Potter Criminal Defense Attorneys

Las Vegas Wedding Scam

aa110potter — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:13:27 +0000

Fifty-three Couples the Target of Wedding Scam

Many people envision coming to Las Vegas to enjoy a dream wedding. That dream is now a nightmare for 53 couples who have been the victim of a scam perpetrated by a local wedding venue.

Griffin Mansions was shut down in May 2012 due to several health code violations and the fact that owners did not have the proper licenses. Even though they closed their doors, the owners of Griffin Mansions nonetheless continued booking weddings, some as far out as 2014. To make matters worse, those who were frauded by the owners were not refunded the money they paid the couple for the use of their facilities.

In July 2012, the troubled company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. This prompted a heated response from dozens of couples, many of whom had paid the business thousands of dollars, yet were not notified of the venue’s closing. An undercover investigation shortly thereafter revealed the mansion was still giving tours to prospective brides who wished to book their wedding at that location.

While the undercover investigation by news teams show evidence of fraud, the owners of Griffin Mansions have yet to face any criminal charges for their unscrupulous actions. They could however be the target of numerous lawsuits, not only from jilted brides and grooms, but the catering staff, florists and photographers who were promised revenue they would never have been able to collect.

How Vegas Connects to the JFK Assassination

aa110potter — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:11:19 +0000

The Vegas Connection to the JFK Assassination

In the 1970s, John Barbour was a well-known actor and star of the television series Real People. He also was an opening act for popular Vegas entertainers such as Robert Goulet and Bobby Darin. What many people do not know about John Barbour is the fact that he has ties to one of America’s most famous prosecutors, Jim Garrison.

Garrison was the only prosecutor to bring charges against an individual in connection with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. His investigation and subsequent trial was portrayed in the movie JFK. Long before Hollywood told the story of Garrison, John Barbour was attempting to get the news about this investigation out to a wider audience.

Barbour claims that he twice tried to get the news about Garrison’s investigation out to the mainstream media, but each time his attempts were thwarted. He also claims that the New Orleans conspiracy investigated by Garrison has ties to Las Vegas as well. According to Barbour, the assassination plot against Kennedy began with the CIA recruiting Vegas mobsters to kill Fidel Castro. He believes that some of those same individuals were later involved in Kennedy’s death.

While he was largely unsuccessful at drawing attention to Garrison’s work, he did create a documentary that has been widely received. Titled “The Garrison Tapes”, parts of it can be viewed on his official website johnbarboursworld.com.

Who Are the Most Wanted in Las Vegas?

aa110potter — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:03:47 +0000

Keeping up with Most Wanted Suspects in Vegas

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department wants help from the public in apprehending wanted fugitives. In order to make it easier to locate these fugitives, they have set up a webpage with details about the suspects they are looking for.

Visitors to the site can check the photographs and physical descriptions of suspects, most of who are believed to still be in the Las Vegas area. Those who recognize an individual should not attempt to apprehend that person, but instead contact Metro police at 702-385-5555 or text the information to “crimenv.”

There are currently seven men that are wanted for murder listed on the agency’s website, one of who has been sought by police for more than 18 months. There are also several men and women wanted for offenses such as pandering, living from the earnings of a prostitute and pandering a child.

The Las Vegas FBI also posts wanted suspects on its website. There are currently three men who are wanted for murder listed on this agency’s most wanted page. In addition, the FBI also operates an additional page devoted to suspects wanted for bank robbery throughout the state of Nevada. They also offer a reward for individuals who provide information that leads to an arrest.

All suspects should be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Las Vegas residents are encouraged to check “most wanted” websites frequently and contact the appropriate law enforcement office with relevant information.

Using Tech to Try and Keep Up With Police…

aa110potter — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:01:42 +0000

Keeping up with Vegas Police vis Online Scanners

Many people enjoy listening to police scanners in order to keep them informed about what’s going on. The problem with this is that when an individual is out of the area, a scanner will not be useful to them. Police scanners can also be expensive and are cumbersome to carry around from place to place. Now there is a way to listen to the Las Vegas police and fire departments at any time or any place via the Internet.

Several websites have Vegas police feeds including vegasscanner.com, broadcastify, dxzone, tunein.com and policescanner.info. These sites will allow citizens to listen to police dispatchers online much as they would normally do with a scanner. Some programs are even compatible with mobile devices such as iPhones and tablets.

Listening to police activity online is generally more convenient because residents can listen while they are at work or on the go. It also allows people to keep up with the events that are happening back home whenever they happen to be out of town. Tourists who are planning a visit to Las Vegas might find listening to an online scanner helpful, as this could alert them as to which areas of town they might want to avoid.

