On behalf of Law Offices of James K. Champion, PLLC posted in Drug charges on Friday, May 18, 2012
The president has made it clear that he would like to see an increase in the treatment of people arrested for and convicted of drug crimes rather than sending them to prison. Whether a suspect is picked up with marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine or heroin by a Michigan police officer, he or she could potentially be facing a prison sentence or fine. The president believes, however, that if these individuals receive treatment that it will lower recidivism and break the drug abuse cycle.
It is not just the president who is suggesting that nonviolent suspects arrested on drug crimes go through a drug court than a regular criminal court. There are many professionals within the drug enforcement field who are actively pushing for the use of drug courts. These special courts order someone addicted to drugs to treatment rather than prison.
On behalf of Law Offices of James K. Champion, PLLC posted in Sex crimes on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Beards have long been an indicator of maturity, wisdom and intellectual prowess, but they are also more likely to convince a jury of guilt, too. The people of Michigan pride themselves on giving everyone a fair trial with an unbiased jury, yet some information indicates that many people think that beards and male facial hair are associated with criminal guilt.
In 2004, a study was done in which 371 individuals were asked to draw a picture of a criminal offender. While there was obviously diversity among the pictures, an overwhelming majority of people drew some kind of facial hair. Eighty-two percent of people considered a beard or some other kind of facial hair to be a strong indicator of criminal behavior. Some studies have also shown that juries are more likely to believe men with beards are guilty of sexual crimes.
On behalf of Law Offices of James K. Champion, PLLC posted in Drunk driving on Saturday, May 12, 2012
Just last month we covered the story of Rima Fakih, the first Arab-American Miss USA and former Dearborn, Michigan, resident. She had been pulled over by Michigan police on Dec. 3 after police say that she was weaving in and out of traffic and driving nearly 60 mph. The arresting officer said that when he or she approached the vehicle, he or she found an opened bottle of champagne. The officer arrested the former Miss USA and discovered her blood-alcohol content was over the .08 legal limit.
Our earlier post noted that instead of going to trial and facing a jury, Fakih chose to plead no contest to operating a vehicle while visibly impaired, a misdemeanor that was modified from the original charges of having open intoxicants in her vehicle, careless driving and operating while intoxicated. She has now been sentenced and will serve 20 hours of community service and six months of probation.
On behalf of Law Offices of James K. Champion, PLLC posted in Domestic violence on Thursday, May 10, 2012
Last month we reported that Josh Furman was facing criminal charges and had been suspended from the University of Michigan football team where he was playing as a safety. Now, the young man has been cleared of his domestic violence charges and is awaiting information on whether he can rejoin the Wolverines.
The young man was originally charged with domestic violence, assault and illegal entry but the judge who presided over his trial said that the prosecution had failed to prove each of the crimes beyond a reasonable doubt. Although Furman had been offered a plea-deal, he insisted on going to trial because the university's strict "no assaultive behavior" policy would have banned him from the team.
On behalf of Law Offices of James K. Champion, PLLC posted in Drunk driving on Sunday, May 6, 2012
Medical marijuana has been shown to be far more effective at relieving pain, nausea and other symptoms in patients with chronic illnesses than pharmaceutical alternatives. Voters here recognized that fact four years ago and overwhelming approved a ballot initiative that made Michigan the 13th state in the nation to allow marijuana use for medical purposes.
Last month, however, a three-judge panel of the Michigan Court of Appeals refused to extend any further relief to medical marijuana users who need to drive to get to work, pick up their children or get to doctor appointments. Right or wrong, the decision means that more than 130,000 card-carrying medical marijuana users in the state could face criminal OWI charges if they are found to have had any trace of the drug in their system while driving.
On behalf of Law Offices of James K. Champion, PLLC posted in Sex crimes on Friday, May 4, 2012
Being charged with a crime is frightening for many people in Michigan. What is worse is when forensic evidence is introduced. Many people in Michigan, whether it is the suspect, the jury or the public, believe that forensic evidence is always correct and that there are nearly never problems with it. Unfortunately for those accused of sex crimes in Grand Rapids and who are dealing with forensic evidence, it appears forensics are not as accurate as everyone assumes.
For example, there are many problems when investigators try to link someone to a crime based on patterns and impressions. While an investigator may look at a bite mark on an alleged victim or suspect and compare it to the person accused of making it, the results can sometimes be very subjective. Bites specifically pose problems because skin will not always show the same patterns or impressions from a bite mark.
On behalf of Law Offices of James K. Champion, PLLC posted in Criminal law on Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Police are claiming they have caught a Grand Rapids man that they say robbed a gas station earlier this month. The alleged Wyoming armed robbery took place near the intersection of Clyde Park Avenue and 36th Street Southwest and officers say the Grand Rapids man was found hiding in a garbage can with money, but it is unclear what evidence they had at the time that linked him to the theft or the money to the gas station.
Being charged with armed robbery can easily throw a Michigan resident's life off-track. The implication that someone not only tried to steal from a store or person, but did so with a gun is hard to shake. It may be very hard for many people to find a job or apartment if an employer or landlord thinks someone is dangerous and untrustworthy. That is why it is extremely important for a suspect to hire a strong criminal defense attorney to clear his or her name.
On behalf of Law Offices of James K. Champion, PLLC posted in Drunk driving on Thursday, April 19, 2012
Sometimes it is extremely difficult for a public figure to deal with the suspicion and ridicule that comes with a criminal accusation. Even if the suspect did not commit a crime, he or she may plead guilty or no contest just to avoid further public scrutiny. When former Dearborn, Michigan, resident and Miss USA Rima Fakih recently chose to plead guilty to drunk driving charges, it raised questions about whether she is admitting guilt or trying to escape the negative publicity.
Fakih was the first Arab-American to be crowned Miss USA and it is only natural that she has been in the American spotlight since. Being charged with operating while intoxicated and having an open bottle of champagne in the car would certainly grab headlines and drag this young woman back into the public eye.
On behalf of Law Offices of James K. Champion, PLLC posted in Domestic violence on Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Even though Josh Furman's name has been in the public for the past two years as a safety for the University of Michigan, this football player is still a young college student. Despite his age, police have arrested him and changed him with domestic violence. In addition to the responsibilities of school and playing Big Ten football, this young man will now be facing serious criminal charges in Michigan court.
The Michigan safety's attorney has said that there really isn't much of a case and that the domestic violence charge seems to be coming from a case of mistaken intention. According to The Detroit News, the young man was on campus and in an apartment with two female friends. Another man had been sending the football safety nasty text messages throughout the night and morning, and when Furman got up the women assumed he was going to fight the instigator.
On behalf of Law Offices of James K. Champion, PLLC posted in Drug charges on Friday, April 13, 2012
If you've ever been pulled over because a Grand Rapids police officer thought you were drinking and driving, you could go through a series of tests to determine if you'd been driving while drunk. One of the most common tests, however, is a breath test, but how do officers in Grand Rapids detect drugged drivers?
Michigan law enforcement is adding "drug recognition experts" to its force to find those they suspect of Grand Rapids drug crimes. Officers are trained to use stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, pupilometers and thermometers to check blood pressure, pupil reaction and pulse rates of drivers they suspect may be under the influence of drugs. Grand Rapids has only one drug recognition expert on its force, and he is only one of 33 in the entire state. If a trooper suspects that someone may be driving under the influence of drugs, that trooper calls the drug recognition expert to the scene.
