Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Blog

So much happened last week in Los Angeles criminal defense news. Yet one story dominated the headlines and even momentarily distracted the populous from the sad but ever-developing story of Lindsay Lohan’s DUI/probation violation/grand theft/morgue duty skipping/playboy stripping saga.

Let’s quickly recap some of the “big events” in the Murray-Jackson saga from last week. Last Monday, 12 jurors found the 58-year old doctor guilty of involuntary manslaughter, just days after pop icon Michael Jackson's physician appeared on The Today Show. Sentencing has been set for November 28th.

But that wasn’t the end of the drama!

• A medical imaging company has sued the doctor for nearly $150,000 dollars.
• Different jurors have begun telling their stories to the media. One juror confided to the New York Daily News that “she voted to convict (Murray) because he made a covert phone call to Michael Jackson’s handlers rather than dialing 911 first."
• Another juror went on Good Morning America and said that she convicted the doctor “because she believes Michael Jackson would be alive today if it had not been for the doctor… 'Conrad Murray did it.'”
• Dr. Murray was placed on suicide watch.

And that wasn’t even the end of all the drama.

NBC aired a documentary, “Michael Jackson and a doctor – a fatal friendship,” which retold the Murray story from the doctor's perspective. October Films, a production company from England, followed the doctor through his trial. Michael Jackson’s family was hugely critical of the filmmakers, whom some alleged contributed significant money to the doctor’s legal defense.

All in all, it’s clearly a huge, complicated mess – just the kind of story about Los Angeles crime that the media loves and the populous eats up.

But aside from the distraction value, is there anything actionable that we can learn from all this hoopla? In other words, if you or someone you care about was recently arrested in the Southland for Los Angeles Medicare fraud, insurance fraud in Southern California, Los Angeles healthcare fraud, etc, can you learn anything substantial from Murray’s defense (or lack thereof) and the way that the trial was covered?

Obviously, Dr. Murray’s criminal situation – his charges, his relationship with the most famous singer of all time, etc – colored his case and made the situation unique. However, the rapidly evolving and difficult situations that Murray found himself in can give us insight. His legal situation quickly became chaotic as events unfolded. This can be normal. No matter how carefully you plan your defense, surprises can happen, often when you least want or expect them.

That’s why it’s so important to choose a legal representative who will be there for you, fighting for you, and making the most precise, strategic and effective moves.

Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Michael Kraut of the Kraut Law Group (6255 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 915, Los Angeles, California 90028) can help you. Mr. Kraut is a Harvard Law School educated former prosecutor with terrific reputation and a fantastic track record at jury trials.

If you have been charged with a Southern California white collar crime, like insurance fraud, medical fraud, bribery, etc, you may ultimately have to face a jury trial, depending on an array of factors, including what you allegedly did, how much harm ensued, who was involved, the scope of the scheme, etc.

Jury selections can be a tricky business, however, particularly in high profile cases.

To wit, consider the brouhaha surrounding jury selection for the trial of Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray. The Thursday before last, Judge Michael Pastor gathered 160 prospective jurors to see whether attorneys could find candidate jurors to hear Murray’s involuntary manslaughter trial. All 160 prospective jurors had heard about the trial.

Pretty interesting! Although not particularly surprising.

Judge Pastor cautioned the jurors to avoid searching the internet or posting messages outside about the case, as they could face fines as well as jail time for acting in contempt of court. A Los Angeles Times blog post reported that Pastor did not order the jury sequestered. That said, the jury will be “bussed to the court from a secret location each morning, and escorted away every night. Jurors will not be allowed to leave the court house during the day, and will be served lunch at the court.”

Last week, even before the trial began, the ever astute and timely reporters at TMZ.com published information about jurors obtained from questionnaires. Many of the jurors were self-declared Michael Jackson fans, including juror #127, juror #70, juror #44, juror #52, juror #99, juror #38, and juror #108. It’s obviously impossible to tell whether their appreciation for the late pop star’s artistic contributions will disrupt their ability to think clearly and single-mindedly about the allegations against Murray.

