Early in the existence of the “Internet Age,” a form of shorthand developed to convey laughing out loud and other reactions to random posts or direct messages. Yet, for those online aficionados, abbreviations did not go far enough in their brevity.
Thus, emojis were born and became the parlance of our time.
The growth in the number of people who own cell phones matches the ongoing technological improvements by manufacturers looking for their piece of the market share. Once bulky and hard to handle, the devices now fit easily into the palm of the owners’ hands. Once expensive and exclusive to the wealthy, practically everyone from all walks of life relies on cell phones.
Phone calls are only part of the options the devices provide. Evolving into mobile devices, they have become mini-computers that contain megabytes of data that once required entire buildings to house.
The growth in the number of people who own cell phones matches the ongoing technological improvements by manufacturers looking for their piece of the market share. Once bulky and hard to handle, the devices now fit easily into the palm of the owners’ hands. Once expensive and exclusive to the wealthy, practically everyone from all walks of life relies on cell phones.
Phone calls are only part of the options the devices provide. Evolving into mobile devices, they have become mini-computers that contain megabytes of data that once required entire buildings to house.
One of the biggest cold cases in modern history made news about a year ago with the capture of the alleged “Golden State Killer.” The man identified as the suspect has been charged with 26 counts of murder for his alleged spree of murders and rapes in the 1970s and 80s across California.
If the man had been caught through conventional policework, the case would still be notable for its sheer size and scope. But it has been especially noteworthy because it relied on a practice called “genetic genealogy,” which up until now has mostly been a way for history enthusiasts to build accurate family trees based on genetic data shared on genealogy websites. There is little doubt that, now proven, genetic genealogy will be used to solve more cases alleging violent crimes, sexual assault, homicide and more. The question is: Are we ready for the potential privacy intrusions that come with such changes?
Although mounting any criminal defense can seem overwhelming, allegations of criminal sexual conduct against adults involves special considerations. The reason is reputational: such crimes are often media fodder, and a defendant may feel like he or she is indicted in the public’s opinion before ever getting due process of law.
Burglary. Purse snatching. Manufacturing meth. Marijuana possession, of a certain amount. These are all examples of crimes that some states consider violent. Others include possessing a precursor chemical with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine, aiding in an attempted suicide, and trafficking in a stolen identity.
Most people wouldn't consider any of those offenses to be violent. Yet state statutes around the country do, and they punish people more severely when they have committed a so-called violent crime. When a crime is considered violent, a conviction can get you labeled a violent offender. That often means a significantly longer sentence -- even a three-strikes sentence.
"When protecting the defendant's right to a fair trial requires the government to disclose its confidential techniques, prosecutors face a choice: Give up the prosecution or give up the secret," an expert in computer crime law and former Justice Department lawyer told the nonprofit newsroom ProPublica recently.
That's because the right to fully confront all the witnesses and evidence against you is protected by the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That right wouldn't mean much if the defense simply had to take the prosecution's word for how a particular technique works.
While other types of evidence and forensic science are increasingly being challenged as unreliable, DNA analysis is the notable exception. It is usually considered the gold standard in the criminal justice arena, especially in prosecutions of violent crimes and sex offenses. And DNA evidence has been used to both convict and exonerate countless individuals.
While the science of DNA analysis stands up to scrutiny, a DNA match does not automatically convey guilt. This is because the way that DNA is collected and stored is highly important, and tainted evidence can implicate the wrong person. Additionally, a recent study has found that the transfer of DNA is more common than we think, and our DNA can end up on objects we’ve never touched.
The Law Office of Amy Muth welcomes Jennifer Atwood, Attorney, to its practice! Jennifer and Amy began their careers in public defense together in 2002 in Kitsap County, Washington. Jennifer, like Amy, is a career criminal defense attorney. Jennifer comes to the Law Office of Amy Muth after spending over 11 years working for The Defender Association Division of the King County Department of Public Defense. Jennifer is a seasoned trial lawyer, having obtained acquittals in numerous serious cases, including sex offenses. Jennifer has a varied amount of expertise, having worked in the misdemeanor appeals, felony, juvenile, and mental health commitments divisions, but juvenile and youthful offenders are a particular focus; she has spent four years representing indigent youths in criminal matters. Jennifer will expand the firm's practice areas to include juvenile cases, protection order matters, appeals, and is building a school discipline and Title IX practice. Welcome, Jennifer!
Andre Haymond of Oklahoma was convicted in federal court of possessing child pornography in 2010. As part of his sentence, he was placed on supervised release for 10 years. When he was accused of violating his supervised release, he was ordered to serve an additional 5 years in prison -- longer than his original term of incarceration. Now, he is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to rule that he should have received a jury trial before being sentenced to the additional five years.
Federal supervised release is different from state parole or probation. In parole or probation, the defendant is given the chance to serve part of their incarceration sentence in the community under certain conditions. If they violate those conditions, they are returned to serve the remainder of their sentence behind bars.
Law Office of Amy Muth, PLLC
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98104
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