According to court documents, the incident also involved Travolta rubbing his leg and touching his genitals.
Now the unnamed masseur is suing Travolta for two million dollars.
]]> As can be expected, the attorneys for Travolta's defense are moving aggressively. As Sinha-Roy reports, they say: "On the date when plaintiff claims John met him, John was not in California and it can be proved that he was on the East Coast. John intends to get this case thrown out and then he will sue the attorney and plaintiff for malicious prosecution."The words "false allegations" mean different things to different people. We say that because every person in a lawsuit has an entirely different version of what happened. In many cases involving sex, from civil lawsuits to sex crimes, there can be misunderstandings because of alcohol or drugs; issues with how the evidence was collected; false allegations to gain advantage in domestic proceedings; and so on.
Ultimately, we'll have to wait and see how the Travolta case proceeds, before rushing to judgment.
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Apparently it's the same way for the cop who discovered the opium plants.
]]> "In my 13 years here," he said, "this is the first case I have seen of this nature. Opium is not something we have a lot of experience with. It is not a narcotic we see that often."The hit-and-run investigation led to a house in a residential neighborhood. While there, the cop noticed many "unusual" plants. He snapped a picture with his smartphone. Later on, he looked up what type of plants and discovered that they were opium plants.
The police seized the plants and charges are currently being considered against the elderly resident who has since admitted that he uses the opium to "self-medicate."
The opium plant has been used since prehistoric times to create different varieties of drugs, including morphine, codeine, hydrocodone and heroin, and has since been in widespread use in medicine.
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When Obama was a candidate in 2008, he said that the Department of Justice wouldn't stick its nose in other states' medical marijuana programs, but U.S. Attorneys have recently gone after state-legal medical marijuana outlets in California in recent weeks, as Dan Freedman reports for the San Francisco Chronicle.
]]> Now the National Drug Policy Director wants people to think of drug addiction as a disease, seeking a "middle ground," as Freedman writes, but not everyone thinks that the administration is going about it the right way."It would be nice if they actually meant what they are saying, or if their policies matched their words," said a representative of an organization that supports marijuana legalization.
The Drug Policy Director may have said that drug use is a disease, but that doesn't mean the feds will go any more lightly on drug policy. In fact, the Director apparently said that there is no reason to legalize marijuana, saying the prescription drug industry is legal and regulated, yet people still get addicted to them and get them illegally.
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Think about it. If you're arrested for something, anything, even a little marijuana, that sets in motion the criminal justice machine, even when the cops do wrong, and they often do.
]]> The staggering number of marijuana arrests in New York City, for instance - yes, it's 50,000 a year, according to Staples - may ultimately end up in dismissals, but these arrests can still pop up on employers' red-flag screens. That means your chances at the job you applied for, poof, can disappear.Even though the legislature in New York decriminalized marijuana possession to some degree, it remains a misdemeanor to "display" marijuana in public. When we wrote above that the police "do wrong," that's exactly what Staples argues happens: there is evidence that the cops would force people to show the marijuana they had on them and then make an arrest, arguing that the person showed it in public.
The woman we mentioned above, just one of those unfortunate souls the cops did this to, ended up losing her job as a janitor. She's a single mom. She's got a mouth to feed. But no job, all because some politicians think zero-tolerance works.
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According to multiple sources, a drug trafficking ring involving individuals in Duncanville, Texas, was responsible for regular shipments of marijuana to the island of St. Croix.
]]> The police maintain that regular shipments, weighing about 12 pounds each, were sent from various locations in Arlington, to various locations in St. Croix. They further claim the capture of return shipments containing money orders adding up to nearly $400,000. The money orders were shipped to locations in Fort Worth, Dallas, Arlington and Duncanville. The amount that was not captured is estimated to be much larger.The individuals under arrest include 11 in North Texas, and six in St. Croix including a territorial marshal. The individuals have been charged with federal drug trafficking, punishable by up to 40 years in prison and conspiracy to commit money laundering, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The police report that the group has been under surveillance since 2009. One can assume that during that amount of time they have amassed a significant amount of data.
There are several issues which may arise in this case. Was all of the prosecution's evidence obtained according to procedure? If procedures were broken the evidence may not be allowed. Are all of the individuals involved, or involved at an equal level? With a large group it may be possible that some were unknowingly involved, or coerced.
