This is a case in which, it would appear, there has been no arrest…yet. The criminal investigation is continuing. I would suggest that the question is what the charges will be as opposed to whether there will be any charges.
It is a story that brings an important reminder home to roost.
Again.
The incident took place in Dorchester this past Sunday at approximately 1:15 a.m.
According to the Boston Herald , a fight began. It really does not matter why.
Granted, it was longer ago than I had expected, but when we left off, we were discussing Cell Site Simulators – often referred to as “Stingrays”, one of the newer investigative tools of law enforcement. The Stingray is used to gather sensitive information about cell phone users by essentially tricking their phones into thinking they are communicating with cell phone company towers, when in fact they are communicating with law enforcement.
The Stingray not only gathers data about the intended target, but can also sweep up information from countless bystanders who end up monitored just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Since the days after September 11, 2001, law enforcement, on varying levels, has been given extra powers to eat away at our various rights, particularly those regarding privacy. The process, whether it is a murder case, a drug case or any other case has almost become predictable
Step One: “No, we could not spy on someone like that. It is not allowed”;
Step Two: “We cannot spy on folks like that in regular criminal cases. We only get o use those extra powers when dealing with terrorism”;
Step Three: Ok, we figure we ARE allowed to use those powers in normal criminal cases…but we don’t have the funding to do so; and, finally,
Step Four: Yes, of course we used it to fight regular crime. Doesn’t ALL criminal behavior endanger our way of life?
At the end of last week, the United States Attorney’s office issued a press release. The posting of it, as we have discussed in the past, as recently as last week, is apparently deemed necessary in LawenforcementLand to let us know that they are doing their job and arresting people.
Whether those people turn out to be guilty, of course, is another issue. In the meantime, of course, they will be presumed innocent…and assumed guilty.
To be fair, though, the federal prosecutor’s office generally gets the convictions that they are after.
As I recall, this was released around the same time I was getting posts on my IPhone that they were trying to find some gang member who apparently had escaped from federal custody. Yes, that would be the same office.
But I digress.
According to the release, two gentlemen from Cambridge were among 56 alleged “MS-13” gang members, leaders and associates who were taken into custody by law enforcement Friday morning.
Erick Argueta Larios, aka “Lobo,” 31, and Herzzon Sandoval, aka “Casper,” 34, both of Cambridge, had been indicted on federal racketeering conspiracy charges.
Continue reading
Michael P. McCarthy, 35 and hereinafter, the “Defendant” went to court today. He is the gent who stands accused of actually killing the toddler known for months as “Baby Doe”.
The court was Suffolk Superior Court in Boston. The charge is Murder in the First Degree.
This was not the first time the Defendant was in court on this matter. He has been in jail since September 18, 2015. At the time, he was held without bail and the matter was in District Court.
Now, the case has been indicted. He is in Superior Court where a conviction on the charge is possible (the charge cannot be prosecuted in District Court) and he faces the sentence of Life without the possibility of parole.
Hello and happy new year! I wish I could be starting the year off with a happy story…but this is, after all, a criminal law blog.
Springfield authorities have announced their recent bust which took place on Saturday night. According to the Boston Herald . the police say that the heroin seized was marked with the infamous “Hollywood” stamp.
The “Hollywood’ stamp indicates that it is the “brand” of heroin that is running rampant through western Massachusetts.
Yesterday, we began discussing two of a myriad of matters in which civilians and police officers met…violently. In those two matters, as is too often the case, death for somebody was the result.
I said that there was an important reality here which could effect you.
“Sam, I have read many of your past blogs. I know that you have always advised that when investigating officers approach me, I should not try to out-run, out-talk or out-fight them. Let’s assume I don’t. Let’s assume I also do not go out committing crimes. So, how would I be in a position to ‘learn’ from these tragic episodes?”
You have seen the headlines. You have heard the newscasts.
Sometimes it almost seems like there is a war going on between regular civilians and local police departments. Sometimes, it is law enforcement who ends up the victim of a homicide. Other times, it is the civilian.
Is there a way to stem this tide? More importantly to this particular blog, is there any way to protect you from its result?
Television has now long been used by law enforcement to try to clear up so-called “Cold Cases”.
The aim of putting such programs on the air is, from the Network point of view, I suppose to make money because folks are interested in these programs. For law enforcement, however, the aim is to solve outstanding mysteries. These mysteries usually involve homicide cases because there is no statute of limitations that would terminate the ability to bring charges in murder cases.
Continue reading
16-year-old Philip Chism (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) is having all sorts of trouble in Salem Superior Court, according to the Boston.com
As if being charged with rape and murder were not enough, the judge overseeing his trial has found that he is competent to stand trial. He apparently tried to find a way out of the trial earlier this week, by refusing to enter the courtroom.
That did not prevent the continuing of the trial either.
Continue reading
This case brings back memories that we have discussed with you not so long ago.
The case is pending in Attleboro. The criminal allegation? Vehicular Homicide.
26-year-old Arman Chaudhary (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) from Lynn is the driver in question.
The Boston Herald tells us that the Defendant is accused of driving more than 100 miles per hour, ending his trip by way of a tragic collision. A fatal collision.
Boston Criminal Lawyer Blog