The public typically only tunes into the subtleties and nuances (and occasional injustices) of jury trials during big celebrity "trial extravaganzas" like the Murray affair. But if you or someone you care about is facing a criminal charge, such as Southern California medical or chiropractic fraud, Medicaid or Medi-Cal fraud, or some other significant charge, you and your Los Angeles criminal defense attorney will need to strategize very carefully about how to approach every aspect of your legal challenge, including how you select and interact with the jury.

Michael E. Kraut, the Managing Attorney of the Kraut Law Group, has tried over 80 felony trials in his career with an unbelievable 99% success rate at jury trials. He is the recipient of numerous courtroom awards. He lectures to prosecutors and police on criminal investigative techniques, and he enjoys a terrific reputation among prosecutors, judges, and fellow defense attorneys alike as one of the most respected trial attorneys in the city.

Last week, Moammar Gaddafi’s four-plus decade rein over Libya came to a screeching halt as rebels overtook Green Square in Tripoli.

If you were recently arrested for driving under the influence in Glendale, you probably weren’t paying much attention. You were probably focused more on the imminent crises in your life – potential jail time, license suspension, mandatory installation of interlock ignition device, and other problems that you could face if you are ultimately convicted of Glendale DUI.

Maybe you made a mistake, ignoring the news.

Maybe you should have been paying attention to Libya – and not just to have something to chat about with coworkers while you gather around the water cooler. You see, the rapid and surprising collapse of Gaddafi’s loyalist forces indirectly teaches us a powerful lesson about Glendale DUI defense.

Yes, it sounds like a stretch at first. But stay with this train of thought…

When you read analyses of the drama in Libya, there is a common refrain: “No one saw this coming.” NATO didn’t anticipate it, policymakers didn’t anticipate it, probably even the rebels themselves didn’t anticipate that they would be able to march into Tripoli in such short order. This kind of deer-caught-in-the-headlights reaction is typical during war. Events on the ground often come as a surprise, and war plans disintegrate often immediately after they go into effect.

Now, building a coherent defense against Glendale DUI – to get you unhooked from charges pursuant to California Vehicle Code Sections 23152(a) or 23152(b) – is not exactly like going to a war. But both war and DUI defense involve strategic thinking – and they also involve surprising setbacks and opportunities. Good generals – and good Glendale criminal defense attorneys, too –understand the power of strategic thinking as well as the power of renegotiating, reassessing, and reforming plans in the midst of battle.

For instance, in your case, new evidence might suddenly emerge that could potentially get your charges dropped or at least give prosecutors a much harder time. If you don’t have the strategic focus and flexibility available to take advantage of that development, you might miss out on a key opportunity to reduce your sentence.

Just as the Libyan rebels managed to take advantage of the surprising collapse of Gaddafi’s forces to turn the tide and take down Tripoli, your Glendale DUI defense attorney may potentially leverage surprising developments in your favor. These include sudden revelations of weaknesses in the prosecution’s case and other subtle factors that could transform your options and get you better results than you – or even your attorney – ever expected.

To that end, you want to work with an attorney who thinks like a general – who helps you not only construct the right strategic defense, but also continually reassesses your options in real time. Attorney Michael Kraut of Glendale’s Kraut Law Group (450 North Brand Boulevard, Suite 600, Glendale, California 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123) has a unique vantage on Glendale DUI defense law. Attorney Kraut served as a prosecutor for over 14 years. He put DUI defendants behind bars before switching over to become a criminal defense attorney. Since he has “played the game from both sides,” he can help you understand what your prosecutors are planning and counter-plan accordingly.

Continue reading "Your Glendale DUI Defense: How Might the Fall of Gaddafi's Regime Affect It?" »

No one wants to be arrested for Southern California DUI, and no one wants to be involved in an injury crash with a driver who has been under the influence. But just how much of a problem is, for instance, driving under the influence in Beverly Hills or elsewhere in the state? Has anyone quantified the dangers? And if so, what might the data tell us about how to solve this society-wide problem – or at least build towards a long-term resolution of it?

