Have you ever wondered why some people get the death penalty for murder while others do not? The answer comes down to the specifics of the crime. That’s because in California, while capital punishment is still fully legal, it is only applicable in a handful of murder cases involving specific special circumstances detailed in California […]
Is Making a Racist 9-11 Call a Type of Hate Crime?
Falsely reporting a crime is already illegal, but given that police encounters with some groups, particularly persons of color, are more likely to end in violence, should it be a hate crime for someone to make a racist 9-11 call? This could be the case in New York if a proposed law is passed and […]
Defending Against Crimes Related to the Coronavirus in San Diego
In our continuing coverage of the coronavirus outbreak, we’ve talked about a number of crimes related to the coronavirus, including intentionally infecting others with a disease, breaking quarantine, looting and fraud. But as people have become increasingly worried about the risk of infection, we’re seeing new and sometimes unexpected crimes being committed as a result […]
The Supreme Court Determines How Much Force Makes a Crime Violent
The law frequently talks about “violent crimes,” but Oceanside violent crimes lawyers know that unless a crime is specifically defined as violent in the law itself, defining what is or is not violent can be a tricky task. That’s particularly true when trying to apply one state’s laws to another or to federal laws. A […]
Will a Case Get Dropped if a Victim Refuses to Testify?
A common question defendants particularly those in domestic violence cases) ask is whether their case will be dropped if the victim refuses to testify. This is especially true in domestic violence and sexual assault cases where the entire case may come down to one person’s account of events versus the other’s. The answer to this […]
The Most Common Juvenile Crimes in San Diego, California
We have already discussed some of the most common crimes committed in California, but juvenile offenders tend to violate different laws than their adult counterparts. Here are some of the most common charges seen in juvenile courts in San Diego. Assault and battery Teens have always resorted to violence to handle conflicts, but with increasing […]
You Can’t Be Convicted for Acting in Defense of Others
It is illegal to use force against others in most cases, but one of the strongest criminal defenses to these crimes is arguing that you were acting in self defense. While most people know that you can claim that you acted in self defense in order to fight charges of violent crimes, including homicide, attempted murder, assault, […]
Did Don Draper Commit A Hate Crime By Hitting A Priest?
In the newest Mad Men, Don Draper just spent a night behind bars for punching a priest while drunk. Though that may have been the full extent of his legal troubles related to the issue back in 1968 if Don were a modern man, he would be in a lot more hot water than that. […]
