San Diego Criminal Lawyers BlogIt has been reported that Governor Jerry Brown signed into a law that would make it a crime to “willfully and repeatedly” decline to use a senior transgender patient’s “preferred name or pronouns.” SB 179 (“Gender Recognition Act”) was signed into law back in October. The law will allow individuals to update state-issued identification documents […]
Search Results for: hate crime
How Will Police Decide What Role Race Played in The University City Shooting?
In a tragic turn of events, seven adults were shot at a University City apartment complex pool party earlier this month. One woman named Monique Clark was killed. Witnesses say that 49-year-old Peter Selis, a resident at the upscale La Jolla Crossroads complex, never even left his pool chair when he opened fire on a […]
White Supremacist Stabs Interracial Couple After Seeing Them Kiss at Bar, Police Say
In the nearby state of Washington, a 32 year old white supremacist named David Rowe was apparently enraged at the at the sight of a black man and a white woman kissing at a bar in Olympia. Police say Mr. Rowe was recently released from the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, about 300 miles […]
The First ‘Blue Lives Matter’ Law Enacted in the US
As a reaction to the “Black Lives Matter” movement, the state of Louisiana has just enacted a controversial “Blue Lives Matter” law (HB 953), which would make police officers and other ‘public safety’ workers a special protected class under hate-crime law. In other words, it is now a ‘hate crime’ to target police officers. The […]
Ku Klux Klan Rally in Anaheim Erupts in Violence
A Ku Klux Klan (KKK) rally in Anaheim erupted in violence at the end of February, when three people were stabbed and 13 people were arrested. The KKK had planned a rally at Peterson Park for the afternoon to protest against immigration and Muslims, when counter-protesters showed up to confront them. Fighting broke out just […]
State Legislatures Coming Down on Campus Rapes in California Universities
Although the topic of campus rape has made national headlines, the state of California is no doubt the most aggressive when it comes to addressing sexual assault on campuses. Last month, California Attorney General Kamala Harris and University of California President Janet Napolitano released a Model Memorandum of Understanding on Campus Sexual Assault (“Model MOU”) […]
Arson Defense
More than 500,000 times annually, arson is committed somewhere in this country annually, resulting in costs of more than $2 billion in property damage. Structures involved in these fires may be homes, warehouses, churches, commercial buildings, public buildings, and more. In some cases, these fires take place in fields or forests; other times, they may […]
Common Misconceptions About Being Criminally Charged
If you have been charged with a criminal offense, you know it is a jarring experience, even if you are innocent—or maybe especially if you are innocent. Some may tell you not to fret—the truth always wins out in the end. But the fact of the matter is that innocent people are convicted of crimes […]
Mistakes to Avoid When Dealing With the Criminal Justice System
After an arrest, many people find themselves feeling so alarmed that they just cannot think straight. But it is important to hold it together because mistakes in this situation can be costly. Try to think logically, and keep these tidbits in mind. Cooperate, while remaining silent until you have contacted your attorney. It is NEVER […]
When Drones Respond to 911 Calls
It can take 30 seconds or less to get a response to your 911 call, but it will not be a uniformed officer that shows up first thing. Instead, police in some California cities and across the country are utilizing drones as first responders that can make it to the scene before a human body […]