An update on my blog post regarding 10th Judicial Circuit Judge Harlan and her Judicial Assistant (JA) Alisha Rupp's criminal case. Yesterday, I posted that Ms. Alisha Rupp's defense attorney was requesting a continuance of her trial set for next week. In Polk County, we have "Mandatory Docketing" on the Friday before the trial. At...
Read MoreBlog
Polk County DUI lawyer Thomas C. Grajek attends national DUI seminar focusing on forensic evidence.
In order to insure that my clients receive the most aggressive defense to their DUI case, I recently attended a DUI seminar put on by the National College for DUI Defense in association with the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. This seminar focused on all aspects of DUI defense, the latest case law regarding DUI...
Read MoreFamily Physician Arrested for Alleged Underage Sexual Crimes
Dr. Brian Lee, an Escambia, Florida family physician, has been arrested for employing a two-way device to expedite the commission of a felony and for traveling to meet a juvenile for sex. Lee's arrest followed a long investigation into his online life and persona. According to the local sheriff’s office, the county computer crimes unit...
Read MoreJustin Bieber’s Florida DUI arrest in the news again
Justin Bieber's attorney, Roy Black, has filed a motion to block the release of the jail video after his arrest for DUI and drag racing. Various newspaper organizations have been making Public Record Requests for the video. The video in Bieber's case would possibly show him being booked into the jail and potentially the Drug...
Read MoreFDLE Chemist being investigated for tampering with evidence
Last week it was the chief of police fired for allegedly not following policies. This week it is an Florida Department of Law Enforcement crime analyst in the news. FDLE lab analyst Joseph Graves is being investigated for allegedly tampering with evidence in thousand of criminal cases. This includes people serving prison sentences that could...
Read MoreProposed medical marijuana amendment approved by Florida Supreme Court. How will it affect criminal cases
The medical marijuana amendment has made it to Florida’s ballot in time for the next governor’s election. Voter polls currently indicate that the amendment will pass easily and medical marijuana will become legal in the state of Florida. How will this affect criminal cases? The potential effect on the police, when law enforcement can search...
Read MoreDentist sentenced for Halloween DUI Manslaughter accident.
Yesterday, a Hillsborough county dentist was sentenced to 12 years in prison pursuant to a plea agreement with prosecutors for causing the deaths of two people in a horrible DUI Manslaughter accident during Halloween. The drivers blood alcohol level was 0.13 which is over the 0.08 legal limit. The case took 3 years to resolve...
Read MoreFormer State Representative Mitch Needelman Arrested On Bid Tampering And Bribery Charges
Well-known former state Rep. Mitch Needleman has been charged with bid tampering and bribery. Needleman's arrest was the culmination of a year long investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) into his dealings with BlueWare, Inc. Needleman at one time served as the Brevard Count clerk of courts and allegedly signed a multimillion...
Read MoreSouth Florida physician charged after pill mill raid by drug enforcement agents
Seven people, including a local doctor, were arrested and charged with illegally dispensing and distributing oxycodone. Due to a recent drug enforcement raid, seven South Florida residents face federal charges of illegal dispensing and handing out a variety of powerful drugs, including a well-known highly addictive drug, oxycodone. After the raid and the arrest of...
Read MoreRules of sequestration, does it apply to alleged victim's family?
The George Zimmerman case may be over soon. The prosecution has rested their case, so now the defense may present evidence if they wish. Normally in a criminal trial, the attorneys will invoke the "Rule of Sequestration" that prevents witnesses from being present in the court room when another witness is testifying. It also prevents...
Read More