…And continuing in yesterday’s blog’s footsteps, we discuss another case which features a child victim.
At least, so says the Commonwealth.
While everybody else was still reacting to this week’s “up skirt” controversy, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced today the indictment of two Fall River residents for their alleged participation in a human trafficking scheme.
A Brockton couple are facing criminal charges in relation to a very sad domestic violence incident which led to the death of a 4-year-old child.
The death is being prosecuted as a Massachusetts murder.
Antonio Durham, 32, is charged with causing the death of his girlfriend’s young son. Tania Merisca, the 27-year-old mother of the boy has been charged as an accessory after the fact. Her case serves as a logical follow-up to the 3-part topic we just finished discussing in this blog.
We have spent the last two blogs discussing what one should do if approached by law enforcement in the middle of a criminal investigation. Should you accept the police offer to “give your story” without counsel?
A regular reader of this blog was kind enough to join in the discussion and ask an important question. He asks:
You always point out that officers can lie to a suspect to gain evidence. And that’s a reason to seriously consider contacting a defense attorney. Maybe you could address the following question I’ve always wondered about: can the police lie to your attorney? Or the minute you call your attorney in, do they have to start telling the truth? Do prosecutors have to tell the truth (out of court)? I know they can’t withhold evidence, but for example during settlement negotiations could they say they claim to have some evidence they actually do not have?
On Friday, we began discussing whether suspects, or potential suspects, should talk with the police who are conducting a criminal investigation when the officers come to interview them. We focused on the occasion in which the interviewee does not believe that he or she has anything to hide.
As naïve as that may seem.
Attorney Sam’s Take On Volunteering Admissions Without An Attorney Present
Let’s face it. It is scary.
Suddenly you are confronted by law enforcement and the police are asking you questions in tones which suggest that they suspect you of doing something illegal.
You are shaky and they are calm. They are in control.
Yesterday, we began discussing the saga of the Pelletiers and the horror show we call the Department of Children and Families (“DCF”). In short, the medical treatment and fate of their 15-year-old daughter (the “Child”) is at issue. The Child has been taken away from her parents (the “Family”) because there was a disagreement as to what disease the Child has. The Family has faith in an expert physician in the field who had been treating the Child for some time.
Unfortunately, Boston Children’s Hospital (“BCH”) staff disagreed with said expert as well as the hospital which HAD been treating the Child, Tufts Medical Center. Because the Family wished to follow the advice of the original doctor, BCH decided to cut off the expert and the Family from the Child. They brought in their good friend DCF to make sure that the Family’s wishes and beliefs could be disposed of like the left-over trash in the hospital cafeteria.
Over the past year, the Child has remained under DCF control and, last week, the Boston Juvenile Court ordered that not only could DCF and BCH continue its destruction, but that the Child would now be moved to foster care since, as described above, the Family could not be trusted.
I sometimes wonder, as I write these blogs, whether anyone is reading them. More importantly, if they are, are they paying attention to the information and the message I am giving?
I have been warning about the out-of-control nightmare known as the Department Of Children And Families (“DCF”) since long before recent revelations of incompetence have come to light. Those revelations had to do with failures to pay necessary attention to children DCF have set up to be victimized in sick and depraved foster homes. I have been spouting warnings about the other, perhaps more insidious, side of this agency which has bastardized the cause of “helping and protecting” our children, let alone families.
Usually, I concede the assumption that the agency and its mindless minions are ” meaning well.” I try to rationalize that despite the great harm they do on a daily basis…they are simply misguided.
Boston University Police Department increased alcohol-control efforts, following a spike in alcohol-fueled hospital runs, in the first week of February. BU Today, reported that 11 university students were hospitalized for alcohol related incidents. Half of the transports were under 21. In the state of Massachusetts, it is illegal to consume or possess alcohol before 21 years of age.
BUPD Captain Molloy reports that alcohol transports are up 7 percent over the fall semester. This concerning rise has the police department beefing up their patrols. Captain Molloy explains, “We are going to begin plainclothes enforcement,” stationing officers around and near the campus. Students should expect raids from officers dressed in plain clothing at loud or reported parties. In addition to plainclothes enforcement, BUPD plans on increasing police patrols, breaking up all raucous parties, and arresting and citing offenders.
Continue reading
Now, we all know that, generally, it is not nice to lie. Further, we have discussed in the past that lying to police in a criminal investigation is actually a felony.
There are other times, of course, where the lying itself is actually considered a Massachusetts white collar crime, namely, criminal fraud.
Christopher Keefe, a 28-year-gent from Braintree (hereinafter, the “Defendant”), has gotten himself in trouble because of an apparent shaky relationship with the truth.
Good morning! It’s Tuesday of a new week, and you know what that means… time for the weekly snow storm!
As I’m sure you have noticed, we have been getting a lot of snow lately. This takes effect in terms of criminal justice in various ways. Let’s look at two particular areas which could bring law enforcement to your front door.
Eric Megna, 18, hereinafter, the “Defendant”, is still paying for something that happened even before we knew the winter was going to be full of hazards. He has recently been indicted for his alleged connection to an automobile accident back in October. Of course, the Defendant is said to have taken the bad situation of the accident and making it worse. He is also charged with leaving the scene. A 58-year-old man on a bicycle was struck in that accident.
Boston Criminal Lawyer Blog