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John Tucker with Indy Week writes that one 34-year-old man got eight months behind bars for four grams of weed, enough for roughly 10 joints and perhaps 15 days in jail.
Eight Months For Four Grams Of Weed
New Rules In Great Britain Ban Books For Prisoners
A great many would argue that prisoners deserve nothing - no TV, no books, no nothing. On the other hand, some organizations, like the Center for Constitutional Rights, argue that the ordeal inmates go through when serving time in solitary - perhaps the worst form of punishment other than the ultimate punishment - is tantamount to torture.
Woman accused of drunk driving, nearly assaulting hospital staff
A North Carolina woman is accused of drunk driving and other serious offenses after reportedly causing a car crash in McKean County during the late night hours on March 18. Officials say that the 39-year-old woman is charged with a variety of substance-related offenses, including disorderly conduct, drunk driving and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The woman is also accused of attempted assault after an altercation with a hospital nurse.
Woman accused of DUI, attempted assault after crash incident
A North Carolina driver is facing a wide range of charges after she reportedly crashed her vehicle while intoxicated in McKean County. The woman, age 39, is accused of DWI and several other criminal violations in connection with the incident, during which she allegedly resisted arrest. The woman remains in custody pending a hearing in late March.
Drug crimes rates show increased popularity of heroin
When representatives from one North Carolina county chose to crack down on prescription drug abuse, law enforcement officers predicted that a rise in heroin use in the area would occur. Those statements, made in September 2012, seemed eerily prophetic; authorities say that Brunswick County is now flooded with heroin. In 2013, the Wilmington Police Department reportedly arrested 214 people for heroin possession. Just 10 years earlier, only 12 people were arrested annually for such drug crimes.
Socialite Gets Significant Prison Time For Child Porn
This story comes courtesy of the Huffington Post, which describes the dire situation of a 43-year-old socialite from Texas who was recently sentenced by a judge to 14 years in prison for trading and shipping child pornography. Law enforcement discovered a "massive cache" of child porn, as HuffPo puts it - 4,000 images on the hard drive of her computer, collected over 13 years of daily downloading while the woman's husband was at work.
The Problem With Prosecutors Run Amok
First things first, there is nothing wrong with the majority of prosecutors, just like there's nothing wrong with the majority of criminal defense lawyers. Although, if you can't use the word "majority," you can at least say that it's wrong to demonize an entire group of people.
Church official charged with sex crimes for second time
A North Carolina man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a minor at two different churches in the York area. The man, age 38, is reportedly related to a bishop in the Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas. That organization is accused of reassigning the man to another church, despite the fact that he was convicted of sex crimes in the past.
General gets victory in sex crimes case, lawyers revamp strategy
The trial of a military leader who is accused of sexual assault has been delayed after the prosecution suffered several serious setbacks. The U.S. Army General, age 51, is accused of sex crimes including forcible sodomy, according to news reports. A judge in the case has stymied the prosecution's case, however, by deciding that political justification had been unlawfully used to court-martial the man. The sexual assault charges have not been dismissed.
What Separates The Average Man From A Convict?
That's the question asked by the photographer Trent Bell, whose childhood friend was sentenced to 30-plus years in the cage, as described in Joe Berkowitz's piece for Fast Company. Cast as advice convicts would give their younger selves, Berkowitz's post and Bell's photographs illuminate the state of mind of one who may never have imagined getting locked up for a crime.
Duke University Student (And Porn Star) Feels The Hate
To say that Miriam Weeks has been "criticized" for her work as a porn star is an understatement. On a post she wrote on XOJane.com shortly after she was outed by a fellow classmate, in which she reveals for the first time her stage name ("Belle Knox") she described the vitriol and hate that spewed forth on Twitter, characterized by her subheading: "I've never been told to die in quite so many ways."
North Carolina man seeks plea deal for federal crimes, fraud
A North Carolina man could face up to 20 years' prison time in connection with accusations that he defrauded charities in the area. Official reports show that the man is charged with federal crimes including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. It appears that the man has not been officially indicted, but the charges have been formally issued in an "information," another type of legal document. The North Carolina man has been charged with perpetrating the crimes throughout the Southeast.
Does The DOJ Spend Too Much On Prisons?
One federal lawmaker, Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, claims that the Department of Justice is spending too much on prisons. Leahy has spent considerable time and effort on reform, specifically prison overcrowding and sentencing, and has worked on two significant bills known as the Justice Safety Valve Act and the Smarter Sentencing Act.
Why Kerry Kennedy Won Her DWI Case (Hint: It's Not Because She's Rich & Powerful)
Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, of the famous American political dynasty, recently beat charges of driving under the influence of prescription drugs in New York. According to Wikipedia, Kerry Kennedy sideswiped a truck after taking zolpidem, a prescription medication used to treat insomnia and some brain disorders.
Tax preparation fraud abounds in North Carolina, other states
Many Americans know the stress of the approaching tax season. Even though crunching those numbers can be demanding, financial experts say that other dangers may lurk beneath the surface of your tax-preparation efforts. Some tax preparers in North Carolina and other states are accused of serious federal crimes after allegedly altering financial data and stealing others' identities.
Juveniles targeted in Instagram internet sex crimes investigation
In the age of social media, information that is posted to online platforms such as Facebook and Instagram is nearly impossible to retract. Although this may seem obvious for adults, teens do not always realize the implications of their online actions. Now, scores of North Carolina investigators are working to target teens who may be the unwitting culprits behind a series of internet sex crimes.
