Posts Tagged ‘new orleans criminal defense lawyer’

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Laws That Parade Goers Need to Know

February 10th, 2012 | Posted in Local Issues, Mardi Gras, NOPD by bloom | No Comments »

NOPD’s Public Information Office has circulated the following laws that all parade goers should know about during Mardi Gras 2012:

Photo Courtesy of GoNola.com

New Orleans Police officers will be enforcing these laws along parade routes first and foremost to keep you and the people around you safe. Superintendent Ronal Serpas’s advice: “Common sense, common courtesy, common safety”.

Louisiana Revised Statute 14:95.1.1

Illegal Carrying of a Firearm at a parade with any firearm used in a commission of a crime of violence. This is punishable by a mandatory 1 to 5 year prison sentence.

Louisiana Revised Statute 14:95.2.2

Reckless Discharge of a Firearm at a parade or demonstration. This is punishable with a 5 to 10 year sentence; a mandatory 3 year prison sentence if convicted.

Section 34-32 of the Municipal Code: Roping off Areas:

It shall be unlawful for any individual, organization or corporation to fence, rope off, or stake out any area of public property along a parade route except when necessary to protect plants, shrubbery, trees and other landscaping materials with the approval of the department of Parkways and Parks. Each private property owner shall notify the Parkway and Park Commission at least 30 days prior to the date of a parade in writing and shall submit a detailed drawing of the planned protective enclosure device. If the private property owner is not notified in writing by the Parkway and Park Commission within 10 days of the parade date, it shall be assumed that the proposed protective enclosure device is approved.

Section 34-33 of the Municipal Code: Ladders:

All ladders used by parade spectators shall be structurally sound. No ladder, chairs, ice chests, chaise lounges and other similar personal effects shall be placed in intersections or between curbs of public streets during a parade. Ladders shall be placed as many feet back from the street curb as the ladder is high. Additionally, the practice of fastening two or more ladders together shall be prohibited.

Section 34-29 Throw Backs

It is unlawful for a person to throw any objects at a float or any participant in a parade.

We hope you and your families have a safe and fun Mardi Gras. If you need any assistance or see any criminal activity along a parade route, please approach our officers. They’ll be easy to spot, as they’ll be wearing fluorescent yellow vests. OUR OFFICERS ARE HERE TO HELP!

If you or anyone you know are arrested or cited this Mardi Gras season, contact Bloom Legal 24/7 at 504-599-9997 or online at www.bloomlegal.com for a free case evaluation to learn how we can help.

Have a safe and happy Mardi Gras!

Top 20 Cities for DUI Citations

December 21st, 2011 | Posted in DUI/DWI, Traffic by bloom | No Comments »

Trade website, Insurance.com recently released a list of the top 20 cities for DUI citations in the country. Surprisingly to some, New Orleans has not made the list and 3 of the top 5 cities are in California:

1. San Diego
2. Los Angeles
3. Indianapolis
4. Jacksonville
5. San Francisco

Data was compiled by comparing the number of individuals requesting car insurance quotes who listed at least one DUI citation on their records with each city’s population information.

Although some of the cities are not necessarily the types of party towns that one would ordinarily expect to top such a list, there are many reasons that these cities may lead the ranks for DUI citations. Primary factors include the cities’ public transportation infrastructure, severity of local DUI/DWI laws, law enforcement resources and a number of other metrics.

6. Charlotte
7. San Jose
8. Fort Worth
9. Columbus
10. Phoenix
11. Austin
12. Dallas
13. Houston
14. New York
15. Chicago
16. San Antonio
17. Philadelphia
18. Memphis
20. Detroit

For the source of the report, please visit: Insurance.com

If you or anyone you know have been arrested for DUI/DWI, contact Bloom Legal 24/7 at 504-599-9997 or online at www.bloomlegal.com for a free case evaluation. We are proud to now serve clients at both our original Warehouse District and new Metairie locations!

Bloom Legal Video Blog – “I Wasn’t Read My Rights”: Understanding Miranda and Arrests

October 24th, 2011 | Posted in Local Issues, NOPD by bloom | No Comments »

Attorney Seth Bloom of Bloom Legal LLC in New Orleans, LA discusses Miranda Rights to explain a common misconception.

