Archives for criminal law dc

DC PROSTITUTION-SOLICITATION LAWYER/LAWS

This blog expands and highlights some of the statutory penalties as well as definitions relating to prostitution, solicitation, procuring and pandering for prostitution. Prostitution is generally defined as exchange of sexual act or contact in return for money. The elements of the crime require meeting of minds.  That is there must be some basic agreement offering money for sex. Often times the solicitation or prostitution charges are brought via under cover sting operation. In these operations, the decoy (police officer) entices solicitation and as soon as an agreement in principle is made to exchange money for sex, the back up
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RECENT COURT OF APPEALS DECISION: REVERSAL OF BURGLARY CHARGE

The Court of Appeals in SYDNOR v. UNITED STATES decided on January 14, 2016, reversed the lower court’s burglary conviction and issued an order for the trial court to enter a judgment for unlawful entry instead. The evidence revealed that the appellant had entered a fenced construction site and had removed steal pipes from the yard. The burglary statute in part states: “whoever shall, either in the night or in the daytime, break and enter, or enter without breaking, . . . any yard where any lumber, coal, or other goods or chattels are deposited and kept for the purpose
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DC CRIMINAL LAWYER: DISCLOSURE OF JENCKS/DISCOVERY

In Hernandez v. U.S. decided on January 14, 2016, the DC Court of Appeals affirmed the assault charge but remanded for further review by the trial court on the issue of non-disclosure of the Jencks material and whether a new trial would be warranted. Factually, Hernandez was charged with domestic violence assault against his girlfriend. Although she had technically denied the assault, due to some language barriers and other significant independent evidence — the trial court’s findings were affirmed on that issue alone. Specifically, an independent witness had seen the defendant choke Ms. Argueta-Avila/the complainant and then saw her fall
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RECENT COURT OF APPEALS DECISION: ATTEMPTED THREATS REVERSAL

In Milton v. U.S., decided by the DC Court of Appeals on December 24, 2015, the Court reversed Milton’s conviction for attempted threats against the arresting police officer. Officers had responded to an unlawful entry call on July 5, 2015, and Milton having been identified as one of the culprits was placed under arrest, but while on the curbside and cuffed, uttered to one of the arresting officers that “take that gun and badge off and I’ll fuck you up,” and moreover, that “too bad it’s not like the old days where fucking up an officer is a misdemeanor.” These
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MIRANDA WARNING/CUSTODIAL INTERROGATION: DC CRIMINAL DEFESNE

In Morton v. U.S., the DC Court of Appeals recently reversed defendant’s conviction for one count of felony and one count of misdemeanor Receiving Stolen Property (RSP), due to Miranda violations denial of motion to suppress at the trial level. Officers had approached three individuals engaged in suspicious activity with their hands, appeared to be a drug transaction, Morton, one of three, began running as officers questioned the group – chase ensued and Morton dropped a wallet during chase which was later recovered. Morton was apprehended, chuffed and questioned about the wallet, why he had ran from the officers, questioned
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COURT OF APPEALS DECISION: REVERSING DRUG POSSESSION CONVICTION: DC DRUG LAWYER

In OLUSHOLA AKINMBONI V. UNITED STATES, decided on November 19, 2015, the Court of Appeals reversed the defendant’s conviction for possession of marijuana, BZP, and drug paraphernalia holding that the cellblock cavity search of the defendant was constitutionally impermissible. Here the defendant was pulled over during a valid traffic stop, and marijuana was observed in plain view and the arrest made. The next day at the courthouse cellblock, the defendant was searched again and during that search the US Marshall had observed plastic bags partially protruding from the defendant’s cavity. Defendant was ordered to remove the items (several bags) and
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REVERSING CONFESSION — DC CRIMINAL LAWYER

In Little v. U.S., decided on November 12, 2015, the issue was the constitutionality of the confession, which lead to conviction at trial with little or no collaborating independent evidence. Little was picked up on an abscondence warrant and suspected of being involved in an attempted car robbery and was ushered to the interrogating room. Mr. Little’s cell phone was found inside the car, and although he vehemently denied involvement initially – eventually after several hours of interrogation confessed to the crime. The issue on appeal was the voluntariness of the confession in light of the highly unconventional and aggressive
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MALICIOUS DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY: RECENT COURT OF APPEALS DECISION

The Court of Appeals in LAWRENCE N. HARRIS v. UNITED STATES, decided on October 29, 2015, reversed the appellant’s conviction for malicious destruction of property. The appellant had shared a home with his mother and sister and while locked out of the property by her mother, the complaining witness, attempted to gain entrance by kicking the front door causing damage to the door and ultimately getting arrested. Appellant was convicted under D.C. Code § 22-303, which states: “[w]hoever maliciously injures or breaks or destroys, or attempts to injure or break or destroy, by fire or otherwise, any public or private
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DC ASSAULT LAWYER – — SELF DEFENSE NOT VIABLE

The Court of Appeals in Travers v. U.S., issued on October 8, 2015, revered multiple felony assaultive convictions because the defendant was restricted at trial to fully either testify or to elicit testimony to bolster his self-defense theory. Travers was convicted of assaulting his sister Bethel during a domestic dispute where the complaining witness, his sister had directed her boyfriend/Scott to “get him”, Travers that is. Travers alleged that in self-defense he had used a golf club to swing at the boyfriend and had accidentally hit his sister, the complaining witness. Travers argued that the court erred by precluding him
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THE DOUBLE JEOPARDY CLAUSE: RECENT COURT OF APPEALS DECISION

The Court of Appeals in STANLEY MOGHALU v. UNITED STATES, decided on August 13, 2015, clarified preserving the double jeopardy defense to retrial for appellate review. Stanley Moghalu was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm (“UPF”) and carrying a pistol without a license (“CPWL”). The case at the trial level was declared a mistrial twice as the jury could not “return a unanimous verdict that would be anything other than forced.” The first trial the court granted mistrial at the request of defense counsel, and the second trial the court granted a mistrial over defense objection that anti-lock instructions
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