Some cases are black and white, with a clear line between right and wrong. Other times, the facts are more obscure, hazy, even gray. Case in point: the recent release of a New York police officer who was recently acquitted of all criminal charges after a jury convicted him of plotting to kill and eat women. Fetishes […]
When charged with a violent crime in Wisconsin, defendants must submit to a sample of their DNA to be collected, stored, and cataloged in a state database. Those records stay there, even if the individual’s charges are ultimately dismissed by a judge. This has some lawmakers concerned about the privacy rights of non-convicted individuals. A bill, […]
As per the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), from 2007-2011, more than 282,000 intentional fires have been reported to various U.S. fire departments. These incidents are associated with an annual loss of civilian life totaling 500 innocent victims and are also responsible for over 1,000 civilian injuries and costs reaching $1.3 billion in direct property damage. Robert […]
For many people, social media is a place to connect with friends, family, or even businesses; however it can also be a tool for police, prosecuting attorneys, and other legal officials to use as they see fit. As a result, anyone who shares illegal activity — be it alleged animal abuse, child abuse, rape, kidnapping, […]
Technology has made many advances over the past decade. In most cases, those advances have improved or enriched our lives in some way. There is, however, a negative aspect: laws have been unable to keep up with rapid advancements in technology and has left them, for the most part, ungoverned. A new bill, proposed by […]
Minority oppression and disparity has always been an issue in America, but its continuance (and the resulting effects) are more prevalent in certain areas of the country. After reviewing major studies published over the last few years, analysts believe that Wisconsin may be the worst in the nation for racial disparity. This translates into a […]
Current law defines sexual assault (at minimum) as any intentional, non-consensual sexual touching of intimate parts, directly or through clothing, for the purpose of sexual gratification or victim humiliation. Some lawmakers are looking to make changes to that law that would greatly alter the definition of touching. It would also further restrict who is allowed to give […]
While most of us would like to believe that wrongful convictions are rare, the real truth is that they are more common than most people realize. Steven Avery, who spent 18 years in jail for a rape he did not commit, and a San Francisco man who spent six years in jail while awaiting trial for a […]
Hate crimes are criminal acts committed because of someone’s race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability. Charged and tried according to state statutes, most carry a “penalty enhancement” clause that increases the weight of a penalty. The federal government may also become involved in the investigation or prosecution of a potential hate crime. […]
If you have been charged with a felony in Wisconsin, you will find yourself in the middle of a complex criminal justice system. The better you understand what you are facing the better decisions you can make and the more help you will be to your lawyer Investigation Criminal cases start out with some type of investigation. […]