Drug Possesion

Published on: January 31, 2012

Pass the Spittoon—Man Spits on Floor in Courtroom

by Stephen Bilkis

A twenty year-old man from Macomb faces charges for driving under the influence, marijuana possession, and a possible charge for contempt, as he spit on the floor in the courtroom during his hearing. The Illinois State Police arrested the accused early on Sunday, where he was driving with a suspended/revoked license, found to be in possession of marijuana, and driving under the influence of drugs.

Since the man failed to appear in court in the past, he is also wanted in the state of Tennessee. His hearing was held on Monday at the McDonough County Circuit Court, where in order to be released he would have to post $450 to make bail, but he claimed that he could only account for $300 total. The man seemed outwardly troubled, as he shared about the difficulties of traveling place to place, and struggling with family problems. A New York Criminal Lawyer expounds, that while the man was walking toward his seat in the courtroom, he allegedly spit on the floor, and was later questioned by the Sheriff’s deputy as to whether this was an accident or not.

After the accused was dismissed, an assistant county prosecutor filed an appeal that the act of spitting was a direct sign of contempt toward the court. No ruling has been made yet, regarding the petition against the accused for spitting on the floor. The man is currently residing in the McDonough County Jail, until his next hearing on Wednesday.

Published on: January 29, 2012

Landlord Running Over Tenant Recounts New York Criminal Lawyer

by Stephen Bilkis

Taking the law into one’s own hands is never the best way to handle a situation. People tend to get hurt and once the actual legal system gets involved the process may become overwhelming. If you find yourself in a situation in which taking the law into your own hands has become an issue, contact a New York Criminal Lawyer. If this landlord had simply waited to see what was going to happen, perhaps this would not have escalated into assault.

Though the case has been forwarded to prosecutors, no charges have been filled as of yet. The 73 year old owner of the duplex in which the tenant lived ran over a man he said was standing behind his vehicle and refusing to move. West Fargo police state that Cass County prosecutors may charge the vehicle driver with aggravated assault. The tenant remains hospitalized and has been unable to speak to detectives following his injuries. In fact it is likely that the hospitalized man will not be able to speak to detectives for several more days.

The landlord told reporters that he felt threatened and scared by some man standing in the road who would not move. The landlord then states he saw another person coming up behind his vehicle and the fear was magnified. This all took place around 7:15 P.M. in the 600th block of Second Avenue West while the landlord sat in his Hummer.

Published on: January 28, 2012

Man Held as Material Witness in Terrorism Trial Sues Former Attorney General

by Stephen Bilkis

A man held for 14 days in 2003 for alleged ties to a terror suspect has filed a lawsuit against a former Attorney General. The man claims that he was stopped at Dulles International airport in Virginia and taken to various places throughout Virginia, Oklahoma and Idaho for questioning. During these sessions, the man was grilled on various subjects including his religious beliefs, ties to terrorism groups inside and outside the United States and his relationship with the terror suspect police officials had in custody, reports a New York Criminal Lawyer. The man was eventually released and never had to appear as a material witness. The other man’s trial resulted in an acquittal in 2004.

The man, a U.S. citizen, converted to Islam while attending the University of Idaho. It was there that he struck up a friendship with the other man accused of terrorism. On that day in 2003, the man was on his way to Saudi Arabia to learn more about his religion, study the language and learn more about the culture when he was detained at the airport. The man currently lives in Saudi Arabia and is being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

This case will probably end up being heard in front of the Supreme Court. While most agree the court will side with the Attorney General, some believe the decision to do so will be a tough one. The man’s case rests on the fact that he was wrongfully detained as there was no evidence he was a part of any criminal activity or that he knew of any terror plots against the U.S., explains a New York Criminal Lawyer. The man also claims that law enforcement coerced him into answering questions because they told him he was to be a material witness during the other man’s trial.

Published on: January 20, 2012

Barry Bonds on Trial for Allegedly Lying to a Federal Grand Jury

by Stephen Bilkis

The trial of former major league baseball player, Barry Bonds, is underway in U.S. District Court, a New York Criminal Lawyer has learned. The former San Francisco Giant all-star is accused of “obstructing justice and three counts of making false statements to a grand jury.”

During their opening arguments to the jury, prosecutors stated that when Bonds testified to the grand jury in 2003 that he had immunity and that all he had to do was to tell the truth, which they allege that he did not, the New York Criminal Lawyer was told. His testimony was in regards as to whether he had knowingly used anabolic steroids, which Bonds denied. Bonds baseball career was essentially over when he tested positive for “banned substances” during a team administered urine test. He has not played major league baseball since he was indicted in 2007.

One of those expected to testify against Bonds, is his former mistress who will reportedly testify that Bonds told her that he suffered from sexual dysfunction due to steroid use. His mistress was reportedly with the former ball player for more than 10-years and during two of his marriages.

Published on: January 2, 2012

Officers Take Out Meth Lab, Arrest 4 in Lexington County

by Stephen Bilkis

Acting on a tip, officers from the Lexington County Multi-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET) raided a home near Lexington, SC, led to the arrests of two men and two women, sources revealed to a reporter.

A Lexington County Sheriff’s Department spokesman said that NET officers had received a tip that the four persons were manufacturing meth at a clandestine meth lab in the home of one of those arrested. Officers from the multi-agency cooperative effort executed a search warrant just after 2:00pm Friday and found that meth was being manufactured in the master bedroom. Officers said that a small amount of marijuana was also located inside the home.

Local firefighters from the Lexington County Fire Service were on the scene and assisted the officers to dismantle the meth lab and to assist with the disposal of any chemicals and other hazardous substances that were associated with the meth lab.

