Florida Criminal Defense Blog

Miami City Manager Johnny Martinez suspended Police Chief Miguel Exposito this week for failing to obey orders and taking “other actions that indicate just and reasonable cause to demonstrate that you cannot properly perform your duties as chief of police,” according to the suspension letter. The city commission has five days to meet and determine if there is cause for Exposito’s removal, though Exposito is already planning on challenging the suspension. [Read more...]

Here’s an interesting Florida law most people don’t now about: Unmarried couples living together is a second degree misdemeanor criminal offense. [Read more...]

It’s protocol when a police officer fires his weapon for an investigation to take place. But when that firing results in the death of a citizen, that investigation can take up to 6 years, according to the Miami Herald, a time frame that is considered unacceptable by many people within the community and even Miami Police Chief Miguel Exposito. [Read more...]

Flawed eyewitness identification plays a role in the vast majority of DNA exonerations. But many police agencies across the country are still using the same identification procedures as they’ve done for years. Finally, this week Florida law enforcement organizations announced new procedures for photo lineups and eyewitness protocol. [Read more...]

When the police kill a civilian and that killing is justified, they shouldn’t be afraid of a recording of the incident right? Well, police in Miami Beach don’t like being recorded, as was evident after they shot and killed a motorist on Memorial Day weekend. A Channel 10 news camera was taken and there are allegations that the cops tried to destroy another witness’ camera phone. While the department denies any wrongdoing, this isn’t the first incident of local police confiscating cameras and possibly abusing the people behind them. [Read more...]

A 36 year old son of a wealthy jewelry dealer killed two British tourists on Fort Lauderdale Beach in 2009. He was sentenced this week and his sentencing arrangement has many people, including the British, scratching their heads. Basically, his money bought him a more lenient sentence when the victims’ families agreed that they would prefer restitution to jail time. [Read more...]