As anyone who has been convicted of drunk driving in Maryland knows, the penalties for such an offense can be severe. But there's a marked difference between the charges that come after a traffic stop versus a serious crash caused by driving under the influence. Whereas the former might earn you a simple charge of driving while impaired, an accident that injures or kills someone might put you behind bars for several years. And that punishment doesn't include the impact a crash could have on another person's life.
No sign of impairment, but NFL player arrested for drunk driving
People in the public eye are often under increased scrutiny of their behavior. This celebrity status may work against people when it comes to confrontations with police officers. Tabloids and news outlets splash these sensational stories across their headlines and there seems to be a never-ending demand for this type of information. Just because a person is famous does not mean that he or she should be treated any differently in the eyes of the law. Like everyone else, public figures must obey the law, but that does not mean they should be unfairly targeted or punished.
Man confesses to crime, but felt coerced
The Supreme Court has upheld a confession that the accused maintains was coerced. The man confessed to sexually assaulting a friend's daughter in a situation where many people might do the same. The man was brought in for questioning, but was not "in custody," and had not been read his rights. He was interrogated for 80minutes, in which the officers involved "overstated" the evidence against him and attempted to give incentives for him to confess. According to the journal for the state's bar, the officers told the man he would not be able to make any phone calls -- implying he would be unable to contact a lawyer.
Software to be used to predict future crimes
In a turn more like a sci-fi movie than a policing method, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania has developed technology meant to decrease crime. The software was developed from an algorithm informed by more than 60,000 crimes, which revealed that there was a subset in the data that were more likely to commit murder when on parole or probation.
Supreme Court to address sex offender registry issues
The Supreme Court justices will be reviewing a decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals in the 5th Circuit. A U.S. airman was court-martialed for allegedly having sex with an underage girl. He was confined for three months and faced a bad conduct discharge. Following that, he moved around Texas for about nine years. In 2008, he was arrested because he had not informed officials of his whereabouts for the sex offender registry.
Class-action suit filed against officer for DUI charges
A Utah Highway Patrol trooper has been accused of filing false DUI charges, and now is facing a class-action lawsuit for the allegations. Her superiors are also involved in the lawsuit, though she was fired for her misconduct. The class-action lawsuit involves at least 40 people who claim to have been wrongfully arrested by the trooper.
Cases may be dismissed due to inaccurate breathalyzer evidence
Maryland residents are likely familiar with the technology that police use to test drivers for their blood-alcohol content called a breathalyzer. As much as we all may love technology, it can cause serious issues for people accused of crimes. Over the past few months, we have seen numerous cases with evidence called into question due to lab practices, and now, a judge in Pennsylvania has challenged the breathalyzer tests in his county.
Social media results in arrest for driver
Though many of us use social media sites to share interesting news about our days and keep in touch with friends and family, one young man's revelation about his night's activities have resulted in criminal charges. The 18-year-old man made his Facebook status "Drivin drunk ... classsic ;) but to whoever's vehicle i hit i am sorry. :P" As a result, though he had to that point been getting away with his crime, he was charged.
Woman acquitted on prescription drug charges
Being wrongfully accused of a crime can be extremely stressful especially if you are facing a trial and the serious consequences that go along with it. This week a woman was found not guilty on 11 charges of prescription medication misconduct.
Erratic driving leads to drunk driving arrest
Driving drunk is never a good idea, but doing so while on the job could cost you your job. This week a Maryland man was arrested after being pulled over for suspected drunk driving while operating a semi-truck.
