Jon Bryant Artz, a noted Los Angeles DUI Lawyer, sat down with Los Angeles PR News to talk about how a DUI can provoke a PR nightmare. It’s one of the most frequently committed crimes, and is a favorite topic for news organizations. How many times have we read long, in depth reporting on a Hollywood starlet driving the wrong way on the 405? It seems to happen every week, and when it happens to celebrities, the damage is pretty easy to repair. However when a high ranking titan of industry gets one, the consequences can be far reaching.
“I’m not sure that people realize quite how public an arrest record is,” said Artz. “Generally speaking, there is not much that can be done to keep someone who really wants to know from finding out exactly what happened.”
Part of a good damage control strategy is to end the crisis as fast as possible. So, in the case of an executive who has received a DUI, a quick legal resolution where appropriate is critical. Next, it’s critical NOT to breathe oxygen on the fire. “No Comment” is appropriate at this juncture. If the arrest still gets a great deal of attention, a public display of contrition is good as long as its sincere.
The bottom line here: If you get arrested, throw water on the fire – if it becomes a story, apologize, and then lie low, maybe even do some community service.
Source
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Los Angeles DUI Attorney Claims Diabetics Often Falsely Convicted of Drunk Driving
- Los Angeles DUI lawyer Lawrence Taylor, known nationally as the "Dean of DUI Attorneys", claims that many citizens accused - and convicted - of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) are actually innocent. Their crime: diabetes.
Taylor, the author of the best-selling legal treatise Drunk Driving Defense, claims that the symptoms of a diabetic with hypoglycemia (low sugar level) resemble those of alcohol intoxication. Further, he claims, diabetics have a chemical in their breath which causes breathalyzers to register high blood-alcohol levels.
The Los Angeles DUI attorney refers to the phenomenon as the "counterfeit DUI".
The symptoms of hypoglycemia are well-known: slow and slurred speech, poor balance, impaired motor control, staggering, drowsiness, flushed face, disorientation - in other words, the classic symptoms of alcohol intoxication. This individual will look and act like a drunk driver to the officer, Taylor says, and will certainly fail any DUI field sobriety tests.
As one medical expert has observed, "Hypoglycemia is frequently seen in connection with driving error on this nation's roads and highways ... Even more frequent are unjustified DUIs or DWIs, stemming from hypoglycemic symptoms that can closely mimic those of a drunk driver." From "Hypoglycemia: Driving Under the Influence" in 8(1) Medical and Toxicological Information Review.
Nor will a DUI breath test clear him, Taylor claims. The Los Angeles DUI lawyer points out that breathalyzers don't actually measure alcohol on the breath. Rather, they use beams of infrared light which are absorbed by any chemical compound in the breath that contains the methyl group in its molecular structure. The machine is programmed to assume that the compound is "probably" alcohol.
Unfortunately, thousands of compounds contain the methyl group and can register as alcohol. One of these is acetone. And a well-documented by-product of hypoglycemia is a state called ketoacidosis, which causes the production of acetones in the breath. In other words, the DUI attorney says, the breathalyzer will read significant blood alcohol levels where there may be little or none. This has been repeatedly documented in scientific studies such as Brick, "Diabetes, Breath Acetone and Breathalyzer Accuracy: A Case Study", 9(1) Alcohol, Drugs and Driving.
How often innocent diabetics falsely convicted of DUI? Taylor points out that roughly one in seven sober drivers on the road suffers from diabetes.
Source
Taylor, the author of the best-selling legal treatise Drunk Driving Defense, claims that the symptoms of a diabetic with hypoglycemia (low sugar level) resemble those of alcohol intoxication. Further, he claims, diabetics have a chemical in their breath which causes breathalyzers to register high blood-alcohol levels.
The Los Angeles DUI attorney refers to the phenomenon as the "counterfeit DUI".
The symptoms of hypoglycemia are well-known: slow and slurred speech, poor balance, impaired motor control, staggering, drowsiness, flushed face, disorientation - in other words, the classic symptoms of alcohol intoxication. This individual will look and act like a drunk driver to the officer, Taylor says, and will certainly fail any DUI field sobriety tests.
As one medical expert has observed, "Hypoglycemia is frequently seen in connection with driving error on this nation's roads and highways ... Even more frequent are unjustified DUIs or DWIs, stemming from hypoglycemic symptoms that can closely mimic those of a drunk driver." From "Hypoglycemia: Driving Under the Influence" in 8(1) Medical and Toxicological Information Review.
