Michael Cardoza, of the Cardoza Law Offices, a well-known and respected criminal attorney in the bay area, has recognized a problem with legal cases of late. With the recent surge of overturned convictions based upon genetic marker evidence, it is becoming obvious that eye-witness testimony regarding identification is extremely unreliable. Yet, the Supreme Court recently declined to extend constitutional safeguards against the use of some eyewitness testimony at criminal trials. In Perry v. New Hampshire, the Supreme Court held that the Constitution does not require a special judicial inquiry into the potential unreliability of eyewitness testimony in criminal cases when there has been no police misconduct. If the police have not created a suggestive environment for when the identification takes place, it is up to the jury to decide how much weight to give to the identification and furthermore, up to the defense attorney to discredit the identification. This is easier said than done. Juries place a disproportionate amount of faith in the identifications anyway. Furthermore, obtaining an expert to discredit the eyewitness identification is frequently an expensive prospect. Although judges may try to warn juries about the many factors that produce inaccurate ones, it is not sufficient, especially when a defendant’s liberty is at stake.
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Is there any link between district attorney Ray Gricar’s 2005 disappearance and his decision to not charge then-Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky with child molestation in a 1998 case. Don’t be surprised if there is a connection despite what the people in Happy Valley are saying.
“There’s no evidence or anything that has ever come to my attention that in any way suggests the Sandusky investigation had anything to do with the disappearance of Ray Gricar,” said Rickard, the lead investigator in Gricar’s disappearance.
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Imagine an 11 year old boy from an underprivileged family who gets help from a local charity called The Second Mile so he can spend time with members of the exalted Penn State University football team.
This little boy is ushered onto campus and is introduced around by one of the team’s top coaches. He gets to work out with the players and see the action up close. This kid feels like a King! Boy, wait till he tells his buddies back in the housing project where he lives with his single mother.
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The evidence is “overwhelming” and “it’s abundantly clear” that Dr. Murray caused the death of Michael Jackson, the prosecutor told jurors in closing arguments Thursday.
“Conrad Murray left Prince, Paris and Blanket without a father,” “For them, this case doesn’t end today, or tomorrow. For Michael’s children, this case will go on forever, because they do not have a father, they do not have a father because of the actions of Conrad Murray.”
Prosecutors contend Dr. Murray’s use of the surgical anesthetic in Jackson’s home to treat his insomnia was so reckless it was criminally negligent.
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THIS IS SO WRONG!!! Florida is releasing the names of the jurors in the Casey Anthony trial. Casey Anthony was found not guilty by jury! Like it or not this is how our system works. What Florida is doing in the name of The Sunshine Laws (easy access to information) by releasing jurors names is LIFE THREATENING. Releasing juror’s names will have a chilling effect on future jurors. No one will want to sit as a juror or if they do they will bring in a verdict they think will be acceptable to the public and not one based on the evidence. Even the judge who presided over the trial didn’t think it was a good idea to release the names. He ordered a 3-month cooling off period. He wrote “It is clear the jurors in this case face the possibility of substantial injury if their names are immediately made public.” If you followed the case you saw and heard the outrage of the people in Florida. The more it was reported in the media the louder the protests and the more violent.
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Dr. Murray told the court Tuesday that he will not take the stand, “My decision is that I will not testify in this matter.” As a bay area criminal lawyer who has tried hundreds of jury trials I believe the doctor is making a tragic mistake. This was Murray’s decision, he was adamant with his defense team that he would refuse to testify. Sad for him! I feel he needs to explain exactly what happened and how sorry he is. Sure the cross examination of the prosecutor would have been grueling but without Conrad’s testimony I can almost guarantee a guilty verdict. My feeling is that even if he was mauled by the prosecutor on cross at least he could express his remorse and his love for Jackson. That would have gone a long way with the jurors.
Murray’s decision to remain silent ended the defense case. Closing arguments begin on Thursday. I can guarantee that most jurors are favoring the prosecution.
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It was June 25, 2009, more than two years ago, when Michael Jackson died. The L.A. coroner attributed Jackson’s death to acute propofol* intoxication. Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter** in Jackson’s death. Dr. Murray was the doctor who injected Jackson with the propofol in order to help Jackson sleep.
I was in Los Angeles at the courthouse for the first day of the trial. There was drama both inside and outside the courtroom. The drama started with arrival of the Jackson family. As the Jackson family was walking down the courthouse hallway, accompanied by their own body guards and Los County Deputy sheriffs, a woman ran toward the Jackson family. She was quickly attended to by the sheriffs and escorted out of the courthouse.
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Anyone who is facing criminal charges in San Francisco needs to find legal representation from a criminal defense attorney in San Francisco as soon as possible. The Cardoza Law Offices understands the legal issues you are facing and will give you the best chance of successfully defending against criminal charges.
Soon after criminal charges have been filed with San Francisco courts you will be brought before the court for arraignment. During this arraignment you will be asked to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty to the charges. It is advisable that you consult with The Cardoza Law Offices before the arraignment. Depending on the nature of the case The Cardoza Law Offices will advise you on the best course of action.
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Dramatic opening statements in the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray (Dr. M.). Prosecutors scored big points in their opening statement. The prosecutor told the jury “the evidence in this case will show that Michael Jackson trusted his life to the medical skills of Dr. M., unequivocally that that misplaced trust had far too high a price to pay. That misplaced trust in the hands of Dr. M cost Michael Jackson (MJ) his life.” Powerful comments!
The district attorney also played a tape of M J that was recorded on Dr. M’s cell phone. It was a tape of MJ stoned out of his mind. If you didn’t believe MJ had a drug problem this tape would quickly change your mind. The fact the prosecution played the tape left a lot of people asking why they played the tape and didn’t leave it for the defense? Prosecutors told the jury the tape was evidence that Dr M. knew about MJ’s health problems before his death. In my opinion that’s not the real reason. Having been a prosecutor and now a criminal defense attorney in the bay area for over 30 years I will tell you the real reasons: the prosecution knew the tape was harmful to their case because it demonstrated, at least in part, how strung out MJ was and that MJ reaching for the propofol to inject more into his IV was within the realm of possibilities; they also knew the defense attorneys would play the tape if they didn’t. For these reasons they decided to take the tape head on and show the jury they weren’t worried about it and wanted to put their spin on the tape before the defense. They also didn’t want the defense to accuse them of not presenting exculpatory evidence. Smart move by the prosecution!
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Finding Criminal Attorneys in the San Francisco Area
Mistakes get made and there are times when you need the assistance of a criminal attorney in San Francisco to help undo the trouble. It is important to walk in a lawful manner or at least never bend the rules so far that they break. Unfortunately, that line can become blurred and that is when it will be valuable to know how to find the right lawyer for your needs.
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