Blog Posts in August, 2010

Drunk Driving Crackdown

As reported by Kate Bramson and Maria Armental in the August 24, 2010 edition of the Providence Journal, the police are cracking down on drunk and impaired drivers. The Rhode Island State Police and local law enforcement are conducting a "You Drink & Drive, You Lose" campaign from August 20 th through September 6 th . Thus far, the crackdown has led to twenty-one (21) arrests. The Rhode Island ...

Sex & Blackmail

As reported by Charles Wilson in the August 15, 2010 edition of the Providence Journal, the law is continuing to develop in light of new technology. A new crime called "sextortion" has emerged, an off-shot of the crime of sexting. "Sexting" is sending sexually explicit photographs or videos by minors through electronic means. "Sextortion" is blackmailing people into sending sexually explicit ...

Coventry DUI Charge Dismissed After Trial

After a serious automobile accident in the town of Coventry, Rhode Island, our client was charged with drunk driving ("DUI"), Refusal to submit to a chemical test, laned roadway violation, and leaving the lane of travel. At the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal, the Chief Magistrate dismissed the Refusal charge and both traffic violations based on our argument that the motorist was misinformed of the ...

The Hidden Costs of Crime

As reported by Gregory Smith in the August 8, 2010 edition of the Providence Journal, the cliché "crime doesn't pay" is more accurate than people think. Under both Federal and Rhode Island law, police departments have the authority to seize assets and property of arrested suspects. Most of the assets and goods seized are from arrested drug dealers. However, under Rhode Island law, other crimes ...

Distracted Teen Drivers = Crime

In 2009, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed legislation to ban text messaging while driving. This ban applies to all drivers in Rhode Island and is considered to be a "primary" offense, meaning the police can pull over drivers for that offense alone. The purpose behind the law was to improve safety on the roads by trying to prevent distracted driving. Pursuant to R.I.G.L. 31-22-30(b), "no ...

Young Love Goes Astray

As reported by Thomas Morgan in the August 5, 2010 edition of the Providence Journal, Barrington has experienced its first sexting case. "Sexting" is sending sexually explicit photographs or videos by minors through electronic means. A male teenager secretly taped his girlfriend and himself in a sexual encounter. He then showed the tape to other students using his cell phone. When his girlfriend ...

Not Guilty of Sexual Assault

A Washington County Superior Court Jury, seated in Wakefield Rhode Island, held that two former University of Rhode Island (URI) students were "Not Guilty" of sexually assaulting another URI student in a campus dorm. The alleged victim, a URI freshman student, had been allegedly drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana at a party on the University of Rhode Island campus prior to engaging sexual ...

Deadly Crash

As reported by Mark Reynolds in the July 22, 2010 edition of the Providence Journal, a local restaurant owner pled not guilty to charges stemming from an April car accident. He is facing three charges, leaving the scene of an accident-death resulting, reckless driving-death resulting and driving without a license. He crashed his car into barrels and a Jersey barrier and then fled on foot. The man ...