Month: January 2013

The Orange-Osceola State Attorney continues to look into the Florida “textgate” scandal that surrounds Orange County authorities. The incident involves the removal of text messages from cell phones on Sept. 11, 2012 during a meeting and the subsequent vote. Council members opposed the sick-time measure initiative although about 50,000 voters wanted the measure placed on …

Continue reading “Readers Weigh in on Orange County Textgate Scandal”

With the Trayvon Martin shooting occurring last year and the racial tension that followed, the town of Sanford has lost trust in law enforcement and the community. Bruce Lee, who was the acting police chief during this incident, was fired last Fall following the controversy that arose concerning how the Sanford Police Department handled the …

Continue reading “A New Police Chief in ‘Stand Your Ground’ Ravaged Sanford”

The combination of 44 homicides in the past two years and the rising amount of violent crime in Fort Myers, Florida has caused the Fort Myers Police Department to enhance the rewards for valuable police tips. FMPD Chief Baker states the reason for such enhancements is to encourage citizens to come forward and do the …

Continue reading “Enhanced Rewards for Police Tipping Homicides. Effective or Problematic?”

Presently, in Florida public retail sellers are required to perform a criminal background check on all potential fire-arm buyers. Maintaining that it is illegal to sell a fire-arm to a felon (3rd degree felony penalty, 2012 Fl. Stat. Title XLVI ch.790.065(12)(c).), the fore-mentioned safe-guard is not a requirement of private online fire-arm sellers such as the …

Continue reading “Do We Need Harsher Gun Laws in Florida?”

For those who don’t know, Orlando Police Department has a part-time DUI enforcement unit that patrols the streets every Thursday and Friday night in an effort to make the roadways safer. Their goal in 2012 was to arrest more drivers under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and Captain Christopher Chaplin exceeded his goal by …

Continue reading “Orlando’s Non-Publicized DUI Enforcement Unit”

Though the average citizen did not see many changes in Washington as Barack Obama was re-elected for his second term as President, there was important legislature passed that affects Florida. Though several of these laws have been in effect since the summer, the 2013 New Year officially announces new laws for the public. There are five …

Continue reading “The New Year…and its New Laws”

Earlier this week, we began a discussion about the intersection of neuroscience related to head trauma and the criminal justice system. Attorneys and physicians alike are increasingly linking certain criminal behavior by those guilty of misdemeanors and felonies directly to severe or repeated minor head trauma. In a challenging twist of fate, these individuals tend to be …

Continue reading “Can Brain Composition Affect a Defendant’s Outcome in Court?: Part II”