Other Criminal Offenses

“The Invisible War” To Compete At Sundance

December 6, 2011 Current Events

“The Invisible War,” a documentary by Kirby Dick on rape in the military, has been selected for competition at the Sundance Film Festival, January 19-29, 2012.  One of the most powerful lines in the movie is: “Military women are more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire.”

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“A Surprisingly Good Day in Court” for Cioca v. Rumsfeld

November 21, 2011 Assault

Over at the Daily Beast, Jessie Ellison describes three signs that the military might finally be forced to  “confront its rape epidemic.”  First, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced on Friday that he will issue “very direct guidance” in the coming months to reduce sexual assault in the military.  Second, a new bill introduced by [...]

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How Criminal Charges Can Jeopardize a Security Clearance

September 16, 2011 Other Criminal Offenses

Of all the collateral consequences of a criminal arrest or conviction, one of the issues of greatest concern in the DC/Maryland/Northern Virginia area could be the effect of an arrest or conviction on a person’s security clearance.  After all, with many military personnel and defense contractors living in the area, there are many people here [...]

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English v. United States: Aiding and Abetting Flight in a Motor Vehicle

August 19, 2011 Opinions/Cases

Darnell Anderson was the passenger in a car involved in a shooting.  The car sped away at high speed when police arrived at the scene.  Anderson continued to flee on foot even after the car was stopped.  The question addressed last month before the D.C. Court of Appeals in English v. U.S., __ S.E.2d __ [...]

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Diversion Programs in Washington, DC: List of Approved Organizations for Community Service

August 3, 2011 Other Criminal Offenses

If you have been approved by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for a diversion program in Washington, D.C., your agreement probably includes a requirement that you perform community service. Below is a list of the organizations that are approved as of June 2, 2011. Please note that there may be separate requirements/organizations for driving while intoxicated, [...]

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U-Va’s Proposed New Rules on Sexual Misconduct

May 7, 2011 Assault

“Sexual misconduct has no place in the university’s community of trust.” So says Patricia Lampkin of the University of Virginia (U-Va) in describing the university’s proposed new rules on sexual misconduct. Having come under harsh criticism nationwide for having failed to prevent the murder of 22-year-old Yeardley Love at the hands of another U-Va student, [...]

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On Challenging a Prostitution/Sexual Solicitation Case in D.C.

April 8, 2011 Other Criminal Offenses

A couple of years ago, I was representing a client on a prostitution solicitation charge in Philadelphia. I had worked out a deferred prosecution agreement with the government according to which the assistant district attorney would postpone prosecution and then dismiss the charges against my client if he successfully completed a period of 9 months [...]

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Inexperienced Lawyer Dismissed in D.C. Murder Trial

April 2, 2011 Current Events

I have always been somewhat suspicious of reports in the criminal law blogosphere about lawyers who misrepresent their credentials or who otherwise fail to meet the needs of their clients. Maybe I am naïve but I have questioned how frequently this actually occurs. And just as anything I might say could be viewed as suspect, [...]

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Lawrence Taylor on Prostitution Solicitation

March 23, 2011 Other Criminal Offenses

Former NFL great Lawrence Taylor was sentenced on Monday to six years of probation for soliciting sex from a 16-year-old prostitute. Here he is, with H/T to Sex Offender Issues, on Studio B with Shepard Smith.

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D.C. Overhauls Disorderly Conduct Statute

March 22, 2011 Opinions/Cases

Disorderly conduct laws made national news in 2009 when Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was arrested at his home for “loud and tumultuous behavior in a public place.” Gates, who is African American, claimed racial profiling. The officer, who is white and who was responding to a call of a possible break-in at the [...]

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