Criminal defense lawyers love trying cases to a jury. The process evokes the inherent competitiveness that got us into this business in the first place. We can’t wait to give an opening statement, cross-examine witnesses, make objections and put our own evidence before the jury. Naturally, closing arguments are exciting…
The Lawrence Eagle Tribune reports that police in Haverhill are seeking the help of the public in identifying two suspects who allegedly robbed an unarmed pedestrian at gunpoint. The victim, a 34-year-old man, was robbed of $80 dollars in cash, his credit cards and some other personal papers shortly after 5:00pm on…
Today’s Lowell Sun reports that a Dracut, Massachusetts man has been held pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 276 Section 58A at least until a judge can hear the prosecution’s petition for detention on dangerousness grounds. The forty five year old man allegedly assaulted a woman with a handgun. She…
More and more we are seeing searches and arrests made in Massachusetts that stem from the use of drug sniffing dogs. Take for the example the case of Johnny V. Nunez, a Boston man arrested last night for trafficking heroin. Nunez was stopped on Route 93 for routine motor vehicle…
I cannot even begin to count the number of times a week people call my office and ask what they should do because they think the cops are looking for them. The answer depends on what happened and why the client thinks he or she is wanted. For instance, yesterday…
Recently, police officers in Massachusetts have been building drug investigations based on leads from “concerned citizens”. These leads come in the form of formal complaints or tips. Some are anonymous. Sometimes the individual making the complaint is identified. Today, a local newspaper reported on one of these investigations taking place…
Many Massachusetts attorneys that practice post-conviction litigation have been reviewing cases relative to the viability of raising the issue that a defendant was deprived of his Sixth Amendment right to s public trial—even during jury empanelment when spectators were excluded from the courtroom. Within the past few years it was…
21 United States Code Section 331(c) makes it a crime for anyone to receive in interstate commerce a cosmetic that is misbranded. This is a crime that is rarely seen prosecuted in this area. Unfortunately Rossi Tavarez, a thirty seven year old Dorchester, Massachusetts woman is facing federal criminal charges…
Drug Distribution Defense in Massachusetts Controlled substances are drugs or prescription medications that can be so dangerous when consumed that their distributions is regulated. Controlled substances can include prescription medications such as oxycontin, as well as illegal drugs, including marijuana, heroin, cocaine and other narcotic agents. In Massachusetts, no one…
As a Massachusetts criminal defense lawyer I learn something new about laws every day. This is in part because criminal law constantly evolves. It is also due to the fact that not all laws are defined in black and white terms. When Massachusetts laws are vague advocating a particular position…