Legal Information Center

Animal Cruelty Criminal Charges (Cockfighting Etc.) (by Laura Monagle) The Organized Crime Task Force this week made the biggest cockfighting bust in New York history, a bust involving 3000 birds. Two fights were raided simultaneously over the weekend in Brooklyn and Queens, in which investigators found birds incarcerated in tiny cages containing razors blades. The…

Blog – Vehicular Manslaughter: Mayor De Blasio’s ‘Vision Zero’ campaign aims for zero traffic related deaths within ten years. The campaign focuses particularly on pedestrian fatalities resulting from traffic accidents. http://pix11.com/2014/01/15/mayor-de-blasio-launches-vision-zero-program-aimed-at-preventing-pedestrian-fatalities/#axzz2sI0z3H6l All road users need to keep in mind while contemplating the changes being implemented as part of the Mayor’s initiative that not only could…

Federal Oxycodone Defense Lawyer discusses recent Bronx ring arrest February 5, 2014: Federal agents and NYPD arrest dozens of members of purported illegal Oxycodone trafficking ring involving Astramed clinics. We have previously written about state-level prosecutions of illegal oxycodone and oxycontin trafficking, and have represented many individuals charged in investigations into this crime. But today,…

February 5, 2014: Federal agents and NYPD arrest dozens of members of purported illegal Oxycodone trafficking ring involving Astramed clinics. The New York Post today reported that on February 5, federal agents and the NYPD arrested approximately 24 people in connection with indictments for conspiring to traffic illegal prescription drugs. Specifically, it is alleged that…

Arrests for Selling Fake Tickets and Ticket Scalping: (Credit: Laura Monagle) With the Super Bowl just around the corner, the problem of ticket scamming has been heavily reported in the media. It was reported this week that two men were caught selling fake Super Bowl tickets to fans for thousands of dollars. https://nypost.com/2014/01/28/cops-bust-super-bowl-ticket-scammers/ While the…

Applying for a U-Visa (for Crime Victims) (by Laura Monagle) In 2008, the United States government began issuing U-Visas, a non-immigrant visa for victims of crime who have assisted with a criminal investigation and/or prosecution. The intention behind the introduction of this visa was to increase the incentive for victims of crime to come forward,…

Craigslist crimes defense attorney explains common NYC arrests Recently we have noticed an uptick in the number of arrests made by NYPD following investigations of advertisements on the popular website Craigslist (and to a lesser extent: the website Backpage). Though these websites can facilitate an almost limitless variety of crimes, the ones most commonly associated…

Civil Rights attorney discusses the arrest and beating of Kang Wong for jaywalking The New York Post recently reported on an incident involving an 84 year old man on the Upper West Side that was arrested and beaten by police officers after supposedly jaywalking. The article explained that Kang Wong, an 84-year-old with limited English…

Today, the ‘New York Times’ reported on a particularly shocking example of police brutality committed against two New York City college professors, Suzanne LaFont and her husband Karl Anders Peltomaa. The case demonstrates how easily anyone can fall victim to the unjustified force and abuse of authority of the police who are often inadequately equipped…

Many New Yorkers have read reports in the news media about cases, oftentimes assault cases, which are eligible for enhanced sentencing because the underlying act is treated as a hate crime. In 2000, The New York State legislature passed new laws providing for stiff prison sentence enhancements for offenders standing convicted of “hate crimes.” Penal…