Archive for June, 2010

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Three Police Officers Arrested for Domestic Violence in May

June 3rd, 2010 | Posted in NOPD by bloom | 1 Comment »

During the month of May, three police officers were arrested and charged with different accounts of domestic violence within the New Orleans area. Fifth District officer Robbie Bangham was involved in a verbal conflict with a 31 year old woman in Houma, ending with Bangham striking the woman several times with an eye witness account from a juvenile. On the 29th and 30th, two officers from the First District were booked for two different accounts of battery. Friday resulted in the arrest of Tristan Carter for attacking his wife, and threatening others at the Florida Ave post office, Mrs. Carter’s place of employment. On Saturday, Douglas Butler was charged with domestic abuse battery following an altercation with his girlfriend of the last few years ending with him spitting in her face. The two had allegedly gotten into a fight earlier in the evening, and when the officers arrived, Butler admitted to being intoxicated and persisted in being “iterate, acting belligerently and cursing officers.”
What does this say about the police force and its objective when its members are committing crimes when they were meant to protect the community. Each of the three officers charged with varying domestic violence cases were suspended without pay, but that does not mean that they will not soon be wearing a badge again. I you or anyone you know needs help with a domestic violence situation then please call Bloom Legal LLC at 504-599-9997.

Gun Violence As Prevalent in Rural as Urban Areas

June 2nd, 2010 | Posted in National Issues by bloom | No Comments »

An analysis of 24,000 gun-related deaths of children 19 years and younger that died from 1999 to 2006 has revealed interesting results. The deaths included roughly 15,000 homicides, 7,000 suicides and 1400 accidental shooting deaths. In sorting the threshold for urban and rural children, researchers divided all of the deaths by county. Then they sorted those in counties of more that 1 million people and those with less than 2500 and those made up the urban-rural dichotomy.

What they found is a rate of about 4 deaths per 100,000 children. This percentage is similar to that of adults. Interestingly though children in rural and urban areas were affected equally by gun violence. Children in urban areas were affected by murders to a greater degree while rural children more often face gun suicides and accidental gun death from their peers.

This analysis certainly challenges the notion that children in cities face far more danger from gun violence than their peers in rural areas. Prevention should be seen as an issue in both areas.

Miranda & You: Speak Up After Recent Supreme Court Ruling!

June 1st, 2010 | Posted in Legislation, National Issues, Sports by bloom | No Comments »

On June 1st, the Supreme Court of the United States drastically
limited the Miranda rights of those detained by the police in Berghuis
v. Thompkins, 08-1470. In a 5-4 decision, the Court ruled that an
individual must verbally invoke his or her right to remain silent.
Remaining silent no longer invokes the Miranda right and the police
may continue to interrogate a detainee until that person verbally
states their intention to remain silent. Newly appointed Justice
Sotomayor dissented in a strongly worded opinion that criticized the
Court’s ruling because it provides for a suspect to waive his or her
Miranda rights, without showing or stating this intention, by
remaining silent and not speaking.

Going forward, the public should be aware that if they are detained
and interrogated by police, they must verbally invoke their right to
remain silent, as well as their right to an attorney.

If you or someone you know has been arrested, call Bloom Legal for a
free consultation at 504-599-9997.

Smoking Ban Bill Falls in House Committee

June 1st, 2010 | Posted in Legislation, National Issues by bloom | No Comments »

The Health and Welfare committee voted 8-4 Wednesday May 26th to involuntarily defer Senate Bill 348, better known as the Louisiana Smoke Free Air Act. The committee in the past has been a place where bills to restrict behavior in private businesses go to die. This most recent move likely strikes down the bill for this year’s legislative session.

Senate Bill 348 was largely undermined by casino and alcohol lobbyists who claimed that the state and local governments would lose significant revenues from alcohol sales due to a slowdown in patronage at bars and casinos. Furthermore, they also argued that it would cause a rash of layoffs in the service industry. Finally, they argued that it should be the bar or casino’s decision of whether to ban smoking indoors. They claimed that several have chosen to do so and have been successful but that it should still be the businesses’ choice.

State Senator Rob Marionneaux, D- Grosse Tate, the bill’s sponsor, argued against the financial disputes brought forth by the lobbyists. He was distressed by the lack of health statistics brought forth in the committee meeting.

In conclusion, Marionneaux stated: “If the state of North Carolina, which relies in large part on tobacco, can pass a smoking ban in bars, for Christ’s sake we can do it here in Louisiana.”

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