San Diego Criminal Lawyer Blog

On Tuesday May 26, 2009, the Sheriff’s Department of San Diego County announced a sweeping new biometrics program designed to identify “removable” criminal aliens in the city’s jails. This project is a joint venture between the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Commonly known as “Secured Communities,” the program extends information-sharing capabilities among various law enforcement agencies.

The basic idea is that these agencies can now more quickly track and integrate information from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to determine whether given inmates might be “deportable.” In particular, Secured Communities focuses on preventing criminals convicted of aggressive offenses--such as assault, murder, rape, and kidnapping--from roaming free on San Diego streets.

The biometrics initiative evolved from an earlier ICE pilot project, The Criminal Alien Program, which ID’d hundreds of thousands of deportable aliens in jails across the U.S. DHS officials estimate that at least $1 billion will be spent on efforts to ID and deport removable criminal aliens… over the coming year alone!

Although officials at the DOJ and the Sheriff’s Department appear hopeful that this effort will keep dangerous criminal aliens off of San Diego’s streets, opponents have questioned whether Secured Communities violates civil liberties. Some have also argued that the program has the potential for “Big Brother”-like abuse and that biometrics analyses are not as bulletproof and accurate as proponents might have people believe.

Given San Diego’s intensified efforts to crack down on crime; if you’ve been charged with a felony or misdemeanor in CA, now, more than ever, you need an intelligent, empathetic and aggressive attorney to vouch for your rights and help you navigate the justice system. Look to San Diego Criminal LawyerStephen R. Brodsky to build the smartest possible defense strategy. Find out more information at www.CriminalAttorneySanDiego.com.

On May 6, 2009, a 36-year-old California man named John Burgess pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges stemming from the death of a 19-year-old pre-med student at San Diego State University named Donna Jou. Burgess--a convicted sex offender who had served jail time for failing to register as such--faces five years.

According to the defendant's admissions in court, he had met Ms. Jou after answering an advertisement she'd put up on Craigslist.com for students to tutor. On the night of June 23, 2007, he brought Ms. Jou back to his house and injected her with a mixture of cocaine and heroine known colloquially as an "eightball." The drug cocktail sadly proved lethal. The next morning, Burgess awoke to find that Ms. Jou had died during the night. Burgess then panicked and--instead of contacting the police--took Ms. Jou's body out onto his sailboat and dumped her into the Pacific Ocean.

For over a year following her death, Burgess laid low... or at least tried to. He was actually arrested in Florida in the interim for different charges. But the law finally tracked him down and arrested him on involuntary manslaughter charges (as well as on charges of providing drugs and alcohol to a minor).

Burgess's case drew national media attention and fueled a growing debate over the obligations of services like Craigslist.com to patrol their message boards for predators, pedophiles, and scam artists. In the wake of the trial, Craigslist.com has revised its guidelines. The site now requires individuals to pay to advertise in its "adult services" section, and its curators promise to vet future postings to ensure their accuracy.

California criminal cases can be complex, both legally and emotionally. If you or a family member faces criminal charges in San Diego, you need a determined, veteran attorney in your corner. Look to Stephen Brodsky and Associates. To arrange a free consultation now, go to www.CriminalAttorneySanDiego.com.