Many people are misinformed about the relevance of the Miranda Rights process during an arrest and what it means for their case. Attorney Bloom attempts to dispel common myths and make the process understandable to the layperson.

If you are seeking legal representation in Louisiana, Bloom Legal is available 24/7 at 504-599-9997 or online at http://www.bloomlegal.com Call us today for a free case evaluation!

Bloom Legal Video Blog: Happy Weekend, Go Saints!

September 30th, 2011 | Posted in Local Issues, Sports by bloom | No Comments »

Attorney Seth Bloom of Bloom Legal LLC would like to wish everyone a safe and happy weekend as well as wishing luck to the Saints as they take on the Jaguars this weekend in Jacksonville!

Bloom Legal LLC is a full service law firm in New Orleans, LA handling matters of Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, Traffic Tickets, and DWI.

Bloom Legal is available 24/7 at 504-599-9997 or online at http://www.bloomlegal.com.

Bloom Legal is located at 700 Camp St in the Warehouse District and at 3501 N Causeway Blvd in Metairie (by appointment only).

Terrytown Man Arrested for Shoving Girlfriend from Car

September 6th, 2011 | Posted in Local Issues, NOPD by bloom | No Comments »

Harahan police reportedly arrested and charged 49 year old Terrytown resident, Thomas Clark Jr. with second degree battery after he allegedly shoved his girlfriend from a moving car.

Police responded to 911 calls from witnesses who watched Clark beat the victim in a parking lot on Jefferson Highway shortly before shoving her from the car while driving at approximately 10 mph. The victim reportedly suffered a head injury and possible broken bones although her exact injuries are unknown at this time.

Clark was booked earlier today and is being held on a $7,500 bond.

While this type of behavior is never excusable, domestic violence comes in varying degrees of severity and can often pose serious problems in a relationship. Unfortunately, police do not always perform their duties properly in responding to domestic violence calls and have been known to accidentally arrest the wrong party or to charge individuals when the victims would prefer to refrain from having them do so. If you or someone you know have been arrested for or are a victim of domestic violence, call Bloom Legal at 504-599-9997 for a free case evaluation to discuss your options.

Wet Weekend Ahead for Decadence, Labor Day

September 2nd, 2011 | Posted in Local Issues by bloom | No Comments »

With Tropical Depression 13 remaining nearly stationary off the southern coast of Louisiana, it is certain to be a particularly wet holiday weekend. This is unfortunate because in addition to the Labor Day holiday Monday, New Orleans is also celebrating Southern Decadence this weekend.

Photo Courtesy of NOLA.com

Southern Decadence is a week-long, predominantly gay male event held in New Orleans sometimes referred to as “Gay Mardi Gras.” The event culminates with a parade through the French Quarter the Sunday before Labor Day and has been known to attract crowds of 100,000 – 300,000 from all across the U.S. bringing in $160 million in revenue to the city in 2010. In addition to the Decadence festivities, the city is sure to be in full party mode for the Labor Day holiday on Monday despite the inclement forecast.

Photo Courtesy of gaytravel.com

Because of the increased level of festivities, the influx of tourists, and the rainy/flooded conditions, it is strongly advised that visitors and citizens of New Orleans be especially careful when it comes to their drinking behavior. The police will be especially vigilant in the Quarter and across the city and everyone is urged to exercise responsible drinking habits by using designated drivers or cab services. Residents and tourists should also be careful to avoid flooded parts of the city and to try to park off-street or at the highest ground possible if leaving their vehicles for an extended period of time.

If you or someone you know are arrested over the Decadence/Labor Day weekend, Bloom Legal is here to help. Call us 24/7 at 504-599-9997 for DWI, Arrests, Traffic Tickets or Auto Accidents for a free case evaluation or visit us online at http://www.bloomlegal.com

Have a safe and happy weekend!

Thibodaux Man Accused of Decapitating Disabled Child

August 16th, 2011 | Posted in Courts, Local Issues by bloom | 1 Comment »

30-year-old Jeremiah Lee Wright of Thibodaux who is accused of decapitating his 7-year-old son Jori Lirette, has been assigned an attorney experienced in death penalty cases for his upcoming trial.

Photo Courtesy of NOLA.com

Wright has allegedly confessed to the murder and decapitation of his wheelchair-bound son who suffered from cerebral palsy. Police say that motive is still not completely clear but that it would appear that Wright had tired of caring for the child. Jori Lirette’s head and body were found dumped outside of his home with Wright sitting nearby.

