Body Cameras And How They Are Used By The Law Enforcement Authorities

Body cameras and their usage by the police officers, although seemingly effective, represent quite a controversial topic for the modern society.

With that said, a relatively recent incident involved two officers in a shooting and they both were wearing body cameras during the incident. The two officers were responding to a call – a woman with some sort of knife was spotted by witnesses. When the officers arrived on scene, a shooting occurred. The woman was injured and taken to a hospital. She later died because of the wounds she got during the shooting.

Both of the officers discharged their weapons and this is now the subject of the active investigation. Officers were wearing their body cameras during the incident and these cameras were already taken from them. All the videos from those cameras will be downloaded and thoroughly analyzed by the investigators. Furthermore, the police is also investigating all security cameras that were recording the scene from various angles on sight. The body cameras along with all the gathered info from other sources will help the investigators come to a definitive conclusion.

The usage of body cameras by the law enforcement authorities and police officers has been quite controversial for the last couple of years. On the one hand, the society is very enthusiastic about the idea and really hopes that this innovation will help keep peace and improve the overall quality of the police services. On the other hand, the law enforcement authorities themselves and some of the civilian rights groups, such as the ACLU – the American Civil Liberties Union are expressing their concerns about those body cams as well.

Namely, the ACLU sent a huge open letter to the law enforcement authorities stating that the body cameras use by the police are neglecting civil rights. After all, these cameras are going to record everything that is happening around the police officers and therefore will violate the rights for privacy. Hence, the purpose of those cameras to make the police officers’ service all the more transparent is becoming obsolete.

However, San Diego that adopted body cameras earlier and the official statistical data clearly demonstrates that the number of the overall complaints filed against the law enforcement officers significantly decreased. Namely, it resulted in an 88% decline, which is a very good result. Furthermore, studies also demonstrated that the police officers were using force much less and namely there was a registered 60% decline, which is also a great thing. Body cameras prove to be genuinely beneficial.

Nevertheless, there is also controversy in San Diego on the matter as well. After all, all the data and all the records from the body cameras are not being demonstrated to the public if these are subjects of the police investigation. Needless to say, such controversy raises plenty of questions. First of all, will all that data from the body cameras really mess up the investigation? Should the law enforcement officers be allowed to turn off the cameras when they choose to? Should the police use that video to hold other law enforcement officers liable for their actions? Should the police allow the videos from body cams to be transferred to social media as well as the TV? Who needs to have full access to the videos? Finally, what should be the length of the footage kept on the body cameras?

The ACLU letter received a quick response from the mayor of Seattle. Even though the Seattle PD previously declared that the department will not be releasing the footage to the public, the mayor said that in certain individual cases the footage may be released, but it largely depends on the circumstances. For instance, if the footage will help in dealing with sensitive matters and will stop the city from delving into violence, it will be released without any doubts, However, if we are talking about cases of domestic violence as well as rape victims and other similar matters, the footage does not need to be released to public. There was a relatively recent incident when a police officer was responding to a call and his body camera captured a domestic conflict between the victim and the abuser. This footage will prove to be invaluable in court, but it does not have to be shared with anyone else – the mayor is certain of it.

Moreover, the mayor claims that releasing all that footage online in real time will make people fear calling the police to begin with and this is the last thing that he actually wants. However, the police chief assured everyone that the footage will be delivered to the Police Commission of the city as well as its inspection general in case this will be necessary.

Yet, the ACLU representatives are claiming that they never wanted all the videos to be released. They meant only the videos that are demonstrating police misconduct as well as interactions with the law enforcement officers that may demonstrate the violation of civil rights.

One way or the other, despite how beneficial the body cameras may seem at first, there is also a negative side to them. After all, seeing how everything is recorded in real time, the police officer may at times be reluctant to act and civilians may be reluctant to report crimes, knowing that they will be recorded. It is a very sensitive matter that requires more thinking.

The Seattle DUI Experts

Can Tom Hanks And His Wife Be Charged For Their Son’s Alleged Drunk Driving?