Nor will a DUI breath test clear him, Taylor claims. The Los Angeles DUI lawyer points out that breathalyzers don't actually measure alcohol on the breath. Rather, they use beams of infrared light which are absorbed by any chemical compound in the breath that contains the methyl group in its molecular structure. The machine is programmed to assume that the compound is "probably" alcohol.
Unfortunately, thousands of compounds contain the methyl group and can register as alcohol. One of these is acetone. And a well-documented by-product of hypoglycemia is a state called ketoacidosis, which causes the production of acetones in the breath. In other words, the DUI attorney says, the breathalyzer will read significant blood alcohol levels where there may be little or none. This has been repeatedly documented in scientific studies such as Brick, "Diabetes, Breath Acetone and Breathalyzer Accuracy: A Case Study", 9(1) Alcohol, Drugs and Driving.
How often innocent diabetics falsely convicted of DUI? Taylor points out that roughly one in seven sober drivers on the road suffers from diabetes.
Source
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Attorney representing terror suspect getting help
DENVER — The attorney representing a Colorado man at the center of a terror probe into an alleged train bombing plot plans to add lawyers to his team after a judge questioned his federal court experience.
Arthur Folsom, attorney for Najibullah Zazi, has been handling divorces, drunk driving and criminal cases over the past 11 years in Colorado state courts but has never tried a federal case.
Folsom is "taking the appropriate steps to make sure his client gets experienced, seasoned counsel," Wendy Aiello, a spokeswoman for Folsom, said Tuesday.
Though Zazi is charged only with lying to the government, law enforcement officials said he may have been plotting with others to detonate backpack bombs on New York trains.
Zazi and his 53-year-old father, Mohammed Wali Zazi, were arrested Saturday in Denver. Ahmad Wais Afzali, 37, was arrested in New York, where he is an imam at a mosque in Queens.
Folsom's involvement came when Zazi, at the suggestion of an acquaintance, walked into the attorney's office last week, worried that the FBI might want to talk to him, Aiello said.
Authorities say Zazi had been alerted by friends that federal agents and city police had raided their apartments on Sept. 14 and asked about him. Zazi, accompanied by Folsom, voluntarily underwent three days of FBI questioning before he his arrest.
Aiello said Folsom has met with some attorneys and will make an announcement soon.
On Monday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Craig Shaffer questioned whether Folsom could represent Zazi in federal court, where rules and procedures are different than in state courts.
"You cannot enter an appearance unless you're a member in good standing in this district court," Shaffer told Folsom.
Folsom replied that he is in good standing but hadn't updated his information.
The court clerk's office said it was unable to immediately find Folsom in its system because he had never had a case there.
"Federal terrorism cases are not for beginners," said Laurie Levenson, a former federal prosecutor who teaches at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
Aiello said Folsom has no regrets about how the case has been handled so far.
"Given the situation and the information, Mr. Folsom and his client meeting with the FBI was the correct position," she said.
Folsom faces a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge in northern Colorado. Aiello says a guest on a boat was cited for possession and Folsom faces a charge because he owns the boat where the marijuana was found. A pretrial conference is set for Oct. 13.
Source
Arthur Folsom, attorney for Najibullah Zazi, has been handling divorces, drunk driving and criminal cases over the past 11 years in Colorado state courts but has never tried a federal case.
Folsom is "taking the appropriate steps to make sure his client gets experienced, seasoned counsel," Wendy Aiello, a spokeswoman for Folsom, said Tuesday.
Though Zazi is charged only with lying to the government, law enforcement officials said he may have been plotting with others to detonate backpack bombs on New York trains.
Zazi and his 53-year-old father, Mohammed Wali Zazi, were arrested Saturday in Denver. Ahmad Wais Afzali, 37, was arrested in New York, where he is an imam at a mosque in Queens.
Folsom's involvement came when Zazi, at the suggestion of an acquaintance, walked into the attorney's office last week, worried that the FBI might want to talk to him, Aiello said.
Authorities say Zazi had been alerted by friends that federal agents and city police had raided their apartments on Sept. 14 and asked about him. Zazi, accompanied by Folsom, voluntarily underwent three days of FBI questioning before he his arrest.
Aiello said Folsom has met with some attorneys and will make an announcement soon.
On Monday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Craig Shaffer questioned whether Folsom could represent Zazi in federal court, where rules and procedures are different than in state courts.
"You cannot enter an appearance unless you're a member in good standing in this district court," Shaffer told Folsom.
Folsom replied that he is in good standing but hadn't updated his information.
