San Diego Criminal Lawyers BlogLast April, the U.S. Department of Justice opened up a civil rights investigation over the death of Freddie Gray while he was in the custody of the Baltimore police. His neck was somehow broken and spinal cord severed whilst in transport to the police station. Now, the trial of one of the six officers who […]
Search Results for: first amendment
What are the Chances a Judge Issues a Gag Order for Your Trial?
The First Amendment guarantees the right to free speech in this country. Nonetheless, we hear about judges issuing gag orders in high-profile cases, clearly restricting the speech of individuals connected to both civil and/or criminal trials. What gives? The Point of Gag Orders Judges typically issue gag orders—sometimes called non-dissemination orders– to restrict people from […]
Is it Legal to Livestream a Police Interaction?
Who hasn’t seen videos of police manhandling citizens who were allegedly involved in criminal activity? Such accounts, usually recorded by interested onlookers, have informed the public of the unnecessary use of force by officers across the country. Imagine how little we would know about Rodney King, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, George Floyd, and […]
There are Limits to Free Speech Rights
Free Speech: it is a right guaranteed by the First Amendment. But does that mean anything goes? Some may be surprised to learn that there are definite limits on what is allowed. What is Permitted In this country, the concept of speech is more than simply actual words. It includes actions, as well. Particular activities […]
The Bar is Raised for Stalking Convictions by U.S. Supreme Court
Billy Raymond Counterman sent hundreds of thousands of Facebook messages years to local country singer Coles Whalen over the course of about five years. Whalen was finally unnerved enough to file stalking charges against Counterman. The mountains of comments left Whalen feeling frightened enough that she ultimately felt she had to leave her Colorado home […]
Free Speech in America
Free speech in America is central to our democracy. But do Americans really understand this right and the very real limitations on speech? It is worth noting in these challenging times that when people choose to ignore the restrictions on free speech it could lead to legal woes. Recent High-Profile Example Alex Jones, who spent […]
Three Arrested at Moonlight Beach for Ignoring Beach Closure Orders
Three people ignoring California’s stay-at-home order and violating the beach closures were arrested. According to Lt., Amber Baggs of the San Diego Country Sheriff’s Department, the three individuals were participating in a rally held at Moonlight Beach. When authorities encountered people walking along the beach they told them about the county public health order. While […]
San Diego Awards Two Men Convicted of Gang Activity $1.475 Million
Rapper Brandon “Tiny Doo” Duncan and Aaron Harvey are being compensated at the expense of the city of San Diego. According to the L.A. Times, the two men will be paid close to $1.5 million for the emotional damages they suffered during their seven-month jail sentence. This payout comes six years after the two were […]
Transparency in Law-Enforcement
This week a San Francisco free-speech group, the First Amendment Coalition, sued the California Attorney General and Justice Department over their refusal to disclose police misconduct records under the state’s new transparency laws. Last year the Senate passed a bill providing the public with greater access to police personnel files as well as greater access […]
Hate Crimes
For the third year in a row, the rate of hate crimes increased in California. According to a report released by the California Attorney General’s office, there were 1,093 reported hate crimes in California in 2017, a 17.4% increase. This statistic follows an uptick in hate crimes since 2014: The amount of reported incidents jumped […]