A blog by Miami Criminal Defense Lawyer Brian Tannebaum. Commenting on criminal law issues of local and national interest.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

State's Opening Statement - "His Name is Coors!"


We are just finding out that Pete Coors, President of Coors Beer, was arrested in May for suspicion of drunken driving.

The story is here

So who's got the best defense for, uh, Mr. Coors?

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

AGAIN - Another Innocent Man Freed By Innocence Project

YAHOO! News reports that a New York judge ordered the release of a man who served 22 years in prison after being wrongly convicted of rape, assault and robbery.

Alan Newton, now 44, is now free due to the work of the Innocence Project.

Read on their website about how he spent 12 years fighting for access to the evidence that would eventually exonerate him, and show that someone else committed the crime.

"I'm just glad to be home," Newton said.

I'm glad you're home too Mr. Newton.

Brian Tannebaum is a criminal defense attorney in Miami, Florida practicing in state and federal court. To learn more about Brian and his firm, Tannebaum Weiss, please visit www.tannebaumweiss.com

Monday, July 10, 2006

NEWS FLASH - Congress Not Above The Law


Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas F. Hogan made a stunning assertion today: members of Congress are not above the law.

Let me catch my breath. Did he also say it is Monday? That the sun will set tonight? It is pathetic that he had to make this statement, but he did, because the only argument that the search was illegal is that Congress is above the law.

I love this, the Judge went on to say that Jefferson's theory of legislative privilege "would have the effect of converting every congressional office into a taxpayer-subsidized sanctuary for crime."

The issue was whether the speech and debate clause of the Constitution, which protects elected officials from being questioned by the president, a prosecutor or a plaintiff in a lawsuit about their legislative work, applied here.

It doesn't, because accepting a bribe is not considered "legislative work."

No, I'm not kidding, it isn't.