On behalf of The Davis Law Firm, LLC posted in Theft & Property Crimes on Thursday, May 17, 2012
A Hamilton man has been sentenced to two years of probation for his participation in an alleged retail theft scheme. The man, a former city supermarket owner, pleaded guilty to one count of receiving stolen property. In exchange for that guilty plea, the prosecutor agreed to drop the other, more serious property crime charges against the man, which included leading an organized retail theft ring and fencing.
According to court documents, the man was arrested in May 2011 after a New Jersey police investigation reportedly uncovered a retail theft ring in which the man would purchase items that had been stolen from nearby Rite Aid stores and resell them in his supermarket. The items that were shoplifted and resold in this case reportedly included cigarettes, batteries and similar items.
On behalf of The Davis Law Firm, LLC posted in Drug Charges on Thursday, May 10, 2012
Earlier this week, a jury found a man named Robert Forchion guilty of marijuana possession. However, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the more serious criminal charge of which Forchion was accused, which was possession of the drug with the intent to distribute it. That issue will be resolved in a retrial, scheduled to begin later this month.
Forchion is a New Jersey resident who is more commonly known by the name "NJ Weedman." He is an admitted user of marijuana who moved to California several years ago in order to run a medical marijuana dispensary. Forchion is a proponent of using the drug for medical purposes. In fact, before the final day of his trial, Forchion appeared on a Trenton television station to discuss how he treats his cancer with marijuana, and how the charges against him are affecting his life and illness.
On behalf of The Davis Law Firm, LLC posted in Drug Charges on Friday, May 4, 2012
A man is facing multiple drug-related charges after police allegedly discovered a video on his cell phone in which he is instructing a small child on how to handle marijuana and prepare it for sale. The identity of the boy and his relationship to the man is reportedly unknown, police say, but the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
According to the police report, the drug charges actually stem from a completely different crime. When police were investigating a reported shooting incident in February, they allegedly discovered the 25-year-old man's cell phone. On the device was a video in which the man is instructing a 2-year-old boy on how to break up marijuana buds that the man intended to sell.
On behalf of The Davis Law Firm, LLC posted in Drunk Driving on Friday, April 27, 2012
A New Jersey drunk driving case against an actress is making news, not on account of the defendant's fame, but because of the unique legal maneuver with which the prosecuting attorney is attempting to convict her. Recently, the prosecutor and the actress' criminal defense attorney appeared before a judge to argue whether the evidence from the actress' vehicle's 'black box' recorder should be admitted in the case against her.
Amy Locane-Bovenizer, an actress who appeared on "Melrose Place" and in several films, is facing criminal charges of driving under the influence and aggravated manslaughter in regard to a June 2010 car accident that resulted in the death of a 60-year-old New Jersey woman. According to police reports, Locane-Bovenizer had a blood alcohol content of more than three times the legal limit when she collided with the vehicle in which the woman was a passenger.
On behalf of The Davis Law Firm, LLC posted in Drunk Driving on Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Last week, former New Jersey Nets star Jayson Williams was released from prison in New York after serving an eight-month sentence for a 2010 drunk driving conviction. Prior to his most recent incarceration, he had spent 18 months in a New Jersey state prison in connection with the shooting death of Williams' former chauffer.
The completion of his DUI sentence hopefully marks the conclusion of the once-promising basketball player's fall from grace. At this time, the former professional basketball player's future plans are unknown.
On behalf of The Davis Law Firm, LLC posted in Drug Charges on Thursday, April 12, 2012
After it was learned that four police officers had been fabricating evidence in order to wrongly arrest and convict defendants, more than 200 convictions have been overturned. In addition, the state of New Jersey has awarded nearly $350,000 in damage to several people who had been improperly convicted of various drug crimes, with many more such payouts likely to come. When all is said and done, analysts believe the total amount paid to wrongly convicted defendants could be in the millions.
According to court documents, four police officers from Camden have been convicted of planting evidence, conducting illegal searches, fabricating police reports and stealing cash and drugs. When sentenced, they will likely each receive about 10 years in jail.
On behalf of The Davis Law Firm, LLC posted in Criminal Defense on Thursday, April 5, 2012
Last week, we wrote about the verdict handed down by the jury in the Dharun Ravi case. Specifically, Ravi was found guilty of several criminal charges, but was acquitted of bias intimidation. However, the jury members indicated their belief that Ravi's actions had been motivated by his bias against gay people, which may cause him to get the maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison.
The verdict has sparked much debate from people on all sides of the issue. Some feel that the verdict and the sentence are appropriate consequences for actions that contributed to Tyler Clementi's decision to take his own life. But others, including the editorial board of The Star-Ledger, feel that the verdict is overkill and that the sentence is a sign that New Jersey's bias laws need to be revised.
On behalf of The Davis Law Firm, LLC posted in Criminal Defense on Friday, March 30, 2012
Earlier this month, a New Jersey jury found former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi guilty of several criminal offenses in connection with the alleged bullying of Tyler Clementi, Ravi's roommate who later committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington bridge. Now, Ravi could be facing a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, as well as a possible deportation.
The alleged criminal offense that led to Clementi's death and Ravi's conviction took place in September 2010, when the pair were freshman roommates at Rutgers University. According to court documents, Ravi used his webcam to spy on Clementi's sexual encounter with another man, and then shared the video with other students. After finding out that his trust had been captured on camera, Clementi took his own life.
On behalf of The Davis Law Firm, LLC posted in Theft & Property Crimes on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
A New Jersey man will likely spend at least four more years in jail after his request for an appeal of his criminal conviction was denied. The man, who was referred to as a "one-man crime wave," is currently serving a 14-year sentence after allegedly committing multiple theft and burglary offenses within the span of just a few hours in June 2004.
The alleged crime spree began when the man, having ingested large quantities of various drugs and alcohol, entered people's homes and stole money and a vehicle. When approached by police, the man purposely collided with the police cruiser, causing it to burst into flames. He was ultimately convicted of several robbery, theft, burglary, obstruction, reckless driving and DWI offenses.
On behalf of The Davis Law Firm, LLC posted in Drunk Driving on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
When you read about a New Jersey DWI arrest in the newspaper or hear about it on the news, what is the first piece of information you are most interested in hearing about? Most likely, it is the results of the Breathalyzer test that was administered on the defendant prior to or following his or her arrest.
Breathalyzer test results indicating a blood alcohol level above the legal limit can be powerful evidence against a driver facing DWI charges. Interestingly, however, the results of these tests are rarely challenged, despite the fact that Breathalyzers have been proven to be inaccurate or malfunctioning on multiple occasions in recent months.
