Anytime a child dies in a traffic accident, it is tragic, but due to a ruling handed down by the California Supreme Court last week, that parent may lose custody of other minors in their care after such an accident.

In an unanimous decision, the Court ruled in favor of the Los Angeles County social workers last Thursday that a “breach of ordinary care” that has fatal results is a reason for child protective services to remove siblings because the safety of other siblings may be at risk. This may be the case, even if there is not found to be any criminal negligence or abuse by the parent or in the house.

In south Los Angeles in 2009, a father was driving his 18-month-old daughter to the emergency room after she fell off a bed and injured her arm. She was sitting in an aunt’s lap at the time when another car ran a stop sign and hit the vehicle. According to some reports, the father had lent out his vehicle to a friend with the car seat inside and was trying to get her help. The girl was killed in the crash.

A week later, social workers received a report that the children in the home were not properly cared for. Social workers who investigated the house after the tragic accident reported seeing signs of abuse and neglect when they visited the home. They decided to remov the girl’s siblings and took them into their custody. The father, named as William C. in the decision, eventually regained custody, but the siblings were out of the house for more than a year.

If you are facing criminal charges, it is imperative to speak with an aggressive Los Angeles criminal defense attorney. Call today for your immediate, free consultation.

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Scott Peterson filed an appeal to the California Supreme Court Last week, asking the court to overturn his convictions and death sentence eight years ago for murdering his wife, Laci Peterson, and their unborn child in 2002.

His attorney filed the 423-page appeal on his behalf maintaining his innocence and alleging the publicity surrounding the trial along with a “mob” mentality gave him an unfair trial. He recounted the more than 1,000 people who stood outside the courthouse and cheered with the guilty verdict.

Peterson was convicted in 2004 of killing both Laci and their unborn child and dumping them into the San Francisco Bay. He maintained his innocence through it all and said his wife was fine when he went out on a fishing trip on the morning of December 24. The bodies of both the unborn child and Laci washed up four months later in the San Francisco Bay.

Prosecutors said Laci died the evening of December 23, 2002, or the morning of December 24, 2002, but could not pinpoint the exact time of manner of death.

His attorney argued there were no eyewitnesses, confessions and little physical evidence to convict his client. Additionally, even though prosecutors argued the dog had picked up her scent where Peterson had been fishing, the dog had previously failed two out of three tests to pick up a human scent.

Peterson’s legal team also said the judge excused all jurors who said they opposed the death penalty, unfairly weighing the jury who convicted him.

If you are facing criminal charges, it is imperative to obtain the best legal counsel you can to protect your freedoms. Call the Cross Law Firm today for your free, initial consultation.

Brian Banks, a star high-school football player until he was accused and convicted of rape, is getting a second chance at his football dreams.

Banks was exonerated last month after serving five years in prison and being released on parole. He had been contacted by his accuser through facebook last year when he was on parole and reportedly wanted to let “bygones be bygones.” She offered to help him clear his name, but didn’t want to risk losing the $1.5 million settlement she had received. When he met with her again, he secretly videotaped it and recorded her admitting her story was false and he was, in fact, completely innocent.

Banks was facing being listed as a sex offender for the rest of his life along with many other limitations and now he can breathe easier. Currently, the former high school star is pursuing a long-awaited dream of playing football in the NFL. He has tried out with the 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks.

If you have been charged with a crime, it is imperative to seek confident counsel who can help you protect your freedom. Call the Cross Law Firm today for your free, initial consulatation and find out how we can assist you.

California Innocence Project >>>

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down mandatory sentences of life in prison without parole for two convicted murders who were only 14 years old when the murders were committed. The Court ruled 5-4 that two convicted men cannot be sentenced to life in prison without at least having a possibility of parole.

Monday’s ruling affirms recent higher court rulings against the harshest criminal sentences for young juveniles. It is estimated there are less than 100 people across the country who are serving similar sentences for murders they committed when they were 14 years old or younger.

The majority opinion said that imposing such a sentence violates the Eighth Ammendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.

The ruling came after considering two cases. The first one, an Alabama teen was charged as an adult after beating up a neighbor and then setting his trailer on fire.

In the second case another 14-year-old helped rob a video store with two other teens. One of the other teens shot and killed the video store employee.

