Court: Silence can be used against suspects

Headline News

The California Supreme Court has ruled that the silence of suspects can be used against them.

Wading into a legally tangled vehicular manslaughter case, a sharply divided high court on Thursday effectively reinstated the felony conviction of a man accused in a 2007 San Francisco Bay Area crash that left an 8-year-old girl dead and her sister and mother injured.

Richard Tom was sentenced to seven years in prison for manslaughter after authorities said he was speeding and slammed into another vehicle at a Redwood City intersection.

Prosecutors repeatedly told jurors during the trial that Tom's failure to ask about the victims immediately after the crash but before police read him his so-called Miranda rights showed his guilt.

Legal analysts said the ruling could affect future cases, allowing prosecutors to exploit a suspect's refusal to talk before invoking 5th Amendment rights against self-incrimination.

Related listings

  • Suspect in bodies-in-suitcases case due in court

    Suspect in bodies-in-suitcases case due in court

    Headline News 07/17/2014

    A former police officer charged with dumping two bodies in suitcases along a rural Wisconsin road is due to enter a plea. Fifty-two-year-old Steven Zelich is scheduled to attend a plea hearing in Walworth County Circuit Court Thursday on two counts o...

  • Apple wins EU court case on store design trademark

    Apple wins EU court case on store design trademark

    Headline News 07/11/2014

    The European Union's highest court says Apple's characteristic retail store layout may be registered as a trademark. The Court of Justice on Thursday overturned a decision by German patent authorities which last year rejected an application to grant ...

  • Egypt court confirms death sentences for over 180

    Egypt court confirms death sentences for over 180

    Headline News 06/23/2014

    The Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader and over 180 others were sentenced to death Saturday by an Egyptian court in the latest mass trial following last year's overthrow of the country's Islamist president. The ruling by the southern Minya Crimina...

Victorville CA DUI defense Attorneys

The outcome of a DUI defense will have a long-term effect on anyone’s life, making the decision to receive legal representation an easy one. The fact is, most people accused of a DUI are first offenders with no criminal background. Whether this is your first run in with the law or you have had previous convictions, you are in need of a DUI defense attorney.

The charges you are facing for a DUI range from fines, a 12-month suspension on your license and worst-case scenario, prison time. Your attorney will be able to analyze your situation to decide the best way to go about your case.

Our attorneys know the tricky ways to challenge all of the DUI tests and know how to claim improper collection of evidence. We will be able to negotiate on your behalf and free you from charges and help you keep your drivers license. The DUI process can last up to several months, we can make this process easier on you. .

Business News

St Peters, MO Professional License Attorney Attorney John Lynch has been the go-to choice for many professionals facing administrative sanction. >> read