Articles Posted in Criminal Defense

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The California criminal defense law firm of Sitkoff & Hanrahan is proud to make known the introduction of its new California sex crime defense website which focuses on the many legal complexities of various sexual offenses. The resourceful site, www.california-sexcrimedefense-lawyers.com/, is designed to help educate the public on the legal issues pertaining to rape, solicitation, molestation, sexual battery, lewd conduct, and much more.

As sex crime defense attorneys who have years of experience in California, Sitkoff & Hanrahan hopes its new website will be used as a helpful tool for those seeking information pertaining to sexual offenses and the consequences thereof. Sex crimes are often viewed with an unforgiving eye in our society even before an actual verdict has been made. Accusations relating to sexual offenses should never be taken or made lightly, considering the strict penalties that can be imposed upon a person. If convicted for a sex crime in California, a person may potentially be punished by having to register as a sex offender, serve a lengthy jail sentence, pay large fines, and risk the demise of close relationships with family and friends in addition to experiencing difficulty obtaining employment in the future.
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A police officer at the Los Angeles International Airport has been arrested for allegedly molesting a 14-year-old girl at a foster home operated by his mother in Inglewood, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reports. The 31-year-old officer reportedly “inappropriately touched” the girl. Police officials say no further misconduct was alleged.

When anyone is charged with a sex crime, such as child molestation, sexual battery or sexual assault, it is an extremely serious allegation that can have devastating consequences on their personal life and career. That is especially true when the defendant happens to be a law enforcement officer. If convicted, he or she would definitely face termination from their employment in the law enforcement agency. It will most certainly mark the end of their career in law enforcement. That is why it is extremely important to get skilled legal representation whenever you become aware that you are being investigated for a sex crime. The sooner a skilled and experienced Los Angeles sex crime defense attorney intervenes and gets a handle on the case, the more you increase your chances of getting a positive outcome in your situation.
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The California DUI law firm Sitkoff & Hanrahan is pleased to announce the launching of its new drunk driving defense website, which provides valuable information regarding DUI-related offenses in California and the legal matters surrounding them. Considering that DUI laws in California are some of the most strict and complicated, the site, www.californiadrunkdrivingdefense-lawyers.com/, provides resources and particulars regarding DUI penalties, underage DUI, field sobriety tests, vehicular manslaughter, and much more.

The attorneys at Sitkoff & Hanrahan have acquired a broad range of skill and knowledge in drunk driving defense and hope to help educate and warn the public about how the consequences of a DUI conviction vary depending on the circumstances of a particular incident. In order to be arrested for driving with an alleged blood alcohol level of .08% or above, law enforcement must conduct specific tests that can sometimes be faulty due to defective equipment or improper execution. The complexities of these tests are also explained on the site to help drivers understand what they may confront if pulled over for being suspected of driving under the influence.
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A 27-year-old Pomona man is facing drunk driving and several other criminal charges in Orange County after police say he hit two parked cars, struck another vehicle and robbed a cell phone from a passer-by in Fullerton. According to a news report, Fullerton police officers arrested the man for robbery, DUI, hit-and-run and driving with a suspended license.

All these charges are extremely serious and could have disastrous legal consequences including jail time, hefty financial penalties and costly legal fees. Driving under the influence is a crime in California. It is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more. It is also a serious violation of the California Vehicle Code section 20002 to leave the scene of an accident; you are required to stop even if the accident only involves property damage and exchange identification and information with the other parties involved.
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Joyce DeWitt, former television actress and star of “Three’s Company” has been arrested and charged with drunk driving in Los Angeles, according to this UPI news report.

The 60-year-old DeWitt was arrested after she allegedly drove around a barricade set up for a July 4 fireworks display, parked her car and appearing intoxicated, approached a uniformed police officer on foot. El Segundo police officials said DeWitt failed a field sobriety test, commonly referred to as “FSTs” and she was arrested for driving under the influence.

