Category: Criminal law

Fraud Fetish: Lawyers Accused of Duping Fetish Club Members With Help of Dominatrix

web-george-guldi-239x300Lawyer and Former Suffolk County legislator George Guldi, 57, is accused in a bizarre fraudulent conspiracy. With the help of a famous dominatrix and two other lawyers, the Long Island attorney is accused of a 450 million mortgage scam.
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Suing Liberty: Michigan Woman Fined for Named Police Dog as Defendant in Lawsuit

clip_image002_000Now, here is a case showing the need to get one’s captioning right on civil complaints in Warren, Michigan. Inez M. Starks, 55, was given a fine for suing the police department over an alleged dog attack. Judge David Viviano (left) fined her $500 for actually naming the dog, Liberty, in the lawsuit. She was also given a $500 fine for failing to appear in court.
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Indian Woman Seeks To Marry Rapist In Order To End Social Stigma and Isolation

India flagIn an example of the terrible treatment given rape victims in some traditional societies, a woman in India has converted to Islam to marry her rapist — in order to end the social stigma of being a rape victim. For years ago, the woman (who name was withheld) was raped and then ostracized for her status. She is asking a court to allow her rapist to be placed on bond so that she can marry him and end her isolation since the 2005 crime. As shown below, this is not a unique case.
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Man Breaks 30 Bones in the Body of a 5-Month-Old Baby and Walks Away With Just Seven Years

mauricio_lopezf_baby_beating_arres_knsd4162_4mb-000000-1560234451Ok, even as a criminal defense attorney I do not get this one. Mauricio Lopez, 34, pleaded guilty to child abuse that resulted in his breaking 30 bones in a 5-month-old baby. For that horrific crime, Lopez will get just seven years.
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Better Sooner Than Later: Oklahoma Moves Toward Law Allowing Motorcyclists To Run Red Lights

images3Oklahoma appears poised to join seven other states in allowing motorcycles to run red lights. Many lights in the state are triggered by the metal mass of the vehicle to turn the traffic signal. However, motorcycles lack the weight and mass to register with the ground sensors. Not surprisingly, the lights do not change soon enough for the “Sooners” of Oklahoma.

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German Police Track Down Woman Sought As Serial Killer in 39 Murders — Working Right Under Their Watchful Eyes

250px-bundespolizei-logossvgFor two years, German police have been stalking the most prolific serial killer in its history — a rare female serial killer connected to 39 murders with DNA traces Germany, Austria, and France. They offered 300,0000 euros to anyone who would help find her and hundreds of detectives interviewed 800 women convicted of crimes in the country. They have finally found her.

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Video: Dallas Officer Prevents Man From Saying Goodbye to Dying Mother-in-Law Despite Pleas From Family, Nurses, and Another Police Officer

0325stopped_moA video from Plano, Texas shows a shocking scene as Ryan Moats – a running back for the Houston Texans — arrives with his wife to see his dying mother-in-law. While the mother-in-law is believed to be seconds from death, Officer Robert Powell stops him in the ER parking lot and demands proof of insurance. The video shows a heartbreaking scene as Moats desperately tries to say goodbye to his mother-in-law and Powell toys with him and threatens him with arrest. At one point, Powell, 25, says “I can screw you over. I’d rather not do that. She died before he was allowed inside. The video is below.

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Lawyer Accused of Massive Fraud — and Hitting Up Priest

thumb_money_bag_greenthumb_christian_crossAttorney Steven Gustafson of Naperville, Ill. is facing a theft and fraud charges, but it may take longer for him to live down one of the more intriguing allegations in the criminal case: he tried to hit up a priest to help cover up money that he allegedly stole from a trust fund. Remarkably, the priest refused church funds but convinced a parishioner to pony up some of the cash.

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New York City Detective Charged With Perjury — The Latest in a Series of Such False Testimony Cases Involving Police Officers

genx_lg_ee02714Lawyers have long complained that some police officers will give clearly false testimony to protect themselves, other officers, or just maintain the “thin blue line.” This week, we saw two detectives in Michigan indicted with a judge and prosecutor for false testimony. The latest such case out of New York involves New York City detective, Debra Eager, 41, who was indicted on three felony perjury charges after her testimony before a grand jury in 2007 drug case was contradicted by a videotape. Continue reading “New York City Detective Charged With Perjury — The Latest in a Series of Such False Testimony Cases Involving Police Officers”

Two California Doctors Face Gross Negligence Charges in Cosmetic Surgeries, Including Allegations of Giving a Patient Unwanted Face Lift and Liposuction

thumb_doctorWe have yet another cosmetic surgery case out of California. In this case, two doctors, Dr. Harrell Edward Robinson of Anaheim Hills and Dr. Shir Miskinyar of Santa Ana, face charges of gross negligence and incompetence for botched cosmetic surgeries, including on where a woman who went in for a tummy tuck received a face lift and liposuction without her consent. With the recent case of a woman who is accused of stealing breast enhancements and liposuction, there seems a growing need for a Liposuction Law course.

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God is My Co-Pilot: Tunisan Pilot Sentenced for Praying in Midst of Accident Rather Than Taking Emergency Procedures

oldertuninterlogoAn Italian court has sentenced a Muslim pilot, Chafik Garbi, who, in the midst of an emergency landing, stopped to pray rather than taking emergency measures. The accident about the ATR prop aircraft resulted in 16 deaths in Sicily.
He was convicted of manslaughter.
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Judge Keller Defends Herself Against Judicial Ethics Charges

keller_sharon_newIn today’s series of stories of judges acting bravely and badly, here is one for the latter category. Judge Sharon Keller, Chief Judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, has filed her response to the charges of judicial misconduct and incompetence for ordering the closing of the clerk’s office after being informed of a last minute death-penalty appeal. She blames the lawyer and denies any responsibility in the matter.

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An Un-Worthy Moment: Judge, Prosecutor, and Two Police Officers Indicted Over False Testimony in Drug Case

klw2While Judge Richards in Florida is rescuing witnesses in Florida, former Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Mary Waterstone appeared on the other side of the bench this week as a criminal defendant. Waterstone joined a former prosecutor, Karen Plants, and two police officers Scott Rechtzigel and Robert McArthur as defendants in the case related to a 2005 drug trial. Controversy continues to swirl around the actions of Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy (left), who defended her prosecutor’s actions and resisted criminal charges — while aggressively pursuing the former mayor of Detroit and his aide for false testimony.
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