts say that this year appears to serve as yet more proof that American’s interest in using the death penalty as an instrument of criminal punishment may be in decline. There’s been no specific legal or legislative reason for the shift, but those who follow the issue closely say it’s clear society has begun to change, slowly at first and now more quickly, leading to a potentially important evolution in the criminal justice system.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Blog
