09.May.2011 This Week in Criminal Law: 5.9.11
It seems like a lot of people like to monkey around with the law when they’re on the road. That’s exactly what happened when a 21-year-old chimp named Suco got loose according to the Kansas City Star… The shenanigans don’t stop there. Last week, A New York man was arrested for DWI twice in the [...]
06.May.2011 Comments from Public Demonstrate Need for Reform of Marijuana Laws
A recent story in the Times Picayune about a St. Tammany Parish criminal case in which the defendant received a life sentence for attempted possession with the intent to distribute marijuana drew considerable public comment on the newspaper’s website. I am a criminal defense attorney, and a pretty liberal guy in general. So when I [...]
07.Jan.2011 Photo from My “Life of Crime”
It was a beautiful day in New Orleans today. My friend, Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bourque, took this photo as we were chatting about a case on the courthouse steps. Thanks, Matt. photo courtesy of Matthew Bourque Incoming search terms:matthew bourque new orleansnice court stepscriminal attorney new orleansmatthew bourque assistant DAmatthew bourque new orleans louisiana
08.Nov.2010 Animated Cross Examination
This little gem was shared by a judge I am friends with. It needs no introduction. Just watch… Incoming search terms:animated cross
08.Oct.2010 Laissez Les Bon Temps Get Sober
Visitors to New Orleans may soon have a new “real New Orleans” experience to write home about. If criminal justice leaders have their way, after letting the good times roll, visitors and locals alike will have an opportunity to let the good times sober up in a specially designed “Sobering Center”.
07.Oct.2010 If it Ain’t Broke….
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, is what I always heard people say – the import of that being that if you try to fix something that isn’t broken, you wind up breaking it. Of course it wouldn’t have come to be an idiomatic expression if people weren’t so fond of trying to fix [...]
28.Sep.2010 Former Cop to Spend Weekends in Jail
Gwen Filosa of the Times Picayune reports the following on NOLA.com : Former New Orleans police officer Desmond Shorty pleaded guilty to theft of less than $300 on Tuesday, admitting that he swiped a flashy wristwatch while on a service call in August 2009. Shorty, 25, was originally charged with felony theft of more than $500 [...]
27.Sep.2010 Public Defender Found Guilty…
… of contempt of court. I know the feeling… well. It is sometimes frustrating to be a criminal defense attorney. Lots of enemies, and few friends. The rule is always to be patient and professional – true – but sometimes the rule just gets broken. Mike Perlstein of WWL reports the following from the Criminal [...]
23.Sep.2010 Louisiana’s New Synthetic Marijuana Law: An Analysis
The new synthetic cannabis law Certain forms of synthetic marijuana, many sold over-the-counter in convenience stores and head shops with names like “Mojo,” “Spice,” “K2″ and “Voodoo,” have been illegal in Louisiana since August 15, 2010. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL TEXT OF THE NEW LAW Simple possession of the synthetic marijuana can result in [...]
11.May.2010 The Truth About Treme, Part II
Maybe I was just missing what everyone else was seeing, or maybe the story just wasn’t that strong, but up until this last episode (Ep 5, “Shame, Shame, Shame”) I really didn’t like Treme that much. Well call me late to the party, but I am officially a fan. Episode 5 did it for me. [...]
I am a New Orleans Criminal defense lawyer, and the managing attorney of NOLA Criminal Law. I am a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School, with over 17 years of experience as a criminal defense attorney in New Orleans, Louisiana. Please visit my website for more.
