Wanted Criminal in Brazil Arrested in Massachusetts

Saturday, May 9th, 2009

The special agents of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with the help of Massachusetts Police Department took Carlos Alexandre Luz into custody. He is a national of Brazil who has committed immigration violations.

After investigations, it was revealed that Luz has a warrant for homicide from Esporito Santa, Brazil. “The United States cannot keep criminals on its streets. Instead, they should face charges in their own countries,” said Bruce Foucart, a special agent in Boston heading ICE’s Office of Investigations. “I want to warn all criminal aliens that ICE will go after you in order to keep Massachusetts safe,” he added.

In addition, Kenneth Lavallee, Lowell Police Superintendent stated, “This arrest showed the collaborative efforts between ICE and local police departments. Since a dangerous criminal was removed, the community became a safer place.”

Pending a federal immigration judge hearing, Luz is now in the custody of ICE. He has a criminal history including a recent March 12 arrest in Lowell on charges of Battery, Assault, and Attempt to Commit Mayhem.

Meanwhile, this investigation would not be possible without the assistance of Bristol County Sheriff’s Department, U.S. Secret Service, Lowell Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, and Diplomatic Security Service.

Tags: Boston, Carlos Alexandre Luz, Criminal, homicide, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Massachusetts Police Department
Posted in Criminal, Criminal News | No Comments »

Boston’s DUI Laws

Thursday, May 7th, 2009

In Boston, defending against DUI (Driving Under the Influence) is very tricky. You must hire Boston lawyers who understand medical and scientific concepts. Also, they must be experienced in questioning tough witnesses, including police officers and scientists.

The DUI punishment in Boston set by the state statute is also incredibly complex. Basically, there is a range of possible sentences but it has modifications for things like:

• *Refusal to cooperate in chemical testing
• *With a BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) over .20%
• *Having a child (less than 14 years old) in the car
• *Speeding over the limit (more than 20mph of the speeding limit)
• *With prior conviction within the last seven years

In addition, the actual sentence in a DUI case may be affected by the following:

• *Policies of prosecutors and local court
• *Weaknesses in the case exposed by defense lawyers
• *Facts of the case
• *Reputation of the lawyers

All of these are independent of DMV (Department of Motor Vehicle) suspension, which can be complicated and determined separately.

Unfortunately, general practice lawyers with little or no experience in DUI attempt to represent clients in this field. Always remember that only an experienced DUI lawyer who specializes in drunk driving cases and blood alcohol analysis could effectively handle these administrative and criminal proceedings.

Tags: BAC, Boston, Boston lawyers, DMV, dui, DUI lawyer, general practice lawyers
Posted in dui, dui boston, dui laws | No Comments »

Resigning Too Soon?

Friday, April 17th, 2009

Michael J. Sullivan, an American lawyer who became a top federal official of law enforcement in Massachusetts, plans to resign in order to pursue private law practice. In a statement, he said that serving as an attorney for the past 7 ½ years in Massachusetts district has been a privilege. “I was grateful and humbled for the confidence that former President Bush gave to me as well as the support of dedicated employees at the attorney’s office,” he added.

Sullivan’s spokeswoman further confirmed that her boss will practice in Boston. She declined to specifically talk about it but she said he will concentrate in white-collar and corporate matters.

This departure came as a surprise because potential successors are not yet picked. According to Michael E. Mone, the Boston lawyer who heads the panel of the Kennedy committee, several names have been submitted in recent weeks but only three or four finalists will be recommended to Senator Edward Kennedy.

Sullivan has been credited with building a healthcare fraud unit in his tenure. This unit recovered over $4 billion in drugs that are marketed for uses not approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Much of this amount came from pharmaceutical companies he prosecuted.

However, critics say that his prosecutors resist plea bargaining and file very serious provable charges. This caused more defendants to undergo trial. In addition, judges criticized Sullivan’s prosecutors for failure to disclose evidence that could clear the defendants.

Tags: American lawyer, Boston, FDA, Massachusetts, Michael Sullivan
Posted in Latest Legal News | No Comments »