Total Criminal Defense Blog

FresnoBee.com reports that an Italian man in a California prison for assaulting an ex-girlfriend has begun fasting to protest the health care he’s received in prison. The man claims he’s gotten insufficient treatment for hepatitis C, a potentially cancerous lungspot and spinal cord problems. Prison officials contradict his claims, but with prison crowding in the United States being what it is, it’s hard to know who to believe.

Inmates in Connecticut have reportedly contracted bladder infections after being denied regular access to bathroom facilities and recent reports show that more than 1% of the US population is now behind bars.

Have you ever come across a law that left you wondering “what the heck were they thinking?” If not, then check out this article on some crazy laws. If so, give it a read anyways, as you’re sure to enjoy these antiquated and strange offerings:

• The Criminality of the Absurd: Outdated or Irrational Laws in the United States.

Sure, citizens have access to open records from their local law enforcement agencies.  But in today’s information age, we’ve gotten used to the ease with which we can access things as diverse as open-source code, hit pop songs and government records on-line.  In reality, our ability to use “open” records may be thwarted at the local level if our area law enforcement agencies have made it impossible to do so.

Reason Magazine’s Hit-and-Run blog has a fascinating look at one concerned citizen’s attempt to access Houston police records on force-entry drug raids and complaints filed against HPD for drug warrants.  First of all, the price tag: $100,000 for two requests.  Why so expensive?  Houston keeps its records in paper copy, and to accurately find complaints for drug warrants, employees would have to take the files for 43,456 complaints lodged in the last seven years and look for drug cases.  Amazing!

Imagine what it would be like if he’d tried Chicago!

ESPN reports that PGA golfer Tripp Isenhour was taping a television golf show when a local hawk on the golf course became irascible, distracting him and forcing a retake.  Isenhour responded by whacking a few golf balls at the bird.  The 7th golf ball was the culprit: this ball nailed the red-shouldered hawk in the head, killing it instantly.

Now Isenhour faces Charges of animal cruelty and killing a migratory bird.  In an apology statement released through his company SFX Golf, Isenhour claimed to be “an animal lover,” citing three cats that his family owned from a local shelter as evidence of his naturally sympathetic nature toward animals.

Since 1993, 120 Americans have been taken off Death Row because of DNA evidence that cleared them of the crimes they’d been found guilty of in court, according to an article released by the Associated Press. That number doesn’t include the many innocent people who have been convicted of crimes and freed from lesser sentences.

Last week, Marvin Anderson, who was cleared of charges against him after serving 15 years of a 210 year prison sentence, called for Attorney General Michael Mukasey to begin giving federal funds to state programs investigating cases for which DNA evidence has become available.

Though nearly $14 million was set aside ago by the federal government, that money has not yet seen its way to state programs aimed at investigating convictions involving new DNA evidence. Anderson, along with others who have been cleared of convictions thanks to DNA evidence, plan to speak out against this withholding.

Bobby Joe Helms, known in Florida as the “Hyde Park Rapist,” was cleared for release from civil custody months ago, according to tampabay.com. But he was only just recently released for good. After seven attempts to find Helms suitable housing arrangements, he found a place to stay in Melbourne, FL.

The first place that rejected Helms was a trailer park that housed several other sex offenders. But the management rejected Helms after learning how extensive his criminal record was.

Basically, Helms ended up spending three extra months in custody because of his difficulties finding a place to live. And he isn’t the first. Because sex offenders have very limited options for living and working (proximity to a school or other children’s gathering place is often a consideration), reentering the community successfully can be a challenge. And people who have been convicted of a variety of crimes frequently face difficulties finding legitimate work once they’re released.

Did you know that the FBI has plans to invade the privacy of Americans by compiling “biometric” databases?

It has been reported that data including digital images of faces, fingerprints and palm prints are already being collected, however, there are plans to also gather data including iris patterns, face shapes, scars, speech patterns and even gaits.

The technology is not new. This biometric data is already being used at the Pentagon and and the Defense Department. Also, the Department of Homeland Security reportedly already uses iris scans during some airport security checks.

Read more about the FBI’s 10-year plan to compile these biometric databases in our criminal defense articles section.

A Columbus, OH robbery was thwarted last week when the would-be robber raised his voice a little too high, reports MSNBC.com. Keith Sturgill entered a Wendy’s restaurant with a gun and threatened employees and patrons while waiting for the contents of a safe.

When an employee’s phone rang, Sturgill shouted that he would fire his gun at anyone who answered. What he didn’t count on was that the employee’s headset was voice-activated, and was triggered by his aggressively loud voice. The caller overheard the commotion and called the police.

Sturgill surrendered shortly after police circled the restaurant. He was on parole for a rape and robbery in 1993, and is being held in jail.

Two inmates in the most secure part of an Elizabeth, New Jersey prison escaped this week and are currently at large, reports the New York Times. The convicts, 32-year-old Otis Blunt and 19-year-old Jose Espinosa, dug away at the mortar surrounding a cinderblock, removed that cinderblock, and wriggled through the hole. They then jumped from the roof over a fence and made their way to freedom.

If this sounds familiar to you, it’s probably because you’ve seen “The Shawshank Redemption,” in which Tim Robbins plays a character who does exactly that. And here’s the kicker: Blunt actually attempted a similar getaway in September of this year!

After his first escape attempt, he was placed in a more secure cell but, apparently, it wasn’t secure enough. Now, I’ve never run a prison myself, but I would think that, given Blunt’s record for attempting to escape by chiseling through walls, oh, I don’t know–SOMEONE WOULD HAVE MONITORED THAT.

The two men have not been found, and investigators are broadening their search area in hopes of catching the men, whom they believe to be still in New Jersey.

And they say you can’t learn anything from watching movies.

Well, well, well. Barry Bonds, formerly of the San Franscico Giants, is facing charges of perjury and obstruction of justice for lying to a federal grand jury about his steroid use.

Some sources like Bonds’ case to Michael Vick’s, speculating that Vick’s recent 23-month sentence could be the beginning of a trend: many legal experts predicted a shorter jail stint for the former NFL star. Could Vick’s sentencing have been the beginning of a trend of taking criminal offenses committed by celebrities more seriously?

Both athletes hired teams of crackerjack criminal defense attorneys. Both got in legal trouble at high points in their careers. And, if Bonds’ trial goes anything like Vick’s, both will be held legally accountable for their actions, despite their superstar status.