RECENT VICTORY - Drug Charges Dismissed

The prosecutors dismissed misdemeanor possession of marijuana charges against our client on the eve of trial after we called their bluff and proved to them that we were ready for trial. Our client is currently on felony probation for a Class 2 felony for Battery to a Police Officer. The probation department has already filed a Petition to Violate our client's probation. The judge on the Violation of Probation case warned us that we had to win the misdemeanor possession of marijuana case or else he would violate our client's probation and sentence him to prison. Another client has been spared a potentially lengthy prison sentence.

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For more information about the Chicago criminal defense attorneys at Legal Defenders, P.C., visit us at www.legaldefenderspc.com or call us anytime at 1-800-228-7295.

3 States to Vote on Legalizing Marijuana in November

Three states are set to allow voters to decide whether to legalize the use of marijuana in their states for recreational use this fall.  The three states are Colorado, Oregon and Washington.  A recent poll by MSNBC indicates that nationally, 51% of the public believe that marijuana should be legalized for recreational use.  On reason that states are moving in the direction of legalizing marijuana is financial. These states stand to gain additional tax revenue if marijuana was legalized and would save substantial sums of money by not having to spend money arresting, prosecuting and incarcerating people charged with violating these drug laws which make the mere possession of marijuana illegal.  If these measures pass, then it will be interesting to see how the Federal Government responds. There will be a conflict between state law and federal law and it will be interesting to see how that conflict plays out in the political and legal arena.

We will keep our readers updated on the progress and outcome of these ballot measures.

For more information about the Chicago criminal defense attorneys at Legal Defenders, P.C., visit us at www.legaldefenderspc.com or call us anytime at 1-800-228-7295.

Cook County Expands Tickets For Low Level Drug Offenses

Yesterday, the Cook County Board took a big step in an effort to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana. In 2009 the Cook County Board passed an ordinance which provided for the issuance of tickets for the possession of small amounts of marijuana. But recently, various news outlets reported that zero tickets had been issued. The 2009 measure only applied to unincorporated areas of Cook County that were being patrolled by the Cook County Sheriff. The new measure includes areas in which the Cook County Sheriff provides primary law enforcement duties, such as south suburban Ford Heights. The Cook County Sheriff's office now reports that they are ready to write tickets for the possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana pursuant to the measure passes yesterday by the Cook County Board. The President of the Cook County Board, Tony Perwinkle, has come out strong in favor of decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana. She points to the high cost of keeping offenders in jail until they go to their preliminary hearing, where most such cases are dismissed anyway. It costs about $143 a day to keep an inmate in Cook County Jail. Perwinkle has stated that she will help lead an effort to have the Illinois legislature pass a similar measure throughout the State of Illinois.

For more information about the Chicago criminal defense attorneys at Legal Defenders, P.C., visit us at www.thelegaldefenders.com or call us anytime at 1-800-228-7295.

County Jail Guard Charged With Trying To Smuggle Drugs Into Jail

The Cook County Sheriff's office has announced that a 15-year jail guard has been charged with trying to smuggle drugs into Cook County Jail.  The jail guard, Timothy Fuller, is charged with Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Deliver and Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Deliver.  He was arrested after he was caught in an undercover sting operation.  Fuller had been working in the medium security Division 11 building.  He has been suspended with pay and will appear before the Merit Board for a termination hearing.  The investigation began when jail officials noticed Fuller engaging in suspicious activity with jail inmates.  It is alleged that Fuller agreed to deliver drugs to an inmate in exchange for $400.  He was arrested after he accepted a quantity of cocaine and marijuana from an undercover female officer in an exchange captured on video in an undercover police vehicle.  This meeting happened after Fuller's shift at the jail ended.

For more information about the Chicago criminal defense attorneys at Legal Defenders, P.C., visit us at www.thelegaldefenders.com or call us anytime at 1-800-228-7295.

