Articles Posted in Arrest Tips

We live in the Age of Information; the Age of the smartphone.  An age in which the activities of almost every citizen are monitored by sources both public and private  – including your own cell phone, debit cards and credit cards.

Some examples we may not care to think about, but as a Massachusetts criminal defense lawyer, I can assure you of the following:  Your vehicle is tracked by video cameras run by government – local, state and federal government agencies –at intersections, on the Massachusetts Turnpike, and many highways.  Your own smart phone monitors your locations, tracking you wherever you go and whenever you go.  Numerous apps that you might use on your phone also – perhaps unbeknownst to you – track your movements and location.  When you are stopped at roadside by a police officer, an increasing number of police cruisers record the stop on both video and audio, via either dash-cameras or body cameras.  When you pay for a product at a store with a debit or credit card, that card also tracks where you were, and when. Your movements inside the store are recorded by video cameras.  Your movements outside the store are also being video recorded. Continue reading

Humorous Guest Post by Debbi K. Kickham, www.MarketingAuthor.com

I often tease my husband, Boston criminal defense attorney William D. Kickham, about how too many convicts have it “too good” in jail and prison. Ask me my opinion, and I’ll tell you that some criminals really live the life. To hear me tell the story of prison life, here’s how it works: You commit a crime, if you get the wrong lawyer (which you never would with my husband Bill) you wind up in prison, and the next thing you know you’re getting free room and board plus three square meals a day. Along with medical and dental. A gym where you can stay in shape. Use of computers and a library, where every day, you can entertain yourself. At the federal prison camp in Montgomery, Ala., there is even a music room, pool tables, and a craft room. There’s also a Federal Prison Guidebook written by a lawyer named Alan Ellis, which outlines all of the posh perks you’ll find. At the federal prison in Sheridan, Oregon, you can even learn a trade such as construction, or learn how to become a personal fitness trainer. Click to read the article about it on CNBC.

What a life! You’ll save so much on room and board, food, and insurance, that you will have a king’s ransom waiting for you in the bank when you get out of prison – many times with a new career. (Hey, how many times has this happened to celebrities?)

We hope the our readers are having a safe and happy Fourth of July. While this is a great time of year with a lot of celebrations, unfortunately a lot of arrests also happen over this holiday. So with that reality in the background, read on!

Of course no one ever wants to get arrested (unless you’re George Clooney, whose recent arrest due to his Sudan protest made headlines back in March). But if you do find yourself arrested in Massachusetts for DUI or another crime, over this Fourth of July holiday weekend or in the future, there are several things that you should know and bear in mind, so you do not have to deal with the anxiety of “the unexpected.”

After an arrest – say, for alleged Dedham shoplifting, or a Foxboro assault and battery — you will be verbally given your Miranda rights, and taken to a police station in the town or city where the crime allegedly occurred. There, you will be photographed, fingerprinted, and booked for the alleged crime. At that time all of the items in your possession will be taken from you and inventoried, including your cell phone and wallet. Afterwards, you will be placed in a cell. You will be allowed a phone call.

Today’s lesson: You can be arrested by merely threatening to commit a crime.

Most people don’t know this fact. But as a Massachusetts criminal defense attorney,I can tell you that it is quite true, and certainly bears paying attention to.

Case in point: a Foxborough, Massachusetts man named Michael Viscardi was arrested this past week, on a charge of threatening to commit a crime against Town Selectman Mark Sullivan. Apparently, Mr. Visconti told Mr. Sullivan that he would be a “dead man” if he did not support the proposed casino that Las Vegas developer Steve Wynn is planning to build in Foxborough. There was another alleged incident, as well. The verbal attacks escalated to Mr. Viscardi “staring down” Mr. Sullivan — who lives on the same street — while wielding an axe and tossing it hand to hand.

As a Boston and Norfolk County criminal defense lawyer, I completely understand the anxiety and fear that people experience, if they believe they are going to be arrested. And the feelings that they also have after they are arrested. Being handcuffed and put into a police cruiser is a scary experience that elicits all kinds of bad emotions – everything from embarassment, to worry, to being overwhelmed. It’s one of those situations in life where you can’t believe that you are saying to yourself, “I think I’m going to be arrested. What do I do now?” or, “I’ve just been arrested. What do I do now?”

It doesn’t matter if you’ve been arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol (OUI/DUI), shoplifting, assault and battery, or rape. Our legal offices in Westwood and Boston handle all matter of crimes, in a wide variety of towns, and we successfully defend people who have been arrested and don’t know the first steps they should take to protect themselves and their rights.

That’s why I created a FREE “tip sheet” showcasing the Top 10 things you should do if, and after, you’ve been arrested in Massachusetts. Chances are, no other attorney will offer you this information, which everyone can download for FREE, by simply clicking here. This is advice on what to do after being arrested.