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Local Man Facing Significant Drug Charges
Local man facing significant drug charges
Tips to police can lead to many issues for residents, whether justified or not. These often anonymous "helpful" citizens can have nefarious intentions and often lie about their tips. Too often though, with an ever-increasing militarized police force and over zealous prosecutors, people can get swept up, or over prosecuted. One local Glen Burnie man is now facing the repercussions of one such anonymous tipster.
The tip
According to a press release, the original tip came to the police back in July. They told the police that they believed there was drug distribution occurring on the 7800 block of Americana Circle in Glen Burnie.
The investigation and warrant execution
In just three short months, they were somehow able to gather enough evidence for a judge to grant a search warrant. And, on Sept. 9, they executed it. After which, instead of charging and prosecuting their case against the 40-year-old local, they put out a press release insinuating his guilt and specifically naming him.
Do You Know How To Exploit Depositions To Your Advantage?
Do you know how to exploit depositions to your advantage?
To present the best criminal defense possible, you have to be thoroughly prepared to litigate your case. That’s why the discovery process is so important. During the discovery phase of your case, you diligently work to find out what the other side knows so that you can better anticipate its arguments and build your own.
One of most important aspects of discovery in a criminal case is the deposition. Here, you take sworn testimony from witnesses prior to trial and outside of court in order to lock in their statements and gauge how they’ll respond to certain questions at trial. You can then use this depositional testimony to attack a witness’s credibility or poke holes in the prosecution’s case.
Competently navigating depositions
Depositions might seem a little less formal than trial testimony, but they are just as important, if not more so, than the testimony actually given in court. That’s why you have to have a strong strategy going into your depositions if you hope to exploit them to your advantage. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Understanding Embezzlement
Understanding embezzlement
Embezzlement is a serious crime and most often, it occurs in a business setting. It occurs when a person has lawful possession of another person’s property, then takes that property or converts it for his or her own use and does not intend to return it.
It may also include using, selling, damaging, permanently withholding and giving away property or money that belongs to someone else.
Embezzlement examples
Generally, the person who is accused of embezzlement is a trusted employee, business partner or a contractor. These people have lawful access to the employer’s property or money and are tasked with using it for the employer’s best interest.
Embezzlement can occur in any business, however it commonly involves people in financial professions like banking, money management and office management and may include falsification of records or paychecks and fraudulent billing. Sometimes, an employer will accuse the person of taking small amounts of money or property over time instead of all at once.
Does Self-Defense Require A Person To Retreat?
Does self-defense require a person to retreat?
Altercations can turn physical quickly and present individuals with dangerous situations from which they have few options to escape. When confronted with a belligerent or aggressive individual, an Annapolis resident may have no other choice than to fight to protect their own health and welfare. Under Maryland law, they may have the right to use self-defense as a defense in court if they are later charged with any form of assault charge.
Self-defense is subject to its own laws and requirements for appropriate use. Readers may use the contents of this post as information on the topic but should not rely on it as legal advice. When facing criminal charges after using self-defense, an individual can benefit from seeking independent legal counsel from a knowledgeable criminal defense lawyer.
Requirements for self-defense in Maryland
There are several conditions that must be met for a person to appropriately use self-defense. Those conditions include a reasonable belief that the individual is subject to an imminent or immediate threat of danger, that they actually believe they are in danger, that they did not provoke the person who is being aggressive toward them, and that they only used as much force as necessary to mitigate the situation. If an individual cannot meet these requirements, their use of force in self-defense may not be justified.
Are The Prosecutions Witnesses Lying About You?
Are the prosecution’s witnesses lying about you?
When prosecutors bring criminal charges, they oftentimes basing their case, at least in large part, on the observations and opinions of others. If you’re on the receiving end of those criminal charges, then these witnesses have the power to strip you of your freedom and ruin your future.
But do you feel like those witnesses are lying or misconstruing the facts? If so, then you should take some comfort in knowing that there are legal maneuvers that you can employ to highlight those witnesses’ flaws.
Attacking the credibility of prosecutorial witnesses
Attacking witness credibility could be key to your criminal defense. After all, juries are tasked with giving the appropriate amount of weight to each witness’s testimony. Therefore, if you can draw a witness’s credibility and reliability into question, then you could cause the jury to attribute less weight to that testimony. That, in turn, could lead to a positive outcome.