Published on: January 2, 2012

Court Discusses New Program That Evicts Drug Dealers from Real Property

by Stephen Bilkis

This summary holdover proceeding is brought by the New York County District Attorney’s office under a new program created by the Prosecutor’s office and other governmental agencies designed to evict drug dealers from residential and other real property used for illegal drug trade, business or manufacture pursuant to RPAPL Section 715.

A New York Criminal Lawyer said this eviction program is the progeny of the explosion of drug related crimes which have overwhelmed the City of New York and have sent a wave of fear throughout the communities of the city. The District Attorney’s office has realized that many of the drug dealers are conducting their insidious trade directly from residential premises, with impunity, since many local residents and neighbors are in fear for their safety and lives to report such illegal activities to the authorities. The Prosecutor’s office and other City agencies realized the need for intervention.

Police officers found heroin and the total amount of $22,983.00 in the apartment of the respondents. Respondent-tenants contend that Petitioner has failed to present any evidence of illegal drug crime conducted in the premises since there was no evidence offered by Petitioner to show that any of the Respondent-tenants engaged in a sales transaction of a controlled substance nor did the police find any controlled substance in the premises.

Published on: January 1, 2012

Proof in Drug Possession Case Must be Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

by Stephen Bilkis

The Drug Enforcement Task Force initiated an investigation into an organization in Brooklyn that was purportedly selling a brand name of heroin called “Raw”. As a result of that investigation, the defendant was convicted, after trial, of selling narcotics to an undercover police officer. The detective testified that on May 17, 1988, he and a confidential informant went to 31 Patchen Avenue in Brooklyn, where they met with the defendant for the purpose of arranging a purchase of five packages of heroin. A New York Criminal Lawyer said after telephoning his connection, the defendant told the detective that the heroin would be arriving shortly. A man thereafter arrived on a motorcycle with the packages and he and the detective agreed to a purchase price of $4000. After the defendant complained, however, that he was being cut out of the deal, the man raised the price to $4700. The detective gave the man the $4700 from which $700 was given to the defendant.

After the informant contacted the defendant by beeper, he and the detective agreed to another sale. A New York Criminal Lawyer said the defendant then contacted his connection, who thereafter arrived with a brown paper bag filled with 500 glassine envelopes, which he gave to the defendant. handed over $4700 to the defendant in exchange for the bags. Although Joseph The detective attempted to deal directly with the man who brought the narcotics, the man refused to give him his beeper number. Instead, he told the detective that any dealings would have to go through the defendant.

They then returned to 31 Patchen Avenue where another man and the defendant got into the confidential informant’s car. A New York Drug Possession Lawyer said the detective and the confidential informant, then followed the other man and the defendant to Crescent and Fulton Streets, and then to 2958 Atlantic Avenue, which was a radio car repair shop. Once at this location, the defendant directed the detective inside. The man then entered the shop while the defendant remained outside. The man told the detective to get the money ready. When he returned to the shop, the man dropped the five paper bags which later were determined to contain 485 glassine envelopes of heroin, to the floor. The detective knelt down to pick them up and, while still on the ground, handed up the money. The defendant, who had entered the shop, grabbed the money from the detective, counted it and handed it over to the man.

Published on: December 24, 2011

Murder and DUI Suspect Had Been charged 50 Previously

by Stephen Bilkis

A man accused of killing a mother and grandmother while being high on crack cocaine had fourteen prior arrests at the time of the fatal crash, claims a police report.

The man’s drug abuse was well known to local authorities before the accident in which he struck and killed a mother and grandmother with his Chevy Tahoe. The 30-year-old man had faces charges 14 times prior to the January 6, 2011 crash.

The man has faced a variety of charges, including possession of a controlled substance and marijuana. The man was arrested several times for driving with a suspended license and with a revoked license, reports a source. In total, the man has faced 55 charges since 1999.

Published on: December 19, 2011

Federal program uses fingerprints to identify illegal immigrants

by Stephen Bilkis

In an effort to more easily identify illegal immigrants who have committed crimes, there is a new federal program that uses fingerprinting, using federal databases, to do so, explains a reporter. This program is being adopted by states all across America in an effort to nab illegal immigrants who have been convicted of a crime like drug possession to make it easier to process them. This program is said to be implemented across the entire U.S. by 2013.

Opponents of this program say that such measures are unnecessary, but police and law enforcement all agree that it makes the task of prosecuting illegal immigrants who have previously committed crimes much easier, reports the insider. A routine traffic stop could turn bad for any one of America’s millions of drivers, especially if they have a warrant out for their arrest and they are caught with cocaine in their possession. Why should it be any different for an illegal immigrant?

With the plethora of new laws being made to keep catch perpetrators of crimes, it can sometimes seem a little overwhelming, but law enforcement continues to insist that these new technological advances and programs are necessary to keep peace on our streets, explains the source. Of course, there are still flaws in the system and bugs to be worked out, but like everything else, this new program will take time to implement and to perfect. In the meantime, we are being urged to accept these new laws as being a step in the right direction for combating crime in all areas.

Published on: December 3, 2011

Supreme Court denies overturned conviction for ex-felon

by Stephen Bilkis

The Supreme Court rejected an appeal that would have overturned a conviction of a Washington state man. The man is an ex felon who was appealing a law that would send him back to prison for several months.

The man was pulled over by police in 2005. They told a reporter that they suspected that he was selling cocaine. Police also realized he was wearing a vest. If police suspect a person is breaking the law, they have the right to pull an individual over.

The court rejected his appeal over a federal law banning convicted felonies from having body armor. This also includes bulletproof vests. A 7-2 decision by the Court to not review the case determined that they would not intervene with the decision for the man to be sentenced to 18 months in prison. They decided to stick with the original verdict. Drug possession was certainly the contention of the law enforcement group.