Maryland Moving Towards Legalizing Medical Marijuana

Earlier this month the Maryland Senate voted overwhelmingly to legalize medical marijuana.  The bill was approved 35-12 without any objections and without any discussion.  Maryland is seeking to join 14 other states that legalize medical marijuana.  Current Maryland marijuana laws are already favorable towards medical marijuana.  Current law allows a defendant charged with possession of marijuana to raise a medical necessity defense.  If the judge determines that the use of the marijuana is beneficial to that defendant, the judge will impose a maximum fine of $100.  Since Maryland already basically allows for the medical use of marijuana, supporters of the effort to legalize medical marijuana argue that this would allow patients to not have to rely on the black market to obtain their marijuana.  This measure now moves to Maryland's House of Representatives for their consideration.

There is a definite surge in the movement to legalize medical marijuana in the United States.  Last year, more than a dozen states, including Illinois, moved forward on legislation to legalize medical marijuana.  If the trend continues, very soon, half of Americans may be living in states that legalize medical marijuana.  In November, California voters will get to decide whether to legalize the possession of marijuana for all adults.

For more information about the Chicago criminal defense attorneys at Legal Defenders, P.C., visit us at www.thelegaldefenders.com or call us anytime at 1-800-228-7295.

Felony Marijuana Charges Dismissed In Rolling Meadows

The other day I was able to get the Prosecutor's office to dismiss felony Possession of Marijuana charges against my client. My client had attended The Grateful Dead concert at Allstate Arena over the summer. An undercover Village of Rosemont police officer was doing surveillance in the parking lot of the Allstate Arena. In his police reports and at the preliminary hearing, he stated that he saw my client walking around the south end of the parking lot asking people if they wanted to buy "Molly." The officer said that "Molly" is slang for ecstasy. The officer testified at the preliminary hearing that he witnessed a drug transaction. He then called for assistance and about five other officers grabbed my client, put him face down on the parking lot and placed him under arrest for dealing drugs. They searched him and found over 50 grams of marijuana. The police never recovered any ecstasy from my client.

However, when pressed on whether he witnessed a drug transaction, the officer was forced to admit that he was not sure if what he saw was a drug transaction or a lawful transaction. I filed a Motion to Quash Arrest and Suppress Evidence arguing that the police lacked probable cause to arrest my client and that all the evidence seized after his unlawful arrest should be suppressed. To his credit, the prosecutor realized that my motion had merit and voluntarily agreed to dismiss the charges against my client on the eve of the hearing on my motion.

My client had been in jail since the arrest on a substantial bond. He is already on parole until November of 2010 for a Class 1 Felony drug charge. The dismissal of the charges means that my client is set free and does not have to worry about violating his parole.

For more information about the Chicago criminal defense attorneys at Legal Defenders, P.C., visit us at www.thelegaldefenders.com or call us anytime at 1-800-228-7295.

Chicago Attorney Arrested For Smuggling Drugs to Inmates

A Chicago criminal defense attorney has been arrested by Cook County Sheriff's investigators for smuggling drugs into the cells behind the courtrooms at 26th and California. The case started when an inmate was found to have a mixture of marijuana and cigarettes on him. The inmate was questioned and implicated his girlfriend. His girlfriend was questioned and she implicated the attorney. The way it worked was that the inmates girlfriend would pass through courthouse security with the illegal drugs hidden in her underwear. The girlfriend would then hand the items over to the attorney outside of the courtroom. The attorney would then go to the lock up, behind the courtrooms, and hand them to the defendants. On Wednesday, Sheriff's investigators set up a sting operation involving undercover officers. One undercover investigator handed 20 grams of marijuana to the attorney along with $25o, and the other undercover investigator accepted the marijuana while posing as an inmate. After the attorney was arrested, he admitted to smuggling marijuana to inmates on at least five occasions since October. Each time he was paid $250. If the attorney is telling the truth, all he made off of this scheme was $1,500.

The attorney was charged with two counts of possession of marijuana, delivery of marijuana and bringing contraband into a penal institution. Bond was set at $75,000.

For more information about the Chicago criminal defense attorneys at Legal Defenders, P.C., visit us at www.thelegaldefenders.com or call us anytime at 1-800-228-7295.