There is a down side to online listening, and that is when Internet service is interrupted, users are unable to hear police activity. Even so, the benefits more than outweigh the disadvantages. Residents will begin to understand the complexity of crime and legal implications after listening to feeds like this for an evening.

A Brief History of Mr Las Vegas

aa110potter — Sat, 11 May 2013 17:00:09 +0000

One of the pioneers who helped to shape Las Vegas was Morris Dalitz, who was also known as “Moe.” Dalitz was such a key figure in building this town that he was sometimes referred to as “Mr. Las Vegas.” Although he was a prominent businessman, he had a sordid criminal history as a bootlegger and racketeer.

Dalitz first began bootlegging at the beginning of Prohibition in 1919. Soon he was using his family’s laundry trucks to haul whiskey throughout the country. This eventually led to his involvement in the Cleveland Syndicate, a gang that operated in Ohio and Michigan. He later formed partnerships with other gangs that operated illegal casinos in the Cleveland area.

His success at operating casinos led him to Vegas in the 1940s. The original builder of the Desert Inn had run out of money, and Dalitz came to town to help out. He owned the casino until 1967 when it was sold to Howard Hughes. He hoped that by doing so, he would get law enforcement officers off his back, as they were investigating his ties to others that were suspected of violating anti-trust laws.

Even though he was frequently investigated by the FBI, no criminal charges were ever filed against Dalitz. He is credited with building several golf courses and shopping malls in the Vegas area along with Sunrise Hospital. Dalitz died August 31, 1989.

An Assault now Ruled a Homicide

aa110potter — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:56:43 +0000

October 2011 Beating now Ruled a Homicide

A Las Vegas crime victim who was beaten in October 2011 has died as a result of his injuries. Police say that Nathaniel Young, 57, passed away on April 23 after suffering for a year and a half with head injuries. Those injuries were the result of a physical attack that remains unsolved.

The attack occurred on October 21, 2011, when Young was discovered by Metro police officers lying in the street unconscious and severely beaten. They took the man to University Medical Center where he was treated for his injuries. It is not known what kind of treatment he received for his injuries since that time. There are also few details available about the circumstances surrounding his death.

The Clark County Coroner determined that Young’s cause of death was blunt force trauma resulting from the October 2011 attack. As a result, the death has been ruled a homicide. An investigation is now underway to try to find the person or persons who are responsible for the October 2011 attack and bring them to justice.

There are currently no suspects in this case, so police are asking for help from members of the public. Those who have information on Young’s beating can contact Crime Stoppers at 385-5555. They may also contact the homicide division of the Metropolitan Police Department at 828-5321. Callers may remain anonymous if they wish.

Reducing Domestic Violence – We Can All Take a Part

aa110potter — Sun, 05 May 2013 16:56:08 +0000

Committee looks at ways to Curb Domestic Violence Deaths

Domestic violence-related deaths have increased over the last few years here in Nevada. In an effort to curb that number, several teams have been created to look into ways to reduce those deaths. These teams have made a number of recommendations, which have been forwarded to Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto.

One of the recommendations made involves sentencing. The group recommends that prosecutors do not “plead down” domestic violence charges to lesser offenses. According to committee members, that often leads to dangerous conditions for the victims involved, and is not effective at deterring the perpetrator from offending in the future.

Another idea being considered is the prospect of instant protective orders for victims. This option would be available whenever there was an arrest on domestic violence charges. Currently, victims must petition the court through normal channels for a protective order, a process that can take several days or even weeks.

The committee also felt that more needs to be done to help domestic violence victims who have mental illnesses or addiction to drugs or alcohol. Their research concluded that it is more difficult for these individuals to obtain services from domestic violence shelters than members of the general public are. Even so, they tend to be in greater need of shelter than others are.

Nevada’s attorney general will make new recommendations on how to curb domestic violence deaths annually from this point forward. If you know of anyone who is suffering from domestic violence, please report it and if you have been accused of domestic violence the Potter Criminal Defense team can guard your legal rights here in Las Vegas

Is Taking Blood on DUI Suspicion an Illegal Search?

aa110potter — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:57:39 +0000

The Supreme Court of the United States ruled recently, in Missouri v. McNeely, that the natural dissipation of alcohol in the blood stream does not always constitute an “exigency” sufficient to justify drawing blood without a warrant.