Terry Moogan is claiming that one of the most popular Hollywood actors Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson need to be held responsible for the fact that their son Chet Hanks was allowed to operate their vehicle even though he was “driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol”. Moogan has suffered a whiplash as well as a brain trauma in the accident that took place back in February after he hit his head on the dashboard. In his lawsuit Moogan claimed that both Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were negligent and, even though they knew that their son Chet is a habitual drugs and alcohol user, they nevertheless allowed him to drive their car.

With that said, Chet Hanks himself tweeted a while ago that he was using too much drugs, namely cocaine and that this fact turned into a genuine problem, so he was doing his best to stop. Some time ago he tweeted that he finally hit his six months sobriety mark and that things are going pretty well for him.

Even though Moogan is claiming that Chet Hanks was driving under the influence, the law enforcement authorities were not called to the scene. This means that there are no records of Hanks being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, no police reports or tests – nothing, except for the words of Moogan himself.

Furthermore, one must keep in mind that Chet Hanks is also 25 years old. This means that his parents cannot be held responsible for his actions. According to the law, parents may be charged for something their child might have done only in case the child is under 18 years of age or is a dependent. Well, surely, Chet Hanks, who already has a great career of his own, cannot be viewed as a dependent in any way. Even though Moogan is trying to build his lawsuit around the fact that Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were not supposed to allow their son to drive their car knowing about his drug abuse in the past, the overall case is very weak and will not succeed.

One way or the other, being arrested for driving under the influence is not the kind of experience that you would like to go through. However, in case a law enforcement officer is pulling you over and you had a small beer a couple of miles ago, do not panic. First of all, keep in mind that you are not obligated to answer any of the law enforcement officer’s questions. Instead, you can politely tell him or her that you would like to consult your DUI lawyer first, since it is your right.

In addition, keep in mind that having BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) below the .08 threshold is not illegal and simply explains why your breath may smell of alcohol.

Secondly, the law enforcement officer is going to want you to submit yourself to field sobriety tests. These are fairly simple – you will need to touch your nose with your finger, walk a straight line, recite the alphabet backwards and so on. You do not have the right to consult your legal representative prior to the tests, but you do have the right to refuse to submit yourself to those. After all, the law enforcement officer may be quite subjective when it comes to these tests and you may have concerns that he or she is going to make a decision purely in line with subjective considerations.

Then there is the breathalyzer test. The law enforcement officers are commonly using this test in order to determine whether or not you were drinking. In case you are not yet arrested, you have the right to refuse to submit yourself to this test. Nevertheless, one way or the other, in case you are arrested, you will need to go through the test during the arrest and afterwards as well.

Finally, there is the blood test, which is the most accurate form of testing out there. In case you feel that your BAC does not surpass the legal threshold, it means that the blood test is the ideal choice for you. It will give the most accurate results and the sample will be preserved under special conditions, so your legal representative is going to have access to it in the future. You are obligated to submit yourself for this test in case the law enforcement officers have valid reasons to believe that you were actually driving under the influence. Should you refuse, the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) is going to suspend your driving privileges for a term of one year. This decision does not rely on the outcome of the DUI criminal proceedings. Of course, you could argue with that decision, but you will need to do so within 10 days after the arrest, otherwise you risk losing your license.

It is very important for you to understand that regardless of whether you were arrested for a misdemeanor DUI or a felony DUI, the legal consequences can be genuinely severe. Especially if you were involved in a DUI accident. We are talking about having to pay expensive fines, being obligated to attend alcohol or drug awareness classes, being obligated to perform community service, having to install the ignition interlock device, losing your driving privileges and even being incarcerated. That is right – there is always a possibility to spend time behind the bars in county jail or state prison.

Furthermore, think about the impact of DUI criminal records on your life – you may risk losing your job, being expelled from college, family conflicts and so much more. Therefore, it is apparent that in case you were charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or any kind of illegal substances, the very first thing that you will need to do would be getting in touch with a qualified as well as genuinely experienced legal representative at the earliest opportunity.

The Seattle DUI Experts

Definition Of Sacramento DUI Felony Charges

The Seattle DUI Experts, one of the best ways to save your drivers license.

