Category Archives: felony
First Step Act Promised To Reform Criminal Justice & Release Those Doing Unfair Time for Drug Crimes
News reports have been dominated by news headlines of the First Step Act, which, if passed by the Senate by the end of December, would make a number of changes to the criminal justice system, including eliminating mandatory minimum sentencing for a number of drug crimes, providing funding for rehabilitation programs, and instituting a… Read More »
Pittsburgh Shooter Charged With Federal & State Homicide & Hate Crimes
The mass shooting at the Pittsburgh Synagogue that killed 11 people involves the overlap of criminal charges (criminal homicide, aggravated assault, and ethnic intimidation), hate crimes (obstruction the free exercise of religious beliefs), and civil rights issues. Armed with a number of assault rifles and handguns, the suspect allegedly opened fire inside the synagogue… Read More »
Police Crackdown on New York Doctors Distributing Opioids
On October 11, in pursuit of the current administration’s war on opioids, five New York doctors in Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, and Westchester County were arrested and charged with running illegal prescription drug mills that led to the distribution of more than 8.5 million oxycodone pills being dispersed throughout the state. According to Manhattan… Read More »
New York City Ends Cash Bail System In Non-Felony Cases
In a huge victory for New York City, on January 10th, the district attorneys for Brooklyn and Manhattan announced that they would no longer request cash bail in most misdemeanor and violation (i.e. non-felony) cases, allowing defendants to be released rather than sit in jail until and unless they could provide large amounts of… Read More »
Crime Rates In New York Plunge, While Penalties Remain The Same
New statistics on crime in New York have captured headlines of late: According to the reports, as of late December, there have been less than 300 killings in New York City this entire year–the lowest number since the beginning of keeping reliable records. Crime has not just fallen overall; it has fallen in every… Read More »
The Felony Offense of Dog Fighting
In the United States, dogs are considered man’s best friend. For many, a dog is a furry friend whose sole purpose is companionship. For others dogs provide assistance; they serve as emergency responders, provide assistance for those with disabilities or other health conditions, or work as dogs for those who need emotional support. However,… Read More »