In the state of California, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It is against the law to drive with a blood alcohol level or BAC of 0.08 percent or higher. Celebrity DUI cases get the most publicity and coverage in the media as it happened in this particular case with Joyce DeWitt. However, every day, thousands are charged with driving under the influence. The consequences and costs of a drunk driving arrest and DUI conviction are severe and could include jail time, loss of license, required alcohol or drug counseling and hefty fines that could run into thousands of dollars.
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The Orange County District Attorney has charged the former administrator of a Boys & Girls Club chapter with felony grand theft and other theft related offenses alleging that he stole $116,000 from the organization. According to an Orange County Register news report, the man pleaded not guilty to those charges. Prosecutors accused him of using the club funds to pay his wife a salary for a job she never held or performed. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 20 years in state prison.

Theft-related offenses in California involve taking another person’s property without their consent. Some of the theft offenses are charged based on the value of the items that are taken. Theft is described as a crime of “moral turpitude” which can have far reaching ramifications, including denial of both employment and professional licenses. Not only could you face jail time and hefty fines, but a theft conviction can stain your reputation, jeopardizing your career and your future.
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The California Supreme Court has made a recent ruling that California drunk driving defendants in should be able to challenge breath test results in court. According to an Associated Press news report, the court is basically allowing defendants to question the science of breath tests, which use a standard formula called “Partition Ratio” to convert the amount of alcohol vapor in the lungs into a blood alcohol level.

The problem with this science is that breath-to-blood ratios vary greatly throughout the population and from person to person, depending on factors such as body temperature, atmospheric pressure, medical conditions and the precision of the measuring device. What this means is that the same breath test result for one person’s breath could erroneously signal intoxication while for another it could mean that they simply had a glass of wine with their dinner.

The recent California Supreme Court ruling opens the door to breath test challenges, an option that has remained closed to most DUI defendants over the last two decades. The court said in its ruling that evidence of the variability of these tests can henceforth be shown to juries. This ruling confirms what any DUI defense lawyer already knows – that one-size-fits-all breath tests don’t tell the real story for all suspects.
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A 20-year-old man was arrested for murder, hit-and-run and driving under the influence after an accident in the Angeles National Forest where he allegedly crashed his car into a group of bicyclists. According to this news report, a 43-year-old bicyclist was killed and two others were hospitalized with serious injuries.

A Los Angeles drunk driving offense can be either a misdemeanor or a felony. In cases where there is serious injury or death and the driver is suspected of being under the influence, he or she could be charged with manslaughter or murder in addition to felony drunk driving. Obviously, these are extremely serious charges that present serious consequences including lengthy jail or prison time, hefty fines and suspension or revocation of driver’s license. A murder or manslaughter conviction could have long-lasting consequences.
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A Los Angeles Superior Court Judge was charged with misdemeanor drunk driving after a “minor sideswipe” with another vehicle, according to this news report. LAPD officers apparently pulled over the judge after the minor accident. He was released on $30,000 bail. The news report states that the judge hears criminal cases in Los Angeles Superior Court.

In the state of California, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It is also illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher in California.

A drunk driving charge is extremely serious. A DUI in California can be treated as a felony or as a misdemeanor depending on the nature and seriousness of the incident. If there are injuries or fatalities involved in the alleged DUI accident, the defendant will face felony charges. If the auto accident in question is not serious and there are no injuries, it will most likely be a misdemeanor. However, whether it is a misdemeanor or a felony, DUI charges can have grave consequences and can include jail time, driver’s license suspension, community service and probation.
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A new state law that is in the works, if approved, could require first-time California DUI offenders to install an ignition interlock breath testing device (IID) into their vehicle’s ignition. According to this news report, the bill’s author, Mike Feur, a state senator from Los Angeles, claims that it will deter the 45,000 repeat drunk drivers who are arrested each year across California.

If this proposed bill becomes law, first-time drunk driving law offenders in four counties would be required to install the devices. IID’s are basically about the size of a cell phone and wired to the vehicle’s ignition. The driver would not be able to start the vehicle until his or her blood alcohol level is below the legal limit. In California, as in almost all other states, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher.

This proposed law is flawed and unfair because it treats first-time CA DUI offenders the same as repeat offenders. It would be required to be on the vehicle for six months. And there are questions about how effective these devices are. For example, a determined person can get someone else to blow into the device to help start the vehicle. Sometimes, false positives caused, for example, the use of mouthwashes can cause cars to stall or shut off while on the road.
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