Attention all business owners and store clerks in the city of Los Angeles:
Make sure that you do not sell a knife, blade, or any other stabbing weapon to anyone under the age of 18, if you want to avoid the possibility of developing a criminal record.
That's right, it is actually illegal to sell knives and daggers to a minor in Los Angeles. The law went into effect in 1993, when it was unanimously passed by the Los Angeles City Council and signed by Richard Riordan, who was the city mayor at the time. The Los Angeles Times reported that the city council passed the law in hopes of reducing injuries and deaths amongst youngsters.
Thomas L. Goldstein was convicted of a 1979 murder and spent 24 years in prison for a crime that he claims that he did not commit. The murder conviction came after a jailhouse informant testified that Thomas Goldstein had confessed to the murder when they were in the Long Beach Jail together.
According to the Los Angeles Times, a federal judge overturned the murder conviction 24 years later in 2004, after the credibility of the informant's testimony was called into question. It turns out that lawyers representing Thomas Goldstein claimed that the informant was promised leniency in a grand theft conviction if he testified against Thomas Goldstein.
So you have a friend or family member that has just been arrested and they're asking you to post bail. What does that mean?
After an arrest, a person may have to wait months before their case goes to trial. But our criminal justice system allows defendants to be free from jail until they are proven guilty. After all, the Eighth Amendment of our Constitution states that ''No cruel and unusual punishment is to be inflicted." Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys say that this includes imprisoning an innocent person.
When gambling at the Southern California casinos, it's important to keep your cool and not lose your temper, even if the cards just aren't in your favor.
The Los Angeles Times reports that poker player Mesbah Khaffaji was arrested Sunday night after he allegedly spit food in a card dealer's face during a no-limit Texas hold'em game at a Bell Gardens Casino. Police suspect that the man became angry after losing a hand.
Uninvited guests that show up to the Oscars, Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, or any other glamorous Hollywood event might be able to walk away with just a slap on the wrist for the sin of party crashing. However, the Los Angeles Times reports that Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada Flintridge) hopes to change this.
The Assembly member has proposed a new law, Assembly Bill 451, which would make the act of party crashing a misdemeanor crime that would be punishable with up to six months in jail and a fine up to $1,000. The law would simply expand California's definition of trespassing so that unauthorized entry to exclusive events can be clarified, giving law enforcers guidelines on how to handle such a situation.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Mitrice Richardson was arrested almost one year ago for not being able to pay an $89 dinner tab at a Malibu restaurant. California Penal Code Section 537 states that such an offense is typically a misdemeanor crime and is punishable with a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.
Anybody accused of getting food without paying always has the right to be represented by a Los Angles criminal defense attorney. Yet Mitrice Richardson never got herself a lawyer and after her arrest, she mysteriously went missing.
Clarence Butterfield has been accused of murdering his 21-year-old daughter and stuffing her in the freezer of his motor home, which has led to his indictment on count of murder during torture and mayhem and one count of assault with a firearm.
But perhaps this murder case is all just one big misunderstanding. KTLA News reports that opening arguments in the case began this week, where defense attorney Lisa Eyanson says that the man loved his daughter and kept the girl's body in the freezer for two years because he couldn't bear to part with her. The attorney argued that Clarence Butterfield, of San Clemente, thought that he could revive his daughter by putting her in the freezer since the Bible reportedly says that a person can be resurrected with faith.

