Stuck in the Past: Why MPD Refuses to Record Sexual Solicitation Arrests
Everything is recorded. There are cameras on street corners and in every store. Almost every man, woman, and child has a cell phone that takes crystal clear HD video. There are dash-cams in many city’s police cars, and some D.C. police have started wearing body...
Not Guilty: This is Why We Try Washington, D.C. DUI Cases
At first glance, the facts looked bad. The Officer’s police report indicated that the client had red, bloodshot eyes, and smelled of alcohol. On the Field Sobriety Tests, the defendant “failed” the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test and the officer stopped the Walk...
A D.C. Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Perspective on MPD’s Overzealous Pursuit of Prostitution Convictions
You might be minding your own business, walking to the store or home from the bars in Washington, D.C. A barely-dressed woman walks up to you and asks you what you want, “honey.” You might decide to play along, and start talking about prices. But the next thing you...
Common Questions If You’ve Been Arrested For Washington, D.C. DUI, Part II
You have a lot of questions if you've been arrested for DUI in Washington, D.C. or Northern Virginia. This is Part II of the answers I hope will help alleviate the confusion. Will medications cause me to “fail” the breath test? Generally, no. The breath test only...
What Now: Common Questions If You’ve Been Arrested for Washington, D.C. DUI, Part I
Getting arrested and charged with a DUI in Washington, D.C. can be a scary and confusing experience. You may be wondering whether you need a D.C. DUI lawyer, or if you can handle this by yourself. Either way, you’ve got questions, and these answers will hopefully help...
Playing Nice: Judge Confirms That D.C. Bouncers Must Keep Their Hands to Themselves
At 6’ 3” and weighing in at 415 pounds, the bouncer needed every inch of the witness box. To say that he was a big guy doesn’t nearly paint the picture, but I’m a D.C. criminal defense lawyer, not a novelist. So, he was a big guy. But don’t call him a bouncer, because...
“Bitch Set Me Up:” Entrapment and Prostitution Stings in Washington, D.C.
Marion Barry’s now infamous quote stemming from his 1990 drug possession case has been echoed by many of his fellow Washington, D.C. neighbors, albeit in a different context. These unfortunate defendants have found themselves caught up in one of the many prostitution...
Know Your Rights: The Fourth Amendment and DUI Defense
You were stopped by the police in D.C. or Northern Virginia at 3 in the morning, given Field Sobriety Tests (FSTs), and arrested. Back at the station you took the breath test, blew a .08 or above, and spent most of the night in a cell. You’re charged with DUI, you...
The Devil is in the Details: Proving (or not) DUI at Trial
“I observed a strong odor of alcohol emanating from the driver, and he had bloodshot, glassy eyes.” If I had a dollar for every time I read that quote in a DUI police report, I wouldn’t have to spend my time writing blog posts. Life for Washington, D.C. and Northern...