Most people, who were driving under the influence of alcohol, will be facing misdemeanor DUI charges. Almost 200 000 individuals are being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol every single year and the vast majority of these people is charged with misdemeanors. First of all, it is important to understand that person can be charged with Sacramento DUI only if his or her BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) equals or surpasses the .08% limit. Furthermore, it is also important to understand that if there were no aggravating circumstances and you were simply pulled over for a checkup, in case it will be established that you were operating your vehicle under the influence of alcohol, you will be charged with a misdemeanor DUI. Even for your second and third time DUIs you are going to be facing misdemeanor charges. However, should you commit the fourth DUI crime in Sacramento within 10 years after your third arrest, you will be charged with a felony and it is a much more consequential situation for you.

With that said, felony Sacramento DUIs may also involve bodily injuries or even death of a person. Of course, injuries can vary – from mild to genuinely severe. This is why DUI with injuries is usually referred to as wobblers – it can be either a misdemeanor or a felony. For instance, some scratches and a couple of bruises will not make it a felony – yet, broken bones, fractures and head traumas make is a felony. In addition, in case a person was killed during a Sacramento DUI accident, the driver is going to be charged with a vehicular manslaughter. Depending on the circumstances it will be considered as ordinary or gross negligence and the verdict will be based on all the factors that determine the severity of the driver’s actions.

In case a person was grossly negligent, chances are, he or she may be charged with a second degree murder. This is a very serious verdict and one that implies harsh legal penalties. If you had prior DUI convictions, you may also be charged with a felony, depending on the circumstances of all your previous crimes.

Felony DUI implies harsh legal punishment. First of all, we are talking about thousands of dollars in fines, but it is not the worst of it. Felony DUIs are usually punishable by several years in state prison, so you will have to spend a whole lot of time behind bars. In addition, your driving privileges will be suspended for up to 5 years and you will be labeled as a traffic offender for three years as well. In addition, you will have to attend the DUI awareness classes for up to 30 months and perform community service. It is crucial for all people to try and do something about the felony DUI charges. The only right way to do that is to hire a qualified as well as genuinely experienced Sacramento DUI attorney, who will have what it takes to represent you in court.

Prescription Medications And DUI Charges You Didn't Know About

When it comes to driving under the influence, most people think about driving under the influence of alcohol or any illegal substances. Indeed, it is illegal to be operating a vehicle in case your Bac (Blood Alcohol Content) equals or surpasses the .08% threshold and it is illegal to be operating a vehicle if you are under the influence of drugs. However, there are many different types of drugs and not all of them are actually illegal. Most people, however, firmly believe that they will only be charged with DUI in case they were driving under the influence of marijuana, cocaine and other illegal substances.

Find out how to avoid jail when charged with driving under the influence: www.seattleduiattorneys.net

With that said, even if you are driving under the influence of prescription drugs, such as Vicodin, Dolophine, Demerol or Oxycontin, chances are, you may also be arrested for driving under the influence. See, the active substances in those remedies are extremely psychoactive. This means that these drugs, although absolutely legal and prescribed by your healthcare expert, may reduce you awareness, slow down your reaction time, make you lose concentration and focus and will put other drivers, passengers as well as pedestrians in danger.

Prescription drugs, especially the ones that are designed for pain relief as well as sleeping pills, are extremely dangerous for drivers and it is best to avoid using them before getting behind the wheel. In fact, you will be surprised, but the official statistical data clearly demonstrates that more and more people these days are arrested for driving under the influence of prescription drugs and not alcohol or illegal substances. In addition, some people believe that the penalties for driving under the influence of prescription drugs are less severe. Nevertheless, the fact that you have a prescription from a healthcare professional does not make matters more straightforward. Even if it is a first time DUI offense and a misdemeanor one, you may still lose your driving privileges. Furthermore, you will have to pay expensive fines, attend DUI classes, perform community service and even, depending on the circumstances, will be sentenced to county jail.

If you were charged with driving under the influence of prescription medication, it is imperative not to lose any time. The first thing you will want to do would be getting touch with a qualified and experienced DUI attorney at the earliest opportunity. If you want to get a reduced sentence or would like to get the case dismissed to begin with, only a good legal representative is going to help you do so within the very least amount of time possible.