As in any case, the prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and until then, each defendant is presumed innocent.
Source: Associated Press, "11 arrested in St. Croix in federal drug investigation targeting Texas-based organization," Jason Bronis, April 12, 2012
Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "Feds Shut Down Major Drug Trafficking Operation," Domingo Ramirez Jr., April 12, 2012
]]>Two men, in separate locations, were reportedly arrested in Weatherford for misdemeanor sex crimes for unrelated incidents. Although arrested and charged, an individual is always innocent until proven guilty. In this case, the names and photos of these two men were made public after investigations and arrests by the Weatherford-Parker County Special Crimes Unit.
]]> One man, a 52-year-old from Weatherford was charged with a class B misdemeanor after allegedly offering to pay for a sexual act. The police claim that he solicited the sexual act on Craiglist.com and offered to pay $30 to an undercover police officer. The 52-year-old was arrested at a motel. In an apparent admission of guilt, he stated that this was the first time he had offered to pay for sexual favors, considered solicitation, and that he was caught.Minutes apart in another area of Weatherford, a 54-year-old man was arrested and also charged with a class B misdemeanor. The police claim that through an online connection the man arranged to have a woman meet him at East Lake Drive and Farm-to-Market Road 730. Allegedly, the man would be engaged in a sexual act and requested that someone watch. Once again, an undercover police officer answered the call. The 54-year-old was arrested for indecent exposure. According to news reports, the man admitted to the sexual incident.
These two cases point out the need for a criminal defense attorney. One aspect of criminal defense is typically to work to have any criminal charges dropped or dismissed. Another goal would be to obtain an acquittal of criminal charges. An equally viable goal might be damage control. Keeping one's name and photo away from the media can be valuable to those who might have their employment or relationships harmed by public notoriety for sexual crimes.
Source: Weatherford Democrat, "Two arrested for sex crimes in Weatherford,"Christin Coyne, April 5, 2012
]]>One lawyer, in fact, found himself on the other side of the bars, in the same jail as his client, when he was busted on drug charges and allegations of domestic violence.
]]> A second lawyer testified on behalf of the first lawyer about the "reasonable and necessary" $40,000 legal fees incurred as part of the murder case, prior to his colleague overdosing on drugs and dying as a result.And more recently, a judge found that another of Holland's lawyers failed to make a crucial deadline related to the capital case; that judge wrote how she could see how he "may have wanted self-representation over court-appointed counsel," ruling that Holland had a right to represent himself.
Regarding Holland's legal acumen (and glossing over Holland's history of mental illness), the original judge involved in the state case said that he "voiced concerns and issues in a most eloquent manner" and other praise.
So, as Liptak points out, the judge effectively ruled that Holland was "fit to be executed" based on his lack of mental illness - proved by his legal acumen - but not fit enough to defend himself.
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Lindsay Vonn was a champion skier before she retired from her sport. During her career, she was married to her coach, Thomas Vonn, who apparently mismanaged their finances. (They are apparently divorced now.)
As USA Today reports, Lindsay Vonn said, "I just recently became aware of the outstanding balance and I have done everything in my power to settle it immediately."
She went on to say, "Not being in control of my finances and relying on someone else who you believed had your best interest at heart was a mistake and one I will not make twice."
]]>In fact, Jones's story does have a certain coherent logic, and in light of all the drug cartel violence south of the Texas border (though this particular incident took place in Florida), a death threat - "you smuggle this marijuana, or else" - does not seem implausible.
]]> Jones says he borrowed money from another Bahamian man, who he was not able to repay. The miffed Bahamian told Jones that he was to smuggle bales of marijuana on Jones's boat, and that Jones would do the smuggling.Apparently, this action would have let Jones off the hook, but as he approached U.S. waters he got cold feet and dumped the marijuana overboard. This prompted the miffed Bahamian to threaten his life once again, saying he'd kill him if Jones didn't do as he was told.
(Though it's surprising that Jones wasn't killed the first time, after dumping the original shipment of marijuana overboard.)
Upon arriving onshore with the second shipment, Jones says that he was met by two of the Bahamian's men, but ran from them, hiding in a restaurant bathroom. His boat, having been beached, was later discovered by the police, and the police tied Jones to the boat.
Source: Man tells authorities he was forced to import drugs or face death
]]>Those arrested range in age from their mid-twenties to their fifties, and appear to be from cities ranging across Texas, including Dallas.