Two Arrested For Drug Trafficking In Anne Arundel County
Two arrested for drug trafficking in Anne Arundel County
Those who are facing drug charges in the Annapolis area know how serious law enforcement takes these crimes. People from any walks of life could face drug charges with the common theme that a conviction can bring them years of jail time.
Major Annapolis drug bust
Two people are facing drug trafficking charges in connection with a drug ring in Anne Arundel County. Anne Arundel law enforcement officers seized over $1.7 million of illegal drugs and executed four outstanding warrants. Law enforcement seized two firearms, 2.6 pounds of heroin, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and almost $150,000 in cash. The investigation is still ongoing, and charges are pending.
Criminal defense attorney
If a person is facing drug charges, they may want to speak with an attorney who specializes in criminal defense as soon as possible. An attorney has the experience necessary to aggressively defend their client against these charges. They have experience with state and federal charges for:
When Can The Police Legally Search Your Home?
When can the police legally search your home?
When people are in their homes, they have a level of comfort and security that they do not have in many other places. They expect what occurs inside their home to be private and that people outside of the home will not know what is going on inside. This is true especially for the police. Police have a job to do in Maryland and that is to enforce the law. In order to do this they need to figure out when people are breaking the law.
Police need to collect evidence of crimes though to determine when people break the law. There are many rules that prevent police from simply searching anyone that they want to search. People have protections from unreasonable searches by police through the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The term unreasonable was not specifically defined in the Constitution though. What police are allowed to search and what they are prohibited from searching has been developed through various cases defining the rules.
A Quick Look At Maryland's Traffic Violation Point System
A quick look at Maryland’s traffic violation point system
We all make mistakes. But even the seemingly most minor missteps can have serious ramifications when dealing with the law. Traffic violations, for example, can result in your license being suspended or revoked. This action can have a ripple effect across nearly every aspect of your life. It can make it hard for you to get to work or school, pick up your children for visitation, and even seek out needed medical care. Therefore, it’s important that you understand how the point system works in Maryland and what you can do to avoid accumulation of those points.
Maryland’s point system
A lot, but not all, traffic violations result in points being put on your record. Once you accumulate between 8 and 11 points, your license will be suspended. You can be hit with points for the following violations:
- Speeding between 10 and 19 miles per our – 2 points
- Reckless driving – 6 points
Penalties For Repeat Dui Offenders In Maryland
Penalties for repeat DUI offenders in Maryland
It is an overwhelming experience to get pulled over by law enforcement. Motorists in Maryland and elsewhere will question why he or she were stopped, whether they will be able to avoid a traffic violation and what penalties could result if they are ticketed. However, when a driver has consumed alcohol, these concerns are heightened, causing one to wonder what they will do if they are charged with drunk driving.
While a drunk driving charge does not mean one will be convicted and face penalties, it does mean that a motorist should be informed of their defense options and fully understand the penalties he or she could face. If one has pack DUI convictions, this could greatly impact the severity of the penalties, making it imperative to assert a timely and aggressive defense.
Repeat offender penalties
In the state of Maryland, if one has a past DUI on their record for the past five years, he or she could face harsher penalties. While a first-time offender could face up to a year in jail, a fine of $1000 and a suspended driver’s license, a repeat offender could face several years in prison. For example, if one has two DUIs in a five-year period, this could result in 2 years in prison. However, if one faces a third conviction, which is looked at as the third strike, he or she could face up to 5 years in prison. Additionally, if one is charged with a fourth DUI, he or she could face up to 10 years in prison.
Not All Assault Charges Are The Same
Not all assault charges are the same
Altercations between individuals can result in injuries and criminal charges. When a person is accused of inflicting physical harm on another person, they may be charged with assault. In Maryland, assault charges can be misdemeanors or felonies.
It is critical that a person charged with an assault crime understands the specific elements of their particular alleged crime. For this reason, it can be extremely helpful for an assault defendant to seek the counsel of a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney to help them with their case. This informational post will generally discuss the differences between assault charges in Maryland, but no part of this post should be read as specific legal advice.
Misdemeanor assault
An assault happens when a person puts another in fear of bodily injury or subjects them to offensive or harmful touching. A range of conduct can be considered assault, and because some alleged actions may be more harmful than others, the law recognizes different levels of assault charges. Misdemeanor assault charges, called second-degree assault in Maryland, may be charged when a person commits an assault without aggravating circumstances. Convictions for misdemeanor assaults can result in imprisonment of up to 10 years and fines in excess of $2,000.
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