Learn About Long-Term DUI Consequences And How To Deal With Them

If you were charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, your primary concerns will be about the immediate consequences of your action. After all, the law enforcement authorities are not too forgiving when it comes to DUIs. In case your BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) equals or surpasses the .08% threshold, you risk losing your driving privileges. Furthermore, you will have to pay expensive fines, the court will want you to attend an approved DUI school, you will need to perform community service and, depending on the circumstances of the crime, will even be sentenced to county jail.

For more information visit: www.seattleduiattorneys.net

With that said, even though all of the above-mentioned penalties are genuinely serious, we do not always realize that the long-term consequences of DUI are just as frightening. First of all, if you are a commercial driver, it means that losing your driving privileges will imply losing your job. Furthermore, not that many employers will be happy to hire a person with a previous DUI conviction. Indeed, finding a job with DUI criminal records is very difficult – all potential employers are going to make a background check first. In addition, it will be more difficult for you to get any kind of loan from the bank, since banks are very particular about their conditions.

Moreover, if you were about to get a professional license (healthcare practitioner, attorney and so no), there is a huge chance that you will not be able to get it with a previous DUI conviction. If you are trying to get into college, a DUI conviction is not going to do you any good. Furthermore, if you are already in college, a DUI conviction can get you expelled. Do not forget that in case you were convicted for DUI, you will need to get yourself a new insurance. We are talking about the SR22 insurance – it was specifically designed for high risk drivers, including the DUI offenders. Not only is it a very vague insurance that is not extremely beneficial – it will also cost you nearly three times as much as your standard insurance policy.

Therefore, you should understand that the long-term consequences of a DUI conviction are just as severe and harsh as the immediate ones. In case you or your loved ones were charged with DUI, it is imperative to find a lawyer, who will be able to represent you in court. Even if it is your first time DUI and a misdemeanor one as well, it is imperative to make sure that the DUI conviction is not going to have a negative impact on your day to day living and only a good attorney can do that.

Is It Possible to Be Charged With DUI and Probation Violation in One Incident?

In case you were on probation and were caught driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances, you are going to face numerous consequences and penalties for DUI as well as for probation violation. In order for you to better understand how this whole thing works, let us review an in-depth example.

Some time ago John was driving home from a party. During the social gathering with his friends, he had some drinks and was hence driving under the influence of alcohol. He was stopped at a DUI checkpoint and arrested for driving under the influence. Back then John had no money for a good legal representative and the prosecutor offered him a deal – no jail time, just a fine and three years of probation. Seeing that John was eager to get this case over with, he was more than happy to get the bargain.

Later on, a month or two after, John was at a friend’s wedding and also had a drink, but nothing special and not too much. He was driving back home and pulled over at a DUI checkpoint. He admitted that he had a drink, but little did John know – under the terms of probation, he had no right to be driving under the influence, no matter how insignificant it may be.

Hence, John was arrested again and taken into custody. He was charged with driving under the influence and also with violating his terms of probation. Therefore, John will have to answer for both crimes. After all, committing any kind of crime when you are on probation means violating the terms of probation. In addition, John will have to be dealing with the second DUI consequences. The legal penalties for a repeated DUI are even more severe and coupled with probation violation, these can have a devastating impact on one’s day to day living. In cases like this, when you or your loved ones are faced with several charges, it is extremely important, crucial even, to find a qualified as well as genuinely experienced criminal defense attorney at the earliest opportunity.

Only a good Seattle DUI lawyer, who has the skills and the expertise, who knows how to approach the prosecution and the judge and who is always coming up with new and more effective defense strategies is going to be of great assistance. Therefore, if you or your loved ones were charged with repeated DUI and probation violation, you must not lose any time and get in touch with a good legal representative as soon as possible. You should be 100% honest with him, n matter how ashamed about your actions you may be.

Repeated DUI offense is bad enough – it may even involve time in jail and coupled with probation violation, you will be facing some genuinely serious charges, which could well ruin your life. Hence, go ahead, find a good lawyer and follow his advice on how to develop a solid defense strategy and avoid jail.

