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Suspect Arrested in Somerset County for String of Morris County Bank Robberies

By on October 15, 2012. Posted in . Tagged as , , , , .

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A 28-year-old Warren Township man was arrested on Thursday, October 11 in connection with a series of bank robberies throughout Morris County, according to county prosecutor Robert Bianchi.  According to the northjersey.com report, the suspect was apprehended while driving his vehicle at 2pm in Warren Township as a result of a three-month undercover investigation by various state and municipal law enforcement agencies which include: the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, Intelligence Crimes Task Force, Technical Assistance Response Unit, and Tactical Team; the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Section, K-9 Unit, and Emergency Response Team; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; New Jersey State Police; and Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit. Unable to post $500,000 bail, he remains at Morris County Correctional Facility where he awaits trial.

The suspect has been charged with four counts of robbery in the second degree and one count of third degree attempted robbery. If convicted, these charges carry a maximum of 45 years in state prison.

While there is a possibility that the suspect will be linked to other robberies and attempted robberies statewide in the coming weeks, he was formally charged in the following robberies, Indus American Bank on July 20 in Parsippany-Troy Hills, PNC Bank on July 30 in Mount Olive, Capital One Bank on Aug. 10 in Lincoln Park and Boiling Springs Savings bank on Aug. 23 in Lincoln Park. The prosecutor also alleged that the suspect attempted to rob the PNC Bank in the Meadtown Shopping Center off Route 23 South in Kinnelon on Aug. 28.

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South Brunswick August 2012 DWI Crackdown

By on September 26, 2012. Posted in . Tagged as , , , , .

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On September 13 the South Brunswick Patch reported that the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign undertaken by the South Brunswick Police Department resulted in eight arrests and 582 summonses issued. The late summer crackdown took place between August 17 and September 3 with the help of a $4,400 grant from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The heightened watchfulness by led to three South Brunswick DWI arrests.

When Middlesex police departments in the towns of South Brunswick, New Brunswick, Woodbridge, and others engage in heightened DWI activity, they cannot simply pull motorists over based on a “hunch.” In fact, there is a great deal of protocol that a police officer must follow in order to conduct a lawful Middlesex County DWI arrest. This protocol includes the reuirement for an officer to have “probable cause” to pull over a vehicle in the first place. Probable cause includes but is not limited to: license plate light, tail light, brake lights, or headlight out; excessively loud music; excessively wide or narrow turns, swerving, failing to maintain lane; driving too slow; erratic activity within the car; and being observed drinking out of a suspicious bottle or can. It is very possible that the behaviors listed led to the three South Brunswick DWI arrests that resulted from the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.

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NJ MVC Bans Smiling in Driver’s License Photos

By on September 24, 2012. Posted in . Tagged as , , .

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Don’t say “Cheese!”

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission has banned motorists from smiling in driver’s license photos, the New York Daily News reported on Saturday, September 22. The NJ MVC adopted this policy as a result of the multi-million dollar facial recognition program that the state introduced in January of 2012. According to MVC spokesman Mike Horan, an “excessively expressive” face in a driver’s license photograph could deter the facial recognition software from deterring fraudsters engaged in using fake IDs, identity theft, or “trying to get out of a DUI by getting a license under another name.”

Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:21-2.1, the mere possession of a false document including a driver’s license, birth certificate, or other official document that can be used to misrepresent age or other personal information used for identification is a fourth degree crime punishable by 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. In the case of a minor who is caught using a fake ID, the penalty typically drops to a misdemeanor not to exceed $1000 fine and up to 6 months in jail. This is because the state more rigorously prosecutes those who use fake IDs to fraudulently misrepresent personal information to engage in high-level identity theft, than those minors seeking alcohol and cigarettes.

Nevertheless, conviction of the display or possession of a false document is a serious matter concerning a minor. These charges are often linked with even more serious crimes, such as public intoxication and driving while intoxicated. It is very important for parents to educate their children on the dangers of underage dinking and the use of fake IDSs.

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Falcons’ Turner a Reminder That DWI Charges Can Mean Big Penalties

By on September 20, 2012. Posted in . Tagged as , , , , , , .

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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has reported that just hours after setting a franchise record for touchdowns in a win over the Denver Broncos during a Monday Night Football game, Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner was arrested for speeding and driving under the influence on early Tuesday morning. Turner was stopped when an Atlanta DUI Task Force officer clocked the running back driving 97 mph in a 65 mph zone. After approaching Turner’s car, the officer established probable cause to conduct a field sobriety test when he smelled an alcoholic beverage on Turner’s breath. The officer subsequently placed Turner under arrest.

Whether a person faces DWI charges in Atlanta, Georgia or Bergen County, New Jersey, a DWI is a very serious offense. In order to be convicted of a first offense New Jersey DWI, Turner’s blood alcohol content (BAC) would have had to register as .08% or higher. If his BAC did meet the .08% threshold, then he would face the following DWI penalties: a mandatory three month license suspension (7 months with a BAC of .10% or higher), a $1000 fine PLUS a $1000 surcharge for three years, and a discretionary prison term of up to thirty days.

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Breath Test Refusal Charges and the Foreign Language Barrier

By on September 17, 2012. Posted in . Tagged as , .

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On June 9, 2010 the Supreme Court of New Jersey made national headlines when it ruled in favor German Marquez, a Latino immigrant to the United States who refused to submit to a breath test under suspicion of a DWI. In response to his refusal, the state of New Jersey charged Marquez with Refusal to Submit to a Breath Test pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C: 39: 4-50.4.The USA Today reported that Marquez, who was not fluent in the English language at the time of the traffic stop, was not liable for Refusal to Submit to a Breath Test because he had not understood the penalties stated to him in the English language.

N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.2 also requires that an officer “shall inform” the suspect of his or her rights. In New Jersey, this is usually done by way of a Standard Statement issued by the New Jersey Attorney General that clearly lists the consequences of refusal and that a police officer is required to read to a motorist suspected of driving while intoxicated. In the Marquez case, the officer did not fail to read the Standard Statement to Marquez. However, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that a driver who cannot understand English has not been “informed” of the consequences of refusal when read the Standard Statement by an officer in the English language. New Jersey police officers now have tools that they must use in order to ensure that persons pulled over under suspicion of a DWI are read a Standard Statement that clearly enumerates the consequences for a refusal in language that they fully understand in order to make an informed decision.

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[Press Release] The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall Launches New Firm Website

By on September 13, 2012. Posted in .

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Red Bank, NJ – The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall announce today the launch of the firm’s new interactive website. The firm, which is one of the most prominent dedicated criminal defense firms in New Jersey, has opened the virtual doors to its office at http://jfmlaw.com with the goal of making it easier for potential clients to connect with the firm and obtain effective legal support for criminal, federal, and municipal cases.

The firm, which has seen growth over the past several years despite less-than-optimal national economic conditions, proudly unveiled the new site today. The site boasts several useful features for current and potential clients to gather information pertaining to both the firm, as well as their charges, including:

The New Jersey criminal defense lawyers at The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall encourage anyone in need of legal defense services to visit their new web site today.

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