Why We Have a High Prison Population

high prison populationWe always hear that our high prison populations tops most other countries in the world.  Here are some new ideas that explain this from an essay by Charles Lane at the Washington Post:  http://www.startribune.com/combating-crime-most-hopeful-reforms-bloom-at-grass-roots/420124693/ 

What you’ll find are unique ideas that are different from the usual stories in the media.  Let’s see what he said.

  1.  It is true

Here’s the Best Lawyer Money can Buy!

“If you’re charged with a crime and have enough money, you can hire a good lawyer, who’ll get you off.” True or False?best lawyer money can buy

Answer: It depends! (Okay, I’ve been a lawyer for 30+ years)  Here’s the best lawyer money can buy.

The idea that money can get you the best defense lawyer to get you out of trouble …

How can you defend a guilty person!? Part 1

defend a guilty personIt’s the question I get all the time: How can you defend someone you know is guilty? Especiall if it’s a horrible crime. It’s easy to reply “it’s my job,” “everyone has a right to a trial,” “I have an ethical duty…blah, blah, blah.”  All true but there’s the human part of every lawyer that is repulsed by …

A Prosecutor and Police Officers

Years ago, I worked as a prosecutor of serious crimes in the largest county in Minnesota.  I had constant contact with police officers.  People police officersmistakenly think that police officers can charge serious crimes.  They investigate, gather evidence, and interview potential witnesses.  Then they bring that evidence to a prosecutor who makes the charging decision.  From my experience, here …

Ferguson, Missouri—Some Ideas

Now that some of the tragic events that happened in Ferguson, Missouri have passed, can we learn anything from this?  I worked as a prosecutor some years ago.  In that job I had lots of contact with police as we worked on cases.  Here are some ideas from my experience.Ferguson, Missouri

1.  The level of violence on both sides—the …

Guns + Violence=Justice in Florida??

You’ve probably followed the tragic story from Sanford, Florida where George Zimmerman fatally shot Trayvon Martin over some disagreement.  There were no witnesses, other than the victim and Mr. Zimmerman, and the only evidence is the 911 recordings and Mr. Z’s version.

It appears that Mr. Zimmerman was a local “watch captain” carrying a gun, who thought Trayvon …

Seven Reasons Casey Anthony was Found Not Guilty

Last post I started to list the reasons why Casey Anthony may have been found not guilty by a jury.  After more than 30 years working as both a prosecutor and defense lawyer, I have seen this happen before in trials.

The first two reasons can be:

1.  The prosecutor must prove an accused guilty beyond a reasonable