Brian Downing being booked at Central Lockup in New Orleans

What Russell County Sheriff and Downing’s second cousin, Heath Taylor, described as a “minute of misconduct” following Alabama’s National Championship victory on January 9 will likely haunt Mr. Brian Downing for the rest of his life.

32-year-old Downing faces a felony charge of sexual battery for allegedly putting his genitals on an unconscious LSU fan’s face at the Krystal on Bourbon St. following the game. The incident was videotaped and went viral across the internet within days. If convicted, he will have to register as a sex offender nationally and notify authorities whenever he changes his home address.

To make matters worse, Downing was fired from his job at Hibbett Sports shortly after it became public that police had identified him in the video. He is also married and has a newborn daughter. Surely, Downing’s severe consequences illustrate how a brief episode of irresponsibility can damage someone’s life for a very long time.

If you or anyone you know has been arrested, call Bloom Legal at 504-599-9997 for immediate help and a free case evaluation.

Photo Courtesy of NOLA.com

Dr. Murray was implicated in Jackson’s 2009 overdose of the powerful anesthetic propofol. In order to convict Dr. Murray, the jury needed to determine whether or not he had been reckless in the manner in which he administered the drug.

Dr. Murray faces up to 4 years in jail (the maximum sentence for a single count of involuntary manslaughter). He will be in custody until November 29 when he will be sentenced. Some sources speculate that he may not face any actual jail time and might receive a probation term from his conviction.

Hardy was on probation with his Wrestling company when State troopers charged him on Aug. 20 with driving while impaired after he crashed his 2009 Chevrolet Corvette into a tree. This arrest caused TNA Wrestling to fire Hardy.

Meanwhile, last week Jeff Hardy pleaded guilty to three felony drug charges and was sentenced to serve 10 days in jail and pay a $100,000 fine, followed by 30 months on probation.

If you or anyone you know has been arrested for DWI/DUI, contact Bloom Legal at 504-599-9997 for a free case evaluation.

Cobra was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence (dui). Cobra was spotted in Studio City driving a 2005 Ford F150 truck with the dome light on and a passenger who was not only not wearing a seat belt, but was sitting sideways. After spending 9 hours in jail Shelby Cobra was released on her own recognizance.

We wish Shelby Spalione the best luck with her legal troubles. If you or anyone you know has been arrested for DUI, contact Bloom Legal at 504-599-9997 for a free case evaluation.

Photo Courtesy flickr.com

Whittemore is an actor in New York who has fallen on tough times. Nancy Hasty, a playwright who has worked with Whittemore, describes the young man as, “very, very industrious, very, very professional, very dedicated. A good kid with a bad life.” Whittemore has been troubled ever since his mother lost a long battle with alcoholism and committed suicide.

The young actor used a metal stanchion to shatter a number of the theater’s glass doors before entering where he upended bins and turned over velvet rope stands. By the end of his drunken rampage phones, printers, pictures, and fans had all been damaged. The “Late Show” set avoided any damage. It is upsetting to see such a young man with emotional and drinking problems, and we wish him the best.

If you have been arrested on criminal charges, contact Bloom Legal at 504-599-9997 for a free case evaluation.

Photo Courtesy of opposingviews.com

Nikki Williams, Weston’s wife, was quoted before the incident as saying marriage was, “tough but wonderful,” and how, “communication is key.” Things quickly spiraled downward from there as police were called to their LA apartment the very next night.

In a fit of rage Nikki cut Weston’s arm with a broken bottle and threatened to throw herself off of their apartment’s balcony. When police arrived they arrested Nikki and Weston as they believed that both had been violent. A judge subsequently set their bail at $50,000 a piece, but at this time only Weston has been able to post bond.

Weston has posted on his facebook page that he has chosen to divorce his wife despite her pregnancy.

In April the couple held their nuptials in New Orleans with high hopes for a long, happy relationship. Things have obviously not gone as planned, and the couple is a long way from a functioning relationship.

If you or anyone you know needs legal counsel concerning a domestic dispute, contact Bloom Legal at 504-599-9997 for a free consultation.

Photo Courtesy of hotcoffeethemovie.com

Hot Coffee producer-director Susan Saladoff also served as a civil lawyer for 25 years, representing individuals in all sorts of tort issues. The documentary is intended to raise awareness for what actually happens in the civil litigation and personal injury process and whether or not the courts are actually full of frivolous lawsuits.

Every year Americans discuss the issue of tort reform but it is often neglected how greatly this affects our civil liberties as well as the fact that the reality surrounding the civil litigation system is often greatly misunderstood.

The film’s namesake case, the high profile civil suit against McDonald’s filed on behalf of plaintiff Stella Liebick, is one of 4 examples used to illustrate and address misperceptions of the civil litigation field. Many people are unaware, for example, than Ms. Liebick tragically permanently lost all reproductive capacity from the notorious accident and that she also originally sued only to seek compensation for her medical expenses.

Tort reform is a contentious issue in modern America and Hot Coffe attempts to reconcile some of the many misperceptions surrounding the central issues of civil liberties, plaintiff’s rights, and personal injury lawsuits.

For more on Hot Coffee, visit the official movie page.

If you are interested in personal injury representation in the state of Louisiana, visit bloomlegal.com for more information.

Photo Courtesy of MTV.com

Few details are available about the circumstances surrounding the accident at this point, but reports have alleged that Dunn posted a picture of himself drinking with friends hours before the crash.

If it turns out that alcohol played a role in the accident which also killed another passenger, this will serve as a stark reminder of the dangers of drinking and driving.

We at Bloom Legal would like to take this opportunity to remind our readers to exercise responsible drinking behavior and to use cab services or designated drivers.

If you do happen to be arrested for DWI, however, contact our firm 24/7 at 504-599-9997 or online at http://www.bloomlegal.com for a free case evaluation.

Photo Courtesy of plos.org

Loughner, who is widely suspected of mental health issues based upon reports from sources close to him as well as apparently-deranged Youtube postings he created, may be deemed unfit to stand trial at this juncture. Contrary to what some believe, this does not mean that Loughner will no longer face felony murder charges or be released into the community.

When a defendant in a federal trial is determined unfit to stand trial, they are placed in the custody of a mental health institution and treated until they are fit to resume trial. Counter to popular belief, competency to stand trial only involves an individuals ability to accurately comprehended the circumstances surrounding the court proceedings at the current moment, and not at the time that the crime was committed.

If Loughner is eventually deemed fit to stand trial, it will be because it is determined that he is capable of assisting his attorneys in his defense and understands the charges against him. When the trial formally proceeds, Loughner’s attorneys will then be able to address the issue of whether or not he was insane at the time of the shooting.

Photo Courtesy of roxwell.com

In late 2009 Dorsey and two other men, Demounde Pollard and Jerod Fedison, were arrested for driving a stolen rental car with three loaded weapons hidden inside. As a convicted felon, Dorsey cannot legally have any weapons in his possession. Since that time Dorsey has released the acclaimed album Too Hood 2 Be Hollywood, but his legal troubles persisted.

Dorsey and Fedison both understood how they would benefit if Pollard, who was only 17 with a clean criminal record at the time of the arrest, would take ownership of the guns. They discussed this in recorded phone calls from within the Orleans Parish Jail. Fedison was also recorded telling Dorsey to post bond for Pollard and make the teenager sell drugs to pay the debt.

Pollard eventually signed an affidavit claiming responsibility for the weapons, but as a part of his plea deal, confessed that this was false.

If you or anyone you know faces criminal charges, contact Bloom Legal at 504-599-9997, for a free case evaluation.