The court clerk's office said it was unable to immediately find Folsom in its system because he had never had a case there.
"Federal terrorism cases are not for beginners," said Laurie Levenson, a former federal prosecutor who teaches at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
Aiello said Folsom has no regrets about how the case has been handled so far.
"Given the situation and the information, Mr. Folsom and his client meeting with the FBI was the correct position," she said.
Folsom faces a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge in northern Colorado. Aiello says a guest on a boat was cited for possession and Folsom faces a charge because he owns the boat where the marijuana was found. A pretrial conference is set for Oct. 13.
Source
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Riverside County DUI checkpoint nets seven arrests
The checkpoint was established at Hamner Ave. and School Street between the hours of 7 PM and 3 AM. 516 of the 862 drivers who went through the checkpoint were thoroughly screened for DUI, according to police statements. 19 of those drivers showed sufficient reasonable evidence to require a field sobriety test.
The 7 arrests for DUI were only a portion of the 60 citations issued for varying crimes. In addition, 16 vehicles were detained with 10 of those received extended impounds.
These statistics may sound favorable for DUI enforcement in Riverside County. However, upon closer review, it is worth pointing out that only slightly over 2% of the total drivers stopped were even eligible for a field sobriety test. This means the vast majority of officer resources were spent toward stopping drivers with no reason to be stopped.
The checkpoint called itself a joint DUI and driver safety checkpoint, which gives a nod to the other 60 citations issued at the scene. Even taking into account these 60 citations, however, there was still a relatively low incidence of success in imposing penalties for those cars who entered the checkpoint.
Riverside County is part of the Los Angeles urban sprawl, notorious for drunk driving due to the lack of public transit and high amount of travel time from one location to the other. Riverside has also been hit hard by the recession, experiencing home value decline far more rapid and dramatic than the national average. These factors seem to contribute to a higher incidence of both violent and petty crime.
In the case of this particular checkpoint, however, patrols in other areas of the country were more successful in the first weekend of the national campaign, "Over the Limit. Under Arrest."
Source
The 7 arrests for DUI were only a portion of the 60 citations issued for varying crimes. In addition, 16 vehicles were detained with 10 of those received extended impounds.
These statistics may sound favorable for DUI enforcement in Riverside County. However, upon closer review, it is worth pointing out that only slightly over 2% of the total drivers stopped were even eligible for a field sobriety test. This means the vast majority of officer resources were spent toward stopping drivers with no reason to be stopped.
The checkpoint called itself a joint DUI and driver safety checkpoint, which gives a nod to the other 60 citations issued at the scene. Even taking into account these 60 citations, however, there was still a relatively low incidence of success in imposing penalties for those cars who entered the checkpoint.
Riverside County is part of the Los Angeles urban sprawl, notorious for drunk driving due to the lack of public transit and high amount of travel time from one location to the other. Riverside has also been hit hard by the recession, experiencing home value decline far more rapid and dramatic than the national average. These factors seem to contribute to a higher incidence of both violent and petty crime.
In the case of this particular checkpoint, however, patrols in other areas of the country were more successful in the first weekend of the national campaign, "Over the Limit. Under Arrest."
Source
Thursday, October 15, 2009
San Diego DUI Lawyers Note Rise in Female Arrests
LONG BEACH, Calif., Aug. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- San Diego DUI attorneys are noticing a steep increase in the number of women seeking legal representation for DUI arrests throughout San Diego County.
Lawrence Taylor, known as "The Dean of DUI Attorneys" and author of the book Drunk Driving Defense, confirms that "Each San Diego DUI attorney in our firm has observed a steadily rising percentage of female San Diego drunk driving clients in recent years." Taylor, who heads a nationally-known firm of California DUI defense attorneys, reports similar trends reported by his Los Angeles DUI lawyers and Orange County DUI lawyers.
Taylor's experiences are not unique. The FBI recently released evidence of this trend - statistics from 1998-2007 indicating an increase of nearly 29 percent for women driving under the influence of alcohol. This can be compared to a 7.5 percent decrease for men.
Further confirmation comes from a recent DUI fatality study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency looked at the number of female drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes from 2007 to 2008 and found that the female DUI rate increased or remained flat in 15 states, compared to 13 states for male DUI involved fatalities. This is noteworthy, since the overall number of DUI cases decreased 9 percent nationwide. About 2,000 fatalities a year now involve a female driver arrested for DUI.
