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Atlanta YSL Trial Highlights The Legal Rights Of Anyone Accused Of A Crime In recent headlines, Young Thug has gained media attention as his involvement in the YSL RICO trial unfolds. Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charges are typically used to prosecute individuals involved in criminal enterprises. In celebrity trials such as this, it's important to remember that the rights afforded to celebrities, such as Young Thug, are those afforded to anyone accused of criminal charges, regardless of fame or notoriety. The YSL case offers a real-world example to examine the fairness and boundaries of RICO's application, shedding light on its impact beyond celebrity trials. In this article,…Read More
It appears rapper MC Hammer won't have to trade his parachute pants for an orange jumpsuit following his arrest at a Dublin shopping center two weeks ago. Charges for resisting an officer in Dublin have been dropped, the musician and dancer tweeted Friday evening. "Thank You to all my friends and supporters. All CHARGES DECLINED. Dropped," he wrote. "Have A great Weekend." For now, we'll have to take Hammer's word for it as Dublin police didn't immediately return calls to confirm the charges had been dropped. The 50-year-old recording artist, who lives in Tracy, was arrested on Feb. 21 in the Hacienda Crossings shopping center after a verbal altercation with…Read More
A federal appeals court reinstated the death sentence Thursday for a San Jose man who killed a teenage employee during a 1979 liquor store robbery, saying the verdict was not affected by shackling that forced defendant Marvin Walker to limp to and from the witness stand. U.S. District Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong had granted Walker a new trial in 2011, saying the jury may have been swayed by a plastic knee brace that sheriff's officers had fastened under one of Walker's pant legs. The trial judge never stated any reason for the shackling, and the jury deliberated at length on both Walker's guilt and his sentence, Armstrong noted. In overruling…Read More
The state Supreme Court overturned the murder conviction Thursday of a burglar who was driving down a freeway with his loot when a stolen stove fell off his pickup truck and caused a fatal crash. Cole Wilkins of Long Beach was convicted of first-degree murder on the grounds that he was still fleeing the scene of the burglary when the fatality occurred. He was sentenced to 26 years to life in prison. In granting Wilkins a new trial, the court ruled unanimously that the trial judge should have allowed the jury to decide whether Wilkins, who was 62 miles from the burglary scene, had reached a place of "temporary safety"…Read More
The bicyclist who struck and killed a pedestrian in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood last year must stand trial on felony vehicular manslaughter charges, a judge ruled Thursday. Chris Bucchere cried softly during the final argument of his preliminary hearing when his attorney described him as a good person and a family man who gives back to his community. Bucchere, a 36-year-old San Francisco resident, was riding his bicycle south on Castro Street during morning rush hour last March 29 when he collided with Sutchi Hui, 71, of San Francisco, who was crossing in the south crosswalk along Market Street with his wife. Hui died of his injuries four days later.…Read More
The California Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments Tuesday morning in a case that may decide whether cities and counties can ban medical marijuana dispensaries. California voters approved an initiative that allows the dispensaries, also known as pot shops, throughout the state. The court's decision could go a long way towards settling the issue of how local governments regulate the dispensaries. Arguments in the case of the City of Riverside v. Inland Empire Patients Health and Wellness is set to start at 10:15 a.m. PST. We will add the live stream from the hearing in San Francisco as soon as it becomes available.Read More