]]> They are alleged to have mailed 12-pound packages of marijuana from various posts in Dallas to places in the St. Croix Virgin Islands, totaling more than $380,000 in money orders, as Ramirez reports.Someone sent in a tip about the parcels back in 2009, prompting an ICE investigation that began with a dog sniffing out a marijuana-filled package at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport.
The chief postal inspector in Fort Worth said, "These arrests should serve as a warning that postal inspectors will not tolerate the nation's mail system being misused to traffic narcotics."
Although, it should be said, marijuana is technically not a narcotic.
Source: Feds bust drug operation that spanned from North Texas to St. Croix, officials say
]]>The most recent development in the Sandusky case concerns a courtroom battle over whether the case should be dismissed, amid allegations that some of the charges aren't valid.
]]> The grand jury is still investigating the case, according to the prosecutor, which has brought forth "voluminous" evidence.But the presiding judge isn't ready to make any decisions, as Shade reports. "[It's] premature to decide what can and cannot be prosecuted," said the judge, citing the ongoing investigation.
And because of what the judge claimed to be his heavy caseload, he did not expect to make a ruling until next week or later, based on a motion submitted by defense attorneys asking the judge to dismiss the case.
The ongoing Sandusky legal saga - and the extensive media coverage - is indicative of what often happens to people who have been charged with sex crimes. Because of the highly-charged nature of these types of crimes, the situation only gets worse when the person is famous.
Source: Sandusky appears in court over Penn State sex abuse charges
]]>But Texas authorities recognize that Montana authorities are in charge. "They have first dibs because they have him in custody," said the Texas prosecutor, meaning that Leaf will have to face the seven drug-related criminal charges leveled at him in Montana before being returned to Texas for the violation of probation.
In Texas, illegal possession of prescription drugs can easily escalate to felony-level charges, depending on the circumstances. In Leaf's case, his apparent addiction to hydrocodone has caused him to commit some serious mistakes, including burglary, which heightens the potential consequences if he is convicted of the charges.
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On Wednesday, Hernandez became the fourth person to be executed in Texas this year. Hernandez, who had a prior conviction for sex crime, was put to death for the murder of a 10-month-old boy in Dallas, Texas.
]]> Norman reports that Hernandez is not alone in uttering final words about favorite sports teams. In 2010, a man from Oklahoma was put to death for a violent crime he was convicted of in Arizona. His last words were, "Boomer Sooner."It's important to note that in Texas, sex crime cases do not generally involve executions. In the case of Hernandez, he was put to death for murder - but the label "sex offender" adds additional drama to the news stories.
That's why nearly all the headlines, including the source we cite below, include the words "sex offender," not "murderer," which goes to show the overpowering stigma against those who are accused or convicted of sex offenses.
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Israel is referring to the time he killed a man, when he was only 16, and the U.S. Supreme Court is now deciding juvenile crimes cases like his involving life behind bars. The question is: Is it unconstitutional to impose a life sentence on a juvenile?
The issue has a corollary in other types of criminal cases, like drug cases, not just cases involving violent crime.
]]> Although many drug cases do not involve life sentences, the sentences can still be pretty long, and one may argue that the cause of our overcrowded prisons comes at least in part from the sentences imposed on people who are convicted of relatively low-level drug possession and distribution crimes - a result of the nation's long-running War on Drugs.As Sullivan writes, sometimes even victims' families are questioning harsh punishments, as in the case of Oshea Israel and his victim's mother, a reconciliation that began by "laying a foundation" together, getting to know one another in a two-hour conversation in a meeting that took place in prison.
"I felt like she just offered me her forgiveness," Israel said.
Perhaps it's time that we, as a nation, offer forgiveness on a wider scale.
Source: Unlikely Advocates For Teen Killers: Victims' Families
]]>We don't know what evidence the prosecution had, but from our perspective as criminal defense attorneys, three years is a long time from the date of the incident to the time it was reported. It's likely that there wasn't any hard evidence available.
This makes it all the more important to defend yourself in you've been charged with a sex crime. The 48-year-old man in this story must now face lifetime sex offender registration, in addition to the time spent behind bars - in a case that probably did not include hard evidence.
Source: Texas kung fu instructor gets 8 years for sex assault
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