In that case, Tyler McNeely was stopped shortly after 2:00 a.m. for speeding and crossing the centerline. McNeely told the officer that he had “a couple of beers”. McNeely performed poorly on a series of field sobriety tests. However, McNeely refused to take a breathalyzer test. The officer arrested McNeely and took him to a nearby hospital for blood testing. McNeely refused to consent to the blood draw and the police officer never attempted to obtain a search warrant for the blood draw. The police ordered a lab technician to take a blood sample from McNeely. The blood sample demonstrated that McNeely blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.154 percent, which was over the legal limit of 0.08 percent. McNeely was then charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI).

Before trial, McNeely moved to suppress the results of the blood draw arguing that taking his blood without a warrant violated his Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable search. The State of Missouri argued that the fact that all cases involving intoxication, blood alcohol is metabolized by the liver which makes it impracticable to obtain a warrant. These types of cases can exist here in Las Vegas as well.

The trial court agreed with McNeely and suppressed the results of the blood draw. The Missouri Supreme Court affirmed the trial court’s decision and held that a court must consider whether an emergency, or exigent circumstances, exist on a case- by-case basis by considering the “totality of the circumstances”. The Missouri Supreme Court determined that McNeely’s was “unquestionably a routine DWI case” in which no factors other than the natural dissipation of blood-alcohol suggested that there was an emergency, the court held that the nonconsensual warrantless blood draw violated McNeely’s Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches of his person.

The Supreme Court of the United States agreed to hear McNeely’s case to resolve a split of authority on the question of whether the natural dissipation of alcohol in the bloodstream always allows forcibly drawing a driver’s blood without a warrant. The Supreme Court of the United States agreed with the Missouri Supreme Court and held that each case must be decided on its facts.

The Supreme Court of the United States acknowledged that search warrants are ordinarily required for searches of dwellings and, absent an emergency, no less could be required where intrusions into the human body are concerned. The Court recognized that
BAC dissipates gradually and in a relatively predictable manner which differentiates the context of blood testing from other destruction-of-evidence cases in which the police are truly confronted with a “‘now or never’” situation. The Court’s decision reaffirmed the essential role of a neutral magistrate judge’s decision, of whether to grant a warrant, as a check on police discretion.

The law on DUI cases can be a bit more complex than you may first imaging. If you are needing an attorney to protect your rights, please give the Potter Criminal Defense team a call today!

FBI in Las Vegas – What Do They Do?

aa110potter — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:16:53 +0000

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has a regional office located here in Las Vegas. This regional office is responsible for a 16-county area of Nevada, a few of which include Clark, Elko, Lander, Lincoln and Washoe. There are also three satellite offices located in the 16-county area, and these offices are found in Elko, Reno and South Lake Tahoe.

This agency is primarily responsible for investigating crimes that violate federal law. They have primary jurisdiction over crimes related to terrorism, counterintelligence, organized crime, cyber crime, public corruption and violations of civil rights. White-collar crimes such as mortgage fraud and money laundering are also tracked by this bureau.

In some cases, the FBI may be charged with investigating many of the same crimes as local law enforcement officers. For example, the FBI investigates numerous theft crimes including car and art theft. They are also charged with looking into violent crimes against children and Indian Country crime. The Office of Law Enforcement Coordination is responsible for ensuring that multiple agencies work together in an efficient manner when more than one group has jurisdiction over a criminal matter.

Most of the work performed by the Las Vegas division of the FBI is done behind the scenes. Individuals who are aware of a crime in this area should contact the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department first. If federal involvement is needed, officers here will contact the bureau directly.

Do Offenders Tend to Return to Prison?

aa110potter — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:14:01 +0000

Recidivism is a national problem, with approximately 40 percent of all offenders returning to prison within three years after being released. In Nevada, the recidivism rate is much lower than the rest of the country; however, some claim this figure is misleading because of the high number of out-of-state inmates incarcerated here.

Approximately 28 percent of inmates will return to Nevada prisons within three years according to a study by the Nevada Parole Commission in 2009. Even so, approximately 20 percent of all those held in Nevada prisons are actually residents of California, and are serving time for crimes they committed while vacationing here. Many of them return to their home state upon release, which means that any subsequent prison terms would be tracked by that state rather than Nevada.

Some state officials are not buying that, as they claim California encourages offenders to come to Nevada once they are released from their penal institutions. It seems a prison in Susanville, California is notorious for providing bus tickets to Reno for those released from that facility.

The Nevada Parole Commission uses recidivism rates along with a number of other factors in determining how offenders are paroled in this state. The fact that there are so many out of state prisoners located here makes it difficult to determine exactly what the odds are of an individual returning to the criminal justice system.