Lakeland Criminal Defense Lawyers

There are only 24 states that require police interrogations to be recorded from start to end, and Florida is not one of them.  Not recording the entirety of a police interrogation is a problem, especially considering that in over 25% of wrongful convictions that have been overturned by DNA evidence, the Defendant made false confessions to law enforcement during the interrogation.  Why do people make false confessions?   Most people believe that they would most certainly not confess to a crime that they did not commit.  However, studies show that under the conditions of an interrogation, false confessions are a huge problem that cannot be overlooked.  Law enforcement officers often give details to crimes leading suspects in the direction that they wish him or her to go.  For example, the officer may tell the suspect that he knows he used a shovel.  He knows he used a shovel to hit him.  And he hit him in the head.  He hit him in the head over and over.  This goes on for ho

I happen to live in a county where the Sheriff is known for prostitution stings.  I just did a google search and almost every hit was for my county!  As a criminal defense attorney, this causes me some distress.  (One might think, this brings me business, but I have different opinions on the matter). In Florida, prostitution is defined as the giving or receiving of the body for sexual activity for hire but excludes sexual activity between spouses.  It is a misdemeanor for a first or second violation. It becomes a felony of the third degree for a third violation.  In addition, a person who specifically solicits, induces, entices, or procures another to commit prostitution is subject to a minimum mandatory 10 days incarceration, vehicle impoundment, and a civil penalty of $5,000.00.  Most of the people charged with prostitution are low-income women.  In fact, statistics show that 80% are women.  Most are put into the industry at the age of 14.  These women are forced into pros