Mecklenburg Defense Attorney

Alaska Tries New Approach To Reduce Prison Population

Published on: January 31, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

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.

Can you go to jail for environmental crimes?

Published on: October 4, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question:”What is an expungement?”

The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) recently announced that people responsible for serious environmental crimes could be prosecuted by the court. The announcement represents a shift for the ICC, which has long focused on prosecuting warlords and tyrants for crimes committed against humanity.

Charlotte Police Release Footage of Shooting

Published on: September 28, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Should I talk to the police?”

Charlotte has been gripped by protests in the days following the deadly shooting of Keith Lamont Scott. Scott was killed by police officers who said he was using marijuana and carrying a gun that he refused to drop. In the days after the shooting, protesters urged the police to release video footage of the encounter, including dashboard and body camera video recordings. The hope is that the footage would shed light on the deadly incident and determine whether or not the officers were justified in their actions.

(Plot) Twist of the Knife: Could O.J. Simpson Be Tried Again?

Published on: March 8, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Should I ever plead guilty to a charge?”

It seems like a movie plot twist in a case that is already one of the most sensationalized of our time. Days after the sixth episode of FX’s new documentary about The People v. O.J. Simpson aired, the news story broke: a retired officer with the Los Angeles Police Department just turned over a knife he claims was found at the site of the murders for which O.J. Simpson was acquitted in 1994.