“If there is one characteristic that defines me, it is my belief in human dignity, my belief that my client's life is just as important now as it was on the day they were born.” - Michael Guisti
Orange County, CA — One issue that persistently arises within the criminal justice system is rehabilitation. More specifically, when is a convicted criminal fit to rejoin society? For some crimes the answer would seem to be that once the individual completes their sentence they are allowed to return to society, in some cases with temporary restrictions. In other cases, a convicted criminal is deemed to be such a threat to others or to themselves they receive a sentence or death or of life imprisonment, or are ordered to receive psychiatric care until such time as they are deemed safe.
The trial of Kevin Reilly, 57, was scheduled to begin in Orange County Superior Court on Wednesday. Reilly, who has been convicted twice on child molestation charges, is not facing new criminal charges, but is petitioning for release from the Coalinga State Hospital where is currently being treated after completing his prison term.
Laguna Niguel, CA — Certain professions are often thought of as being inherently dangerous. Police officers and military personnel are generally thought to be putting their lives on the line as part of their normal work duties. However, sometimes people who work a job that is normally considered to be fairly safe find themselves the targets of violence.
Orange County sheriff’s deputies in Laguna Niguel have arrested the man they believe may have attacked a real estate agent on Saturday afternoon as she was leaving one of the houses she had listed. The victim, a 55-year-old woman whose name has not been released, was reportedly punched in the face before being put in a chokehold that rendered her unconscious. She was treated for her injuries and released. Her attacker is also said to have fought with a neighbor who may have witnessed part of the attack. There was an unsuccessful search made for the assailant on Saturday night.
Orange County criminal defense attorney Michael L. Guisti has practiced law for more than 15 years. During that time, he has built a strong reputation and a track record of success. He has also been featured in local media, including reputable news sources such as the Orange County Register.
In one particular article by the O.C. Register, Attorney Guisti voiced his skepticism about a “shaming” tactic that D.A. Tony Rackauckas implemented in an attempt to deter sex purchasers.
Newport Beach, CA — Fraud can take many forms (i.e., internet fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, securities fraud, identity theft, etc.), but ultimately they all involve making false claims for personal gain. Several months ago, news of a cheating scandal at Corona Del Mar High School in Newport Beach made local headlines. On Monday, the tutor at the center of that scandal was taken into custody on suspicion of fraud and other charges and was due to appear in court on Wednesday.
The case first came to light in June of 2013, after teachers reported that someone had accessed the grading system and changed students’ grades. An investigation found 12 students and tutor Timothy Lance Lai may have been involved in the incident, but when officers went to Lai’s home, they found that he had fled. However, several pieces of electronics and other computer equipment was seized when they searched Lai’s home.
Los Angeles, CA — In most cases, a defendant will enter a plea of guilty or not guilty, but there are other options. The one most familiar to the general public is no contest or nolo contendere which means that although the defendant will not fight the charges against them, they do not make any admission of guilt. Although this often results in the same punishment that would be handed down for a guilty plea, it can be advantageous if civil litigation is also pending.
Dustin James Kinnear, 27, the man accused of stabbing a woman in an altercation in Hollywood in 2013 pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter on Tuesday, according to a statement by prosecutors. The victim, Christine Calderon, 23, died in the hospital after she and her friend, Robert Harden, were involved in fight with Kinnear, Brian Joseph Widdows, 35, and Jason Joel Winstone, 34.
Whittier, CA — If you live in Southern California long enough, you’ll eventually tune into one of the local television stations to find that your regularly scheduled programming has been pre-empted by a high-speed police chase. These chases usually begin with tips about stolen vehicles or drivers fleeing attempted police stops and can lead to massive property damage before the suspect surrenders.
On Thursday, October 2, a man in a flat-bed truck led state and local police on a 90 minute chase through Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties before he was taken into custody in Rialto around 1 pm. The chase began in Santa Fe Springs where it was reported that $12,000 in steel had been stolen. During the chase the suspect is said to have thrown a fake gun out the window and news helicopters recorded him driving the wrong way on the freeway and stopping to climb a fence before giving up and getting back in the vehicle. He was arrested when his truck drove off an overpass on the 210 freeway and he surrendered to law enforcement.
Humboldt County, CA – Drug laws in America are not always consistently applied. Some law enforcement agencies, particularly at the state or municipal level, see drug enforcement (particularly against recreational users) as a low priority, and 23 states have legalized marijuana for medical use and 2 have even passed laws making it legal for personal use. However, drug use by and large remains illegal and production and trafficking of drugs remains a high priority for most law enforcement agencies.
On Monday, a task force including the California National Guard, the Humboldt County Sheriff Drug Enforcement Unit, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Yurok reservation police, and other agencies, conducted a major raid on illegal marijuana growing operations being conducted on the Yurok reservation along the Klamath River in Northern California. Officers began serving warrants at 9:00 am.
Santa Ana, CA – Opening statements signal the official beginning of a trial, but there is actually quite a bit of work that goes on before either prosecutors or defense attorneys make any statements in open court. Pretrial hearings, jury selection, and, of course, criminal investigation all precede the beginning of a trial, but opening statements are the first part of a criminal case that is available to the general public and the first time each side outlines its case to the jury.
The trial of Steven Matthew LeClaire, Jr., 26, began on Wednesday with both sides making their opening statements in court. LeClaire has been charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder along with sentencing enhancements for personal discharge of a firearm causing death and great bodily injury. According to prosecutors, LeClaire, an Army Specialist who was away without official leave from his post in El Paso, Texas, shot Marques Murray, Raymond Eligan, and his father Steven Francis LeClaire, Sr. in at the Cypress Lodge on Lincoln Ave in February of 2011. Murray was killed and Eligan and LeClaire's father both were injured.
Stockton, CA – An important distinction in our legal system is that between belief and proof. While prosecutors and law enforcement officers may believe that a certain individual or group is responsible for several crimes or is guilty of the most severe charges, they are forced to limit the charges they file against a defendant to what they think the evidence proves. Of course, the defendant also has the right to legal representation so that they can adequately defend themselves against criminal allegations.
On Monday, an alleged bank robber is due to be arraigned at the San Joaquin County courthouse. Jaime Ramos, 19, was arrested after a deadly shootout between three men who had taken hostages during a bank robbery in Stockton on Wednesday and police officers. Two of the robbery suspects were killed as was one of the hostages, Misty Jean Holt-Singh, whom Ramos had allegedly used as a human shield.
Los Angeles, CA – White collar crime is generally treated as less threatening than physically violent crimes, but white collar criminals often prey on their victims' deep seated fears in order to make a financial gain. Like blackmailers who threaten to uncover a victim's shameful secrets or phone or internet scammers fishing for their mark's personal information with the imagined threats of health scares or computer viruses. This week saw charges filed in a high profile extortion case in Los Angeles.
Leyla Ors, Joe Cavallo, and Emanuel Karl Hudson were charged with conspiracy after allegedly attempting to extort as much as $20 million dollars from a Saudi sheik in exchange for dropping rape charges against his son, Thamer Albalwi, 23. Ors, a German national in her early 30s, was working for Albalwi as a personal assistant when she accused him of rape in March. She claimed that Albalwi had held her captive in a condominium in Los Angeles and had raped her, beat her, and burned her with a cigarette. Albalwi was arrested and released on $3 million dollars bail.
Whether you're facing a felony or a misdemeanor, don't risk a conviction. Act quickly to redeem your reputation and protect your record by consulting with our Orange County criminal defense lawyer. Call today to schedule your free consultation.
