Fourth of July is one of the busiest days of the year for families, friends, and police. It’s hot, and people are out in the hot sun, driving in their cars, motoring boats around the lake, all while drinking booze and blowing up things. It’s a real easy day to draw attention to yourself, do something stupid, or break the law. Today is a day to be EXTRA vigilant about how much you’ve had to drink before taking the wheel, or how you react to someone’s physical aggression or words. It’s also a really good day to not be in possession of ANYTHING illegal, as the threshold for pulling you over in a vehicle, or even inspecting your boat, is very low. But everyone make mistakes. Maybe you’ve been pulled over after a few beers. Perhaps you find yourself in the back of a squad after defending the honor of your girlfriend against a miscreant pervert with busy hands. Maybe your drunk, abusive boyfriend finally got what was coming to him, and someone called the cops. Here are a few tips on how to at least make the best out of a bad situation. 1. You have the right to remain silent. This is one of the most important rights you have, and it puts you in the greatest control, even if held captive by authorities. I have yet to hear of a situation where someone has talked themselves out of being arrested or charged with a crime. You may think your explanation gets you off the hook. That’s because you’re speaking from a perspective of common sense. Unfortunately, the law has drifted afar of common sense in some areas, and what you believe to be the truth that will set you free is more likely to be an admissible statement in court that gets you convicted of a crime. Many times have I heard from a client “the officer didn’t read me my rights, so my case should be dismissed, right?” Wrong. If you have not been arrested, if you have not been detained in a squad car, and and officer is asking you questions, he’s waiting for you to say the thing that gives him the authority to arrest you, and will be used against you in court. The moment an officer begins asking you questions, be extremely polite and courteous, and refuse to speak with him. The officer may make promises, may make veiled threats, whatever he does, do not answer factual questions. Do not think that being “open” and “honest” with the officer will cause him to somehow respect you enough to let you go. It won’t. Ever. 2. DO NOT LIE to the officer, especially about your name and birth date (which is a crime unto itself). Simply decline to speak with him. 3. Obey physical commands. If an officer gives you physical commands, obey those commands for your own safety, and to avoid the possibility of being charged with resisting arrest or obstruction. DO NOT SPEAK to… Read more {+}
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Arm yourself against police injustice; get a smartphone.
In 1948, George Orwell wrote his famous “1984″, a novel in which a hyperbolic version of then existing English Socialism watches its society on every street corner, and even in their yards and homes. His writing was prophetic. The persistant conflagration of the Fourth of Amendment is the single greatest threat to your liberty. What Orwell DID NOT foresee is that, simultaneously, every single “prole” would possess, on their person, a camera which could broadcast any and all footage within minutes of recording. THAT’S OUR WEAPON, and recently, the Supreme Court of the United states affirmed your right to use that weapon to record police activity. Just as the Second Amendment was designed to ensure the citizenry would never be unarmed and helpless against tyranny, so the First Amendment stands for the proposition that the government shall have no monopoly on information, knowledge, memorial, and history. Your weapon in this fight is your phone, and the internet. When you carry a phone with a camera, you’re not just possessing something fun or convenient. You carry the power to record irrefutable evidence. Keep it charged. Keep it ready. Record EVERY badge, every word. Mount a “go-pro” in your vehicle. Activate it at every traffic stop. Don’t be a victim. Record. Record everything, and tell them in advance and simultaneously that you’re recording. This isn’t a quip. This is important for your liberty and future. Record all authority, and all interactions with them. Arm yourself against police injustice; get a smartphone. was last modified: May 27th, 2016 by Alex DeMarco
Jury Acquits Client of Felony Terroristic Threats
The Felony Terroristic threats statute is a very broad offense. Minn. Stat. 609.713 provides “Whoever threatens, directly or indirectly, to commit any crime of violence with purpose to terrorize another” is guilty of a felony. An insincere “I’m gonna kill you” or “do that and your dead” can result in a felony charge. Client was charged with felony terroristic threats. It was alleged he confronted the mother of his child over the whereabouts of his child. She had disappeared with his daughter for nearly a year, and he had not seen or heard from her. He confronted her in a public place on the same morning her children were taken by social services. She manufactured a story that he had threatened to kill her boyfriend, who was with her, and that he reached for a knife. By entering evidence of the current child dispute and citing it as a motive for her to lie, and by noting the inconsistency of her testimony with the video, Alex De Marco secured a “not guilty” verdict on the charge of felony terroristic threats. The defense presented no witnesses other than the defendant. If you’ve been charged with terroristic threats, you should know it is one of the most difficult cases for the state to prove at trial if you have a lawyer that knows the law and the rules of evidence. Don’t just hire any lawyer. Invest in your defense. Call Cavaleri & De Marco today. 651-705-8829 Jury Acquits Client of Felony Terroristic Threats was last modified: May 7th, 2015 by Alex DeMarco