Posted on October 28th, 2009
A Champaign police spokesperson announced that University of Illinois and Champaign police will increase campus controls. The announcement follows a recent reported robbery on campus.
According to police reports, a man was walking on campus when he was approached by another man who asked him for marijuana. The man tried to walk away, but the other man followed him and threatened him if he did not hand over his money.
If you have been charged with a crime related to robbery, contact the Champaign criminal defense attorneys of Thomas A. Bruno & Associates at 217-328-6000.
Posted on October 23rd, 2009
While people cannot be convicted for crimes they have not committed, a new government database will attempt to target where crimes might occur. Armed with this knowledge, the government may try to adopt policies and take measures to prevent crimes from occurring.
The crime database is currently being compiled. When it is complete, it will likely include personal information about all people who have committed a crime. This undertaking will require a compilation of the thousands of information from the thousands of existing crime databases across the United States.
Many critics of the crime database fear that it will encroach on people’s future liberties. They believe that the government will unfairly target former criminals who may not be a real threat to causing a crime.
If you or anyone you know has been arrested for criminal activity, contact the Champaign criminal defense attorneys of Thomas A. Bruno & Associates at 217-328-6000.
Posted on October 22nd, 2009
Many people are familiar with the insanity defense because it is commonly used in movies and television programs about law. However, most people are unfamiliar with why the insanity defense is an acceptable legal defense.
It is an acceptable legal defense because it gets to the heart of one of the principles for proving someone is guilty. For someone to be determined guilty, the prosecutors must prove that the defendant intended to commit the crime.
By definition, an insanity defense attempts to show that a person did not intend to commit a crime for various reasons related to a mental illness.
If you have been charged with a crime and believe you have an acceptable insanity defense plea, contact the Champaign criminal defense lawyers of Thomas A. Bruno & Associates at 217-328-6000.
Posted on October 15th, 2009
Under almost any circumstance, possession of marijuana is illegal in Illinois. For people convicted of marijuana possession, they face legal penalties that range depending on the amount of illegal substance in possession.
For instance, a person who is in possession of marijuana that weighs less than 2.5 grams could receive a Class C misdemeanor and face up to 30 days in jail and fines up to $2500, according to the Illinois criminal penalty code.
If you have been charged with marijuana possession, contact the Champaign-Urbana marijuana possession defense attorneys of Thomas A. Bruno & Associates at 217-328-6000.
Posted on October 14th, 2009
Hate crimes are criminal acts against another individual based on that person’s race, religion, sexual orientation, skin color, or disability. These acts can involve many types of criminal activity, but commonly involve abuse or assault.
Punishment for hate crimes are usually extra punishments added onto an original crime. For instance, if a person assaults someone because of the person’s national origin, that individual will receive a criminal punishment plus an additional punishment for the intent.
Hate crimes, and especially hate speech, are a controversial topic in the criminal system. While society generally frowns upon hate crimes and hate speech, some argue that people should not receive additional punishments for the crime. This discrepancy in opinions is reflected in state laws, which treat hate crimes in diverse ways.
If you or anyone you know has been charged with a hate crime, contact the Champaign and Urbana criminal defense lawyers of Thomas A. Bruno & Associates at 217-328-6000.
Posted on October 9th, 2009
The Champaign Police Department will receive a grant to take on child sexual predators. The grant for $496,732 will be provided by the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).
Similar grants are being made throughout the nation, including some for nearby areas like Bloomington, Moline, Peoria, and Quincy. Some of the grant money will be employed toward computer forensic systems so that Champaign police can track sexual predators on the internet.
If you have been charged with being a sexual predator, contact the Champaign criminal defense lawyers of Thomas A. Bruno & Associates at 217-328-6000.
Posted on October 7th, 2009
Police handed out 83 alcohol-related citations in the last two weekends, according to Illinois and Champaign police reports.
The citations included possession or purchase of alcohol by minors, unlawful use of identification, and possession of alcohol in public property.
If you have been charged with an alcohol-related crime, contact the Champaign criminal defense lawyers of Thomas A. Bruno & Associates at 217-328-6000.
Posted on October 2nd, 2009
One of the ways that people try to improve their health is by going to the gym. However, the gym presents many hazards that could lead to a range of injuries.
For instance, people are often injured by weights that fall off machines. In such accidents, the gym owner can be held liable for not preventing a foreseeable danger.
Another typical accident is a machine malfunction. When this occurs, the machine can cause serious harm to the user. In such accidents, the gym owner or the machine manufacturer could be held liable for the damages.
If you are facing a lawsuit for a gym injury, contact the Champaign personal injury defense lawyers of Tom Bruno & Associates at 217-328-6000.
