Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Blog
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “If I simply intend to plead guilty, why do I need a lawyer?”
In a bizarre episode, police in Raleigh say that the man caught on camera breaking into the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences over the weekend has surrendered to authorities. Police say that Joshua Matt Pace surrendered late Sunday evening, less than 24 hours after police broadcast footage of him breaking into the museum. What makes the whole episode so strange is a seeming total lack of motivation. Despite a pretty violent break in attempt, police say that Pace does not appear to have stolen anything or caused any damage to the museum’s exhibits.
Police say that Pace forced his way in the museum through an exterior door. A fire alarm was then activated inside the Nature Research Center shortly after 3:30 in the morning. Security camera footage shows Pace, wearing a white jacket and dark clothing, using a nearby fire extinguisher to bust down the door to the museum.
A museum spokesperson says that Pace used the fire extinguisher to knock off a door handle and then to break through some glass. Pace also turned on a water hose valve that caused minor water damage to some nearby doors. Despite the damage to the doors, the museum spokesperson says that nothing was stolen and that none of the exhibits in the museum appear to have been impacted in any way.
Police say that the break-in appears to be random and that Pace has yet to offer any possible motivation for the crime. Pace recently graduated from North Carolina State University where he majored in engineering. According to reports Pace was charged with misdemeanor charges of breaking and entering and damage to property. He has already been booked and released from jail on a $1,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in court again on October 15th.
Police say their crime unraveled when officers with a cybercrime unit in Fairfax County, Virginia noticed a video several weeks ago that had been posted online showing the two engaging in sex acts with several dogs. The couple is accused of making the video at home and then sharing it through a website devoted to such acts.
According to officials with the state, the law is clear that local sheriffs do not have the legal right to deny any Iowan the right to carry a gun based on a physical disability. The news has some blind gun owners rejoicing including one man, Michael Barber, who told reporters at an Iowa gun store that he was thrilled with the news. Barber said, “When you shoot a gun, you take it out and point and shoot, and I don’t necessarily think eyesight is necessary.”
The SBI says that its agents are focusing on doctors, nurses and pharmacists as well as other health care workers that might be involved in diverting prescription drugs from patients who desperately need the medicine. According to authorities, painkillers are the most often stolen drugs and the central focus for ongoing law enforcement efforts.
Police in Whiteville, NC say that received a call over the weekend about a domestic dispute in Mary Gowans’ home. When they arrived they found a chaotic scene with multiple people screaming. Police say that Gowans had forced her 15-year-old son to strip down to his underwear when she then attacked him with a belt, causing severe injuries and large lacerations across his body. Gowans then ordered her 12-year-old son to take over and continue beating the older boy due to his sexual orientation.
A recent piece in the journal Criminal Justice Ethics deals with a related theme, how the current criminal justice system financially incentives wrongful convictions. Specifically, the article noted how crime labs in many states are actually funded through court fees, something that the authors say act as a channel for bias to enter the crime lab analysis.
According to authorities, Bader was at her home late Monday night when her roommate and his brother were in the living room, drinking and watching a loop of classic rock songs by the Eagles on the television. Bader apparently grew weary of hearing “Hotel California” blasted over and over again and told the two men to turn off the music.
According to the Mothers of Murdered Offspring, the vigil was taking place to call attention to the recent death of a Charlotte man who police say was shot and killed when he attempted to rob a convenience store. About 50 people were gathered to honor the man killed in the shooting when, at around 10:30 p.m., gunshots erupted.
According to a spokesperson for the department, Officer Randall Kerrick, is now in custody after the victim, 24-year-old Jonathan Ferrell, was killed during an encounter with police after wrecking his car. The police department conducted an investigation after the deadly shooting and determined Kerrick’s actions were excessive, saying that Kerrick did not have the authority to discharge his weapon during the encounter.
To be a bit more precise, the DEA actually revealed that it seized 11.02 BTC (the abbreviation for Bitcoin), something that at the time amounted to $814.22. According to an online Bitcoin conversion website that same amount of Bitcoin today would be worth $1,524.29, a difference that reveals just how rapidly Bitcoin’s value can shift.