Source
Lawrence Taylor, known as "The Dean of DUI Attorneys" and author of the book Drunk Driving Defense, confirms that "Each San Diego DUI attorney in our firm has observed a steadily rising percentage of female San Diego drunk driving clients in recent years." Taylor, who heads a nationally-known firm of California DUI defense attorneys, reports similar trends reported by his Los Angeles DUI lawyers and Orange County DUI lawyers.
Taylor's experiences are not unique. The FBI recently released evidence of this trend - statistics from 1998-2007 indicating an increase of nearly 29 percent for women driving under the influence of alcohol. This can be compared to a 7.5 percent decrease for men.
Further confirmation comes from a recent DUI fatality study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency looked at the number of female drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes from 2007 to 2008 and found that the female DUI rate increased or remained flat in 15 states, compared to 13 states for male DUI involved fatalities. This is noteworthy, since the overall number of DUI cases decreased 9 percent nationwide. About 2,000 fatalities a year now involve a female driver arrested for DUI.
Source
Monday, September 28, 2009
Los Angeles drunk driving task force
Los Angeles, CA - This year, the Los Angeles County drunk driving task force will participate in a nationwide crackdown on impaired driving termed "Driving Drunk. Over the Limit. Under Arrest."
The coordinated increased patrol and other efforts will continue through Labor Day weekend. The national program, in which Los Angeles police DUI officers are participating was spearheaded by the United States Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
NHTSA is the agency responsible for validating field sobriety testing, drug recognition training and other police officer programs aimed at combating impaired driving.
In Los Angeles, the program is funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety.
At the time of publication of this article it was unclear how many Los Angeles area DUI arrests were made over the weekend as a direct result of the program. We will report the numbers when they are available.
Source
The coordinated increased patrol and other efforts will continue through Labor Day weekend. The national program, in which Los Angeles police DUI officers are participating was spearheaded by the United States Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
NHTSA is the agency responsible for validating field sobriety testing, drug recognition training and other police officer programs aimed at combating impaired driving.
In Los Angeles, the program is funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety.
At the time of publication of this article it was unclear how many Los Angeles area DUI arrests were made over the weekend as a direct result of the program. We will report the numbers when they are available.
Source
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Los Angeles DUI radio show
Los Angeles, CA - Did you know that there are 25,000 DUI arrests in the United States every week? That's approximately 1.3 million drunk driving arrests each year. The more people we arrest, and the more people we put in jail, the more apparent it should become that our current approach of fear and retribution is not working.
So what is the solution?
Enter Ken Sharp and Heidi Foglesong, and their groundbreaking daily radio program, Ridin Dirty, which airs weekdays from 11 am to 12 pm on KLAA AM 830 in Los Angeles. One of the major problems with the country's current approach to reducing impaired driving accidents is that we don't talk about the real issues.
Ken and Heidi are changing that.
The show covers current issues and events from around the country.
Ken Sharp started the show in Phoenix, and recently moved it to Los Angeles. For years, according to Sharp, drinking and driving was part of the social norm. After getting two DUIs himself and experiencing first hand the harsh criminal penalties and other life consequences of a DUI arrest, Ken started helping others by facilitating group meetings at Scottsdale Treatment Institute, in Arizona.
Sharp is a realist. Drinking as a social outlet is never going to go away. He advocates more practical solutions like ride sharing. The show accepts calls from listeners, and regularly attracts the participation of prominent DUI lawyers, government representatives and has even picked up a sponsor in Jack Daniels.
Sharp's show has gained national attention, and prior to inauguration, he even interviewed President Obama.
Source
So what is the solution?
Enter Ken Sharp and Heidi Foglesong, and their groundbreaking daily radio program, Ridin Dirty, which airs weekdays from 11 am to 12 pm on KLAA AM 830 in Los Angeles. One of the major problems with the country's current approach to reducing impaired driving accidents is that we don't talk about the real issues.
Ken and Heidi are changing that.
The show covers current issues and events from around the country.
Ken Sharp started the show in Phoenix, and recently moved it to Los Angeles. For years, according to Sharp, drinking and driving was part of the social norm. After getting two DUIs himself and experiencing first hand the harsh criminal penalties and other life consequences of a DUI arrest, Ken started helping others by facilitating group meetings at Scottsdale Treatment Institute, in Arizona.
Sharp is a realist. Drinking as a social outlet is never going to go away. He advocates more practical solutions like ride sharing. The show accepts calls from listeners, and regularly attracts the participation of prominent DUI lawyers, government representatives and has even picked up a sponsor in Jack Daniels.
Sharp's show has gained national attention, and prior to inauguration, he even interviewed President Obama.
Source
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)