Month: June 2015

When it comes to defending oneself against criminal accusations, the circumstances surrounding the arrest are often focused upon. Sometimes people are stopped by law enforcement officers without any real justification. It is possible that in the past residents of the Toronto area may have found that they are in police custody after being the subject of a “carding” or “street checks.” Civil rights activists in Toronto have called for an end to the practice. An investigation conducted by a Toronto newspaper in 2012, found that black residents of the area were carded by police disproportionately, as compared to people from other backgrounds.…

Of all the criminal offenses that someone could be accused of there are some that result in more serious consequences and stigmas than others. In general, society has a distaste for those who are found guilty of child pornography offences. In addition, convictions on these types of crimes could lead to serious penalties. Besides prison time, for residents of the greater Toronto area it could become necessary to register as a sex offender. One community in the province of Ontario is piloting a program designed to take a different approach to child pornography offenders. Called Operation Community Intervention for Children’s Safety,…

When investigating drug trafficking or importation, law enforcement officers often try to piece together an additional charge of conspiracy. The investigative efforts that lead to conspiracy charges may involve wiretaps and other searches that require warrants. Any kind of police search must follow established protocol and not violate the Charter rights of the person or persons being investigated. If police improperly handle a search warrant or wiretap -- and this happens more often than you might realize -- then the evidence seized in the wiretap or search may be excluded from the ensuing trial. These are important matters to consider…

When the average person is arrested and accused of committing a crime he or she may feel as though the cards are stacked against them. They may also feel as though not having a thorough understanding of the criminal justice system puts them at a disadvantage. Fortunately criminal defence lawyers are there to assist those who find themselves in this situation. The reality is anyone who has been accused of a crime--including those who have an intimate knowledge of the criminal justice system because they work in it--should contact a criminal defence lawyer. A Toronto area police officer likely did…

If you are convicted of a sex crime it is possible that there were be multiple types of consequences. While a prison stay may seem like the biggest hurdle to get past, it is not uncommon for those convicted to face a different kind of life after getting out. A 34-year-old man who is considered to be a “high-risk” offender will soon be released. He has been in prison for two years. He was found guilty of theft, threatening death, assault with intent to resist arrest and failure to comply with probation. Because the man is deemed to be high-risk the man will have…

Residents of Toronto may be aware of a criminal case that is currently being tried involving a former police officer. The 70-year-old man, who has not worked for the Toronto Metropolitan Police since 1970, was accused of sexually assaulting two—then boys—repeatedly. Specifically, the former cop is charged with: Two counts of indecent assault One count of gross indecency The man befriended a family that lived in the area he policed. As a result of that relationship he allegedly took two boys who were a part of that family on camping trips and other sleepovers. The now men, claim that the man engaged…

There are many reasons that someone who is accused of committing a crime could be acquitted. Sometimes it is based on testimony. Other times evidence presented at trial is what leads to someone being found not guilty. In still other situations procedural issues can lead to the same outcome. A woman who lives in Ontario is well aware of this. She was recently acquitted of driving with excess alcohol in her system and impaired driving because of the way in which duty counsel spoke to her prior to her taking a breathalyzer test. According to the Toronto judge who acquitted the woman,…

Domestic assault is taken very seriously by authorities in the province of Ontario. Accordingly, the penalties for a conviction can be harsh and forever change the life of the person who is deemed guilty of the offence. This reality leads most who are in this situation to seek assistance from a criminal defence lawyer who has a history of handling such cases. A 19-year-old Ontario man did that very thing and it is possible that it could be what led to the fairly positive resolution of the domestic assault charges he faced. The man received: A suspended sentence. A fine of $100.…