America's Criminal Defense

Recently CNN reported that a trailer park in Pinellas County, FL had become somewhat of a haven for convicted sex offenders. One resident, a registered sex offender named Michael, called the park a "paradise." He is just one of thousands of registered sex offenders across the nation dealing with the strict rules regulating what he can and cannot do on a daily basis. As he puts it, "as a sex offender, you're told, you can't do this . . . can't go near a park, school, bus stop, church . . . but we do want you to do this . .. just not "here." Well, the problem, according to Michael and many other people in his position, is thatthe definition ofwhere "here" is, isbecoming more restrictive everyday. Unlike any other crime, where a prison sentence is imposed and the convicted felon serves his time, a sex offender has the added burden of registering, sometimes for life, as sex offender. Comments (0)

Within the last 48 hours there have been two major incidents involving our youth at school. First, Asa Coon, shot and wounded two students and two teachers at SuccessTech Academy in Cleveland, OH. Second, a home-schooled teenager who had apparently amassed a cache of weapons, including a hand grenade, and had sought to recruit another boy, was charged with solicitation to commit terror for a possible schoolattack in PA. Since then, videos and photos have been leaked showing the terror that some of the students faced, as well as images of the weapons that were gathered. It appears that in both incidents, the two suspects were the victims of taunts and being bullied by other students. http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/11/student.arsenal/index.html http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,301065,00.htmlhttp:

It was reported by the LA Times on Thursday, Oct. 4, that the Los Angeles Sheriff's Dept. conducted a five-city "arrest contest." According to the report, the contest, dubbed "Operation Any Booking,"coordinated by Lt. Tatreau, aimed at making as many arrests as possible in a 24-hr period. The contest involved the five southeast LA cities of Lakewood, Bellflower, Paramount, Artesia, and Hawaiian Gardens. Tatreau describedthe contestas amorale boosterand "a friendly competition to have a little fun" for "bragging rights." Los Angeles officials are now investigating all arrests made during the "competition" to check the validity of those arrests. One attorney from the Public Defenders office is contending that "the activities of the deputies may not have been prompted by what they saw but rather by the pressure of producing greater arrest numbers for the competition." http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la

Jacksonville University running back Rudell Small had drug charges dropped against him by prosecutors after it was discovered that a competing teammate planted the marijuana in his room. Small, a freshman running back, had won the starting spot over Junior running back Cecil Coltrane. Coltrane admitted to police that he planted more than 20 grams of marijuana in Small's dorm room, and reported this to authorities. http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-pot5oct05,1,7058199.story

Small successfully maintained his innnocence, undoubtedly under immense pressure from school and local authorities. After he was suspended, it would not have been surprising to see such a young athlete succumb to the pressure. He was smart though, and fortunately for him, a reall investigation was conducted, and the true perpetrator was discovered. Authorities now are deciding whether to charge Coltrane. America's Criminal De

Fashion designer Anond Jon had his 59-count indictment unsealed Thursday, Oct. 5. He faces a total of 59 sexual assault charges, including forcible rape, lewd acts upon a child, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, sexual battery by restraint and attempted forcible oral copulation. The DAs office has said there are a total of 20 victims, ranging in ages 17-27. Jon has been in custody since March, 2007, and is being held without bail (likely because he is not a US citizen). http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/la-me-jon5oct05,1,3112547.story

This is a case where Jon's original attorney in March, 2007, made a statement to the media professing his client's innocence to the forcible rape charges, however also mentioning that he believed one of the girls he was involved in was 18 years old (legal age of consent in CA). Sound like an admission of statutory rape to you??? This is why