What Choices And Options Do You Have In Your DUI Case

If you or perhaps your loved ones are arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal substance, it does not necessarily imply that you have already been found guilty by the court. Hence, charges are not going to appear in your criminal records, not unless all DUI elements have already been proven beyond any reasonable doubt. Two main elements, which need to be proven in order to prosecute a person for DUI are – 1. The individual was in fact intoxicated and 2. He or she was actually operating the vehicle during the arrest. With that said, there are two ways for a DUI case to unveil. The defendant can either enter a plea bargain or his or her fate shall be decided during the trial. In order for you to gain a better understanding of how it works, let us review a simple case and the two ways it may go for the offender.

Let us say James was driving home from a party. During the social gathering with his friends, James had a couple of beers and even managed to smoke some marijuana. He runs a red light and his vehicle is pulled over by law enforcement officers. The police ask James if he was drinking and he says that he had a couple of beers. The breathalyzer test indicated that James’ BAC equals 0.10%, so he is immediately taken into custody.

1. Entering a plea bargain

James gets in touch with his attorney and the lawyer gets to work without any hesitation. First of all, he demands all video records from the scene and law enforcement authorities provide him with all materials. On the video, it is clear that James did actually run the red light. Furthermore, it is also obvious that James was intoxicated and he clearly said that he had a couple of beers. The probable cause is there.

During the arraignment the prosecutor approaches James’ legal representative and says that James will need to serve a month in jail, three years of informal probation, a year in the alcohol rehab classes as well as a $300 fine that will be transformed into $1 500 afterwards, with all the court fees and expenses.

The DUI attorney is not interested in such an offer, because it is not very good. He advises James to go to trial and James agrees. During the pretrial DOL hearing, the attorney approaches the prosecutor. He uses all the knowledge he has to convince the prosecutor that jail time as well as extensive alcohol awareness classes are not necessary in this case. Finally, the prosecutor agrees to go with no jail time as well as only three months of alcohol awareness classes. Case is closed.

2. Guilty or not guilty

Let us imagine that James did not actually run a red light. This means that law enforcement officers had no probably cause to stop him in the first place. This means that any evidence obtained on the scene cannot be submitted to court. The attorney recommends James to go to trial. During the trial the attorney demonstrates lack of probable cause and the case is closed – simple as that.

For more information visit www.seattleduiattorneys.net

Is It Important For Your DUI Attorney To Know The Court The Case Is In?

If you or your loved ones are charged with a DUI in Seattle, the very first thing that you will need to do would be getting in touch with a qualified as well as genuinely experienced DUI defense attorney at the earliest opportunity. A DUI lawyer is going to have what it takes to come up with a solid defense strategy that will help minimize the sentence or will even get the case dismissed to begin with.

During the arraignment, which is also the very first court hearing, the prosecutor is going to offer you to enter a plea bargain. This basically implies that you will get a full sentence, without ever going to trial. The conditions of the bargain vary from case to case and only a good legal representative is going to know whether or not to accept it. With that said, knowing the court in which the case is handled can actually make all the difference for the attorney when it comes to the plea bargain with the prosecution. In order for you to understand how it works, let us review following cases.

Let us say that John is hiring a legal representative from  to represent him in Kent court. The law is the same in both locations and the lawyer is experienced as well as genuinely qualified. The attorney appears in court during the arraignment on behalf of John. The prosecutor approaches the lawyer and offers a plea bargain. Seeing how the lawyer is not familiar with types of bargains specific for this court room, he recommends John to take the plea bargain – it is a good deal, it does not involve jail time and the lawyer could not make a strong argument in court anyways.

On the other hand, let us say that Chris is going to hire a legal representative in Seattle, WA for the same case as mentioned above. The lawyer is going to appear in court during the arraignment and will also be approached by the prosecutor with a similar deal. Although the deal is not a very bad one, the attorney knows that the plea bargain is way better at the pretrial. Hence, the attorney chooses to wait and recommends Chris to think about the pretrial bargain in order to get the most from the prosecutor.

Therefore, it is apparent that an experienced Seattle DUI Law Office, which knows the court, the judge and the prosecutor, will have a distinct advantage over an attorney, who does not have that knowledge. Knowing the court will play in the client’s favor, so if you are thinking about hiring a lawyer, consider choosing from local practitioners, who have plenty of experience in the area and who will help you minimize the sentence or will get the case dismissed. They are the very best choice if you are hoping for a positive outcome.