Before we start thinking in grand terms and trying to diagnose a solution for the system, take a gander at the following 12 statistics about driving under the influence in Southern California:

1) Of the car accidents in the United States that result in teen deaths, 60% involve alcohol or drugs.
2) Kids drink. Nearly three out of four teenagers in the United States have drunk alcohol; 10% of kids aged 12 to 13 drink alcohol at least once every month.
3) In the United States, nearly three people die an hour in alcohol related car, truck, and motorcycle accidents.
4) Teenage boys who drive with BAC levels ranging from 0.05% to 0.10% are nearly 20 times more likely to get into a car crash than are teenage boys who drive sober.
5) Teenage girls who drive within that BAC range are more than 50 times more likely than sober teenage girls to get into a motor vehicle accident.
6) According to various surveys, somewhere between 10% and 12% of all drivers on US roads has consumed some alcohol.
7) One survey suggests that someone with a BAC level of 0.15% (nearly twice California’s legal limit) is nearly 400 times more likely to be killed in a crash than a sober driver.
8) In 2008, there were 3,434 fatalities on California’s roads, of which 1,198 were alcohol related. Of these, 1,029 involved drivers who were driving above the legal limit of 0.08%.
9) 2008’s numbers are actually BETTER than numbers in the past. For instance, in 1987, California’s roads saw 5,504 fatalities, of which 2,961 were alcohol related and 2,354 involved drivers who were driving with a BAC of 0.08% or higher. (These stats come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).
10) DUI arrests have dropped nearly 50% since the CA State Legislature enacted a law in 1990 that stipulated that the legal limit for BAC would be 0.08%.
11) But Southern California DUI arrests may be on the increase. In 2006, for instance, 197,248 people were arrested for DUI in the state; in 2007, 203,866 people were arrested for DUI.
12) Anecdotal and statistical evidence suggests that the quality of your DUI defense attorney can make a major difference in terms of your sentencing.

If you or a family member has been charged with driving under the influence in Hollywood or elsewhere in Southern California, the choice of your attorney can be incredibly important in terms of your future and finances.

Continue reading "12 Scary Statistics about Southern California DUI" »

Dr. Conrad Murray plead not guilty today when he was arraigned at the LAX courthouse in Los Angeles. The doctor to pop star Michael Jackson was charged with Manslaughter in the singer's death.

There are two types of manslaughter. The first in voluntary and the second is involuntary. Dr. Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter. The doctor surrendered at the court hearing. It is reported that members of the Jackson family attended the hearing and were very angry at the charges filed. They believe that his top notch Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney was able to convince the District Attorney to file the simple lower level homicide charges rather then murder charges.

It is evident that the pre-filing criminal defense attorney was able to raise legal issues that made the DA's Office only file involuntary manslaughter charges. The pressure had been mounting from the Jackson clan to file murder charges. Had Dr. Conrad Murray been charged with the more serious charges, and convicted, then he could have spent the rest of his life behind bars.

Dr, Murray was released on $25,000 bail and he is free to return to his home in Houston, Texas until the next court date.

Continue reading "Dr. Conrad Murray Charged in Los Angeles with Manslaugter in Michael Jackson's Death" »

Dr. Conrad Murray, the doctor to Michael Jackson is rumored to be arraigned on Friday to face involuntary manslaughter charges for the death of Michael Jackson. Sources close to the Jackson family indicate that they furious that the doctor is not facing murder charges.

While most high profile cases are filed at the downtown courthouse, this case is set to be filed at the LAX courthouse. This is a change form the history of failed high profile cases in which downtown juries buck the charges and acquit celebrities charged with serious crimes.

Dr. Conrad Murry's top notch Los Angeles Defense Attorney will surrender his client to the Los Angeles Police Department if he is charged.

Continue reading "Conrad Murray to Face Involuntary Manslaughter Charges in the Death of Michael Jackson in Los Angeles" »