Kerry Cuccia of the Capital Defense Project of Southeast Louisiana has been appointed to defend Wright.

For more on this story, visit NOLA.com.

Penis Injury Spurs Lawsuit Against Gretna Police

August 10th, 2011 | Posted in Local Issues, Personal Injury by bloom | No Comments »

Cody Melancon, 25 year old Gretna man, filed suit against the Gretna police department yesterday claiming the attack by a police dog that nearly severed his genitals and has left them “sexually dysfunctional” was unjustified.

Photo Courtesy of nola.com

According to Melancon’s suit, the K9 unit in question, officer Joseph Mekdessie and his dog Zin, had illegally searched Melancon’s truck days before the incident. After finding nothing in the vehicle, the officer wrote a citation because the truck’s radio was too loud. Melancon felt the citation was a manipulation to justify the search, the two men exchanged words. When a warrant for Melancon’s arrest was issued for breaking and entering and assault, which Melancon denies, Mekdessie was supposedly eager to settle a score.

When police arrived at Melancon’s residence, his fiancé lied saying he was not home. Melancon claims that once Mekdessie threatened to release Zin, he made his presence known, and once he was kneeling on the floor with his fingers interlocked behind his head, Mekdessie yelled at him to stop resisting and released the police dog.

Mekdessie claims that while at the front door, he heard sounds of a possible escape attempt from inside the apartment and released the dog, who subdued Melancon while he was running from the bedroom towards rear of the residence. Melancon’s attorney points out that there are no windows in the back of the apartment, so an escape attempt was impossible.

The suit, which also claims the police falsified reports, seeks $31 million for medical expenses and punitive damages. While local police have faced high profile criminal cases recently, this suit has the added complication of a personal injury claim.

If you or anyone you know has been injured and wishes to file a personal injury claim, contact Bloom Legal at 504-599-9997, for a free legal consultation.

Danziger Bridge Verdict: Guilty

August 5th, 2011 | Posted in Katrina, Local Issues, NOPD by bloom | No Comments »

This morning, after three days of deliberation, the jury of the Danziger Bridge police corruption trial returned the same verdict for all five officers on trial: guilty.

Photo Courtesy of nola.com

Kenneth Bowen, Robert Gisevius, Robert Faulcon and Anthony Villavasoare have been convicted of obstructing justice by covering up the events of September 4, 2005 and of civil rights violations, which carries a heavy sentence. A fifth officer, Arthur Kaufman, was found guilty of aiding in the cover but was not present for the shooting deaths of Ronald Madison or James Brissette.

While the US prosecutors were successful in the trial, they failed to convince the jury that the shootings amounted to murder. In light of the extraordinary circumstances after Katrina and the fact that officers in the area had been fired upon, the jury felt the officers were accountable for the lesser crime of man slaughter.

The Times Picayune has a full list of the charges and verdicts of the trial on nola.com.

The general feeling in the city is that justice has been served. The NOPD has been under a lot of increased after high profile cases and embarrassing department assessments. A guilty verdict may not raise the city’s view of the NOPD, but it can restore faith in the city’s justice system as a whole.

Orleans Parish Juries Reluctant to Convict

July 18th, 2011 | Posted in Courts, Local Issues, NOPD by bloom | No Comments »

A recent report from NOLA.com has indicated that Orleans Parish DA, Leon Cannizzaro’s, office has been having difficulty winning a large percentage of its cases in the last 3 months.

Photo Courtesy of NOLA.com

According to the report, cases across the board including violent, non-violent, drugs and sex crimes have seen a steep decrease in convictions despite efforts on Cannizzaro’s part to increase the number of cases that get pushed through to trial. Since March, the number of guilty verdicts won by the DA’s office in front of juries has dropped from 61% to 41%.

Mr. Cannizzaro has issued statements dismissing the importance of this decline, indicating that the percentage of the approximately 3,000 cases his office handles at any time is not primarily composed of jury trials.

Still, amid high profile controversies and pending court cases which involve NOPD officers, there certainly does seem to be widespread distrust of the police department in the city of New Orleans which has been hazarded as a possible reason for the decrease in convictions at trial.

For the full report and statistics about the DA’s success rate, visit NOLA.com .

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