A car veers off the road killing one of its passengers. The driver had been lawfully taking anti-anxiety medication. The blood result shows a trace amount of her lawful medication. She was charged with negligent homicide and plead guilty to the penalty and served five years probation. Cases like this are common, right? Well, actually…
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Impartiality Be Damned! New Jersey Judge Doubles as Prosecutor
One of the hallmarks of a democratic society is the right to a trial before an impartial judge or jury. So what happens when the judge himself acts as the prosecutor for the case? As absurd as it sounds, this is exactly what happened in a municipal court in New Jersey on the evening of…
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Why Do You Support DUI?
In my years of defending DUI cases in Pennsylvania, one of the most common misconceptions I come across is people questioning why I support DUI. The fact of the matter is, I don’t support drunk driving. It is dangerous and many lives are needlessly lost because of DUI each year. Asking a DUI defense attorney…
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Increasing DUI Penalties
In the wake of the Troy Davis execution, there has been increased scrutiny of the death penalty in America. Even death penalty supporters have been forced to stop and think after the execution of an innocent man. The sad fact is that our justice system is broken and the forensic system is even more fractured. …
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Pennsylvania Man Freed After Serving 25 Years on False Conviction
From Pennlive.com: Pennsylvania man awaiting new trial in 1977 double killing can be released on bail, judge rules PITTSBURGH — A federal magistrate says a western Pennsylvania man can be released on bail while he awaits a new trial in a 1977 double killing for which he was previously sentenced to life in prison. U.S….
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Another DUI Testing Scandal: This time Houston
DUI testing scandals are nothing new nor are they even rare. From Central Pennsylvania to San Fransisco to Indiana to the Nation’s Capital, DUI testing scandals have effected tens of thousands of cases across the country. Lack of oversight, mishandling, cover-ups and under-qualified/over-worked technicians have become the norm rather than the exception. This time another…
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Sources of False DUI Convictions: Improper Conduct by The Government
In my years as a PA DUI Attorney, fighting in courtrooms all across Pennsylvania, I have gone toe-to-toe with some of the very best prosecutors in the state and have come out on top. While many prosecutors adhere to ethical and professional standards, a growing number of prosecutors adopt a convict “by any means necessary”…
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Quality Assurance Standards for the Police
It is infinitely better to have a few good men than many indifferent ones. -GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter to James McHenry, Aug. 10, 1798 Most of us are familiar with quality assurance and quality standards. Whether it is taking the steps to limit defective parts in a manufacturing plant or creating a better user experience for…
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The Forgotten Victims of DUI
Every year countless lives are devastated by DUI. When most of us think about the victims of DUI, we usually think about those killed or injured in drunk driving accidents. Beyond the tragedy suffered by them lies another group of people who also deserve our compassion and attention, yet they are totally forgotten. The Forgotten…
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Does a DUI charge only prove you have good hygiene?
One of the reasons I argue against stiffer penalties for DUI is because the technology and testing being used is very inaccurate and there is a high risk that these stiffer penalties will be applied to innocent people. In one case, a Minnesota man tested positive for alcohol and was sent to jail because this…
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