Justice Is Served On Extreme Brutality In Minnesota

Minnesota lawyers are finding justice in excessive force cases. Cases of police brutality by use of a taser may be difficult to win, but as Minnesota attorneys prove justice can be achieved.
Minnesota attorneys received a settlement for $200,000 an excessive force case which resulted in no permanent physical injuries. The Plaintiff suffered emotional damages and anxiety.
In this case the plaintiff was tasered, after refusing to comply with requests from the police.
Although the key in many Florida taser cases is unusual damages, this Minnesota case shows that settlement can be achieved.

Facts came from Minnesota Lawyer, Golden Valley Taser Case Leads to Significant Payout, by Barbara L. Jones, September 25, 2009. http://www.minnlawyer.com/article.cfm/2009/09/28/Golden-Valley-Taser-case-leads-to-significant-payout

Eyewitness’ Mistakes

Let’s say you’re a victim of a crime or you see a crime being committed. You concentrate your full attention on the perpetrator, because you want to remember everything, the color of their hair and eyes, face structure, skin tone, height, weight, what they are wearing and scars. You are certain that you remember this person in great detail. After the assault or after the crime is committed, you file a police report. Hours or days later, you are asked to identify the assailant in a police line-up. This is when mistakes are often made. Although you are certain that you remember the perpetrator in great detail, there are a lot of hidden influences that can hinder the accuracy of your memory about this person. For instance, if you were the victim of the crime, the stress and fear of the crime itself, could alter your memory of the assailant. Time lapse can cause your memory of the events or person to be shaded. There are many new studies about the psychology behind police line-ups and how a person can be easily influenced by the police officer to pick the “right” person. Although witnesses are told that the perpetrator might not be in the police line-up, the witness is inclined to believe that someone in the line-up is responsible for the crime, especially if the suspects are physically similar to each other. This identification testimony can be very convincing to a jury. Bad identifications in the context of police line ups and in other contexts have resulted in false imprisonments. Advancements in DNA testing have helped decrease the chances of being wrongfully convicted. DNA while not without its own limitations has exculpated more than a few falsely accused persons.

Sources: 60 Minutes: “Picking Cotton”, National Science Foundation: Mistaken Idenity: How Feedback “After the Fact” Influences Eyewitneses http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=100715&org=SBE

Tampa Bay Paralegal Association Annual Seminar

Michael P. Maddux, P.A. was a presenter at the Annual Seminar on Friday September 18, 2009 which is sponsored each year by the Tampa Bay Paralegal Association. Some of the presentation materials can be found here.

Power Point - Presentation Admissibility of Evidence from Electronic Sources

Word Document - Outline Admissibility of Evidence from Electronic Sources

Florida Driver’s License Emergency Contact Information

You never know when or if you will be involved in a horrific car accident or will need emergency care. When these situations occur, you might not be able to call your loved ones to tell them that you are being transported to the hospital or that you need their help. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles offers a free service which allows you to provide emergency contact information to law enforcement in the event of an emergency, if you have a current Florida Driver’s License or Florida Identification Card. Having this information accessible saves critical time. The emergency contact information is protected under the “Driver Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) and automatically blocks the release of driver license information, name, address, telephone number, medical or disability information and emergency contact information. Please consider logging onto http://www.flhsmv.gov/index.html and provide your emergency contact information.

Driver Privacy Protection Act. http://www.flhsmv.gov/index.html

Avoid Accidents and Tickets: Know the Rules Of The Road

How many times do you see someone driving below the speed limit in the left lane or driving on the shoulder to beat the traffic? These actions often lead to horrific accidents that could have been easily avoided. Some people know they are breaking the law, but simply don’t care. Others may have forgotten the laws governing our roadways. Most people study the Florida Driver’s Handbook when they are about to get their driver’s license, but years later, few pick up the book to refresh their memory. Knowing how to drive is different from knowing the rules. The Florida Driver’s Handbook has a lot of valuable information and safety tips, such as handling emergencies like breakdowns, tire blow outs, wet brakes, jammed gas pedals, brake failures, skidding and fires. I recommend that everyone freshen up on the rules of the road, it could save lives, including your own.
The Florida Driver Handbook
El Manual de Conductores de Florida