Florence councilman charged with misdemeanor

On behalf of Anderson Law Firm posted in Misdemeanors on Thursday, June 7, 2012

A Florence councilman and mayoral candidate has been arrested and charged with a misdemeanor for knowingly and willfully resisting arrest. The criminal charge comes after the man allegedly started arguing with the manager of a grocery store after the manager refused to sell alcohol to him. Police claim that after they arrived on the scene the councilman refused to identify himself.

He allegedly continued to refuse to reveal his identity even after being told he would face a resisting arrest charge if he failed to comply with police orders. As a result, the councilman was arrested and charged. The penalty for the charge is a $469 fine. The councilman calls the incident a misunderstanding and is seeking a jury trial.

Though misdemeanor offenses are considered lesser crimes, they can still carry serious and lasting consequences. Penalties for misdemeanor charges may include fines, jail and long-term marks on one's criminal background. Since these penalties can have a severe impact on one's life, it is important that someone accused of a crime has an adequate criminal defense.

A proper criminal defense attorney will first seek to have misdemeanor charges dismissed. In many instances, like the councilman's, misunderstandings lead to false arrests. An ability to accurately describe these misunderstandings to the court can go a long way in getting charges dismissed or reduced.

If charges cannot be dismissed, then a competent criminal defense attorney will seek to have jail time eliminated or reduced and fines removed. A court may be more lenient on first time offenders and this should be taken into consideration when preparing a defense.

Source: SCNOW, "Florence mayoral candidate Robinson arrested following April 10 incident," John Sweeney, May 30, 2012

Tags: Florence, criminal charges, criminal defense, misdemeanor

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Florence County man faces felony DUI charges

On behalf of Anderson Law Firm posted in Drunk Driving on Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Police have arrested and charged a Florence County man with felony DUI resulting in death. In the early morning hours, the accused allegedly lost control of his vehicle, crossed the center line and ran head-on into a motorcycle. The motorcycle rider was pronounced dead at the scene.

Deaths that result from accidents cause many, including the police, to seek immediate justice. However, when an individual is accused of drunk driving, the justice system should be allowed to play out as it is intended.

DUI charges bring harsh penalties that can include license revocation, fines and jail sentences. Since so much is at stake, it is important that an accused drunk driver finds a criminal defense team that will analyze the evidence in a case to determine if field sobriety and Breathalyzer tests were properly administered.

In the case of the Florence County man, it is unclear whether or not a field sobriety or Breathalyzer test was administered immediately after the accident. If the tests were given later, then it would be harder for prosecutors to prove what the driver's blood alcohol content was at the time of the accident.

Field sobriety and Breathalyzer test procedures are not always adhered to, which may result in inaccurate readings. An arrest in these types of situations may be unjust and undeserving.

Despite the tragedy surrounding this specific story, anyone facing DUI charges has specific constitutional rights that must be upheld. A person is entitled to a criminal defense. They also remain innocent until prosecutors can prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Source: WMBF News, "Man charged with felony DUI in Alligator Rd crash," June 11, 2012

Tags: Breathalyzer, DUI, Florence County, drunk driving, field sobriety tests

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West Florence High vandalism could carry serious penalties

On behalf of Anderson Law Firm posted in Theft And Property Crimes on Tuesday, July 3, 2012

After a call from school officials, Florence police are investigating a report of vandalism at West Florence High. This report comes just a few months after another act of vandalism at the school caused $15,000 worth of damage. The new report states that paint was found on a storage shed behind the school's track.

Inside the shed, paint was found on other items belonging to the school, including lawnmowers, carts and weightlifting equipment. Any suspect that police apprehend is likely to face criminal charges.

The police and the community take property crimes very seriously. Vandalism, therefore, is classified in varying levels of misdemeanors and felonies. The variation is typically dependent upon the amount of damage caused. This means that a seemingly small offense, like spray painting an object, can result in large penalties like costly fines and even jail. Since these offenses are punished so harshly, an individual accused of vandalism should not take the charges lightly.

In areas where vandalism is frequent, like West Florence High, the community, police and the courts will likely seek to impose harsher penalties. This thirst for retribution will often either force penalties upon those who are undeserving or enforce penalties that are harsher than the offense justifies.

A proper criminal defense team will ensure that the accused is properly protected from these injustices and will seek to have charges reduced or dismissed. This one aspect of the legal system can save the accused thousands of dollars in fines and several months of time.

Vandalism is prevalent in Florence and surrounding areas, and police are quick to point the finger. Though penalties for vandalism and other property crimes might not be as severe as those for violent crimes, they are serious nonetheless. A conviction can mar the records of those who are convicted and haunt them for years to come.

Source: WMBF News, "Vandalism reported at West Florence High," June 25, 2012

Tags: conviction, criminal charges, felony, misdemeanor, penalties, vandalism

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No CommentsLeave a commentComment InformationNamePlease enter your name.E-mail AddressPlease enter a valid e-mail address.WebsiteCommentCategoriesCriminal DefenseDrunk DrivingMisdemeanorsTheft And Property CrimesWhite Collar CrimesArchivesJuly 2012June 2012May 2012April 2012March 2012February 2012January 2012December 2011November 2011October 2011September 2011August 2011Complete Archives Recent Posts Florence County man faces felony DUI charges Two South Carolina men charged in separate burglaries Two arrested in South Carolina and charged with murder Popular Topicsarrestedconvictioncriminal allegationscriminal chargescriminal defenseCriminal defenseCriminal Defensedefensedrug arrestsdrug chargesDrunk drivingdrunk drivingDUIdui chargesfield sobriety testsmisdemeanormisdemeanorsSouth Carolinasouth carolinatheftBlogroll Colorado Springs Criminal Defense Attorney Blog Phoenix Criminal Defense Attorney Blog Texas Drug Charge Attorney Blog

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