Justices Elena Kagan, Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayer ruled in favor of the ban. Chief Justice John Roberts along with Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito ruled against it.

If you are facing criminal charges in California, it is crucial to retain the best possible attorney who can fight on your behalf. Contact our Orange County criminal defense attorneys today for your free, immediate consultation.

Supreme Court Opinion >>>

L.A. Kings player Drew Doughty is being investigated on claims he sexually assaulted a woman this spring, but an article in the latimes.com reported the district attorney’s office and police have found credibility problems with the accuser and may not be pressing charges.

The alleged sexual assault occurred March 1 in Hermosa Beach. The woman said he attacked her later in the evening after she rejected him in front of some teammates. It is unclear if the alleged attack occurred at his place or hers.

Evidence is still being reviewed in the case and it has not been decided if charges will be filed, but they are expected to announce their decision soon. According to several reports, the woman refused to call Doughty to discuss the alleged incident, allowing police to record it as potential evidence.

Sexual assault charges are more severe than many other types of charges because if convicted, proposition 83 requires many people convicted of sex-related crimes to register with the state as a sex offender. Not only does this label hurt where a person lives, but can also limit employment opportunities and where that person may be able to go. Some convictions require a person to register as a sex offender for life.

If you are being investigated or have been charged with any type of sex crime, it is imperative to retain a strong and aggressive Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who can best represent you. Contact our offices today for your free and initial consultation.

A bicyclist was killed early Friday morning by a hit-and-run driver in North Hills.

According to reports, the accident happened on Nordoff street near the 405 Freeway about 2 a.m. Officials said a male believed to be a Hispanic man in his 60s, was riding east on Nordoff about 2 a.m. when he was hit from behind by an eastbound vehicle.

Police said he was taking the proper precautions. The biker was wearing reflective gear and a helmet and was biking nearest to the curb at the time of the collision.

The vehicle was described as a small or medium black or blue SUV with possible damage to the right front end and windshield. Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call investigations at 877-LAPD-24-7.

If you are facing criminal charges or are being investigated in connection with a crime, it is imperative to obtain the best legal counsel you can. Call today for your free and immediate case evaluation.

A teen boy was killed and two others injured when they were hit by a suspected drunk driver on the 60 Freeway.

According to reports, the 13-year-old Santa Monica boy was killed early Sunday morning in the westbound lanes east of Seventh Avenue. when a suspected drunk driver hit him and a woman who were standing on the side of the highway.  The pair were next to a disabled car. A 10-year-old who was inside the disabled vehicle, was also injured.

The driver, Tina Silva, 28, of Hacienda Heights allegedly fled the scene, but officers tracked her down and booked her for suspicion of driving under the influence soon after the crash occurred.

Both the 10-year-old boy and the woman suffered injuries and were taken to local hospitals.

If you are facing drunk driving charges in any type of motor vehicle crash, it is imperative to retain a strong criminal defense attorney. Call today for your free, immediate consultation.

A 38-year-old parolee was arrested after allegedly sneaking through security and boarding a United Airlines airplane without a ticket Tuesday.

Marc Duncan was held on a felony: suspicion of parole violation; as well as two misdemeanors: entering an airport restricted zone as well as avoiding the screening process.

Officials said Duncan walked out a security door and walked onto the plane Tuesday. The flight was scheduled from San Diego to Los Angeles. Flight attendants noticed there was an extra passenger aboard the plane and a security guard was alerted to the emergency door being opened. Duncan was found in the plane’s bathroom and arrested before it took off.

He had just been released Monday after serving time for theft.

If you are facing criminal charges, it is imperative to obtain a solid and aggressive Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer. Call today for your free, initial consultation.

Two men were arrested Friday and charged with the death of two USC students from China in a botched robbery in April.

According to reports, Bryan Barns, 20, of Los Angeles and Javier Bolden, 19, of Pomdale are being held without bail in connection of the murder of Ting Wu and Ming Qu.

Barnes was arrested about 4:30 p.m. Friday in the 1200 block of 91st Street. The have been booked and are scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday. Bolden was arrested a few hours later.

Wu and Qu were both 23-year-old electrical engineering students from China who were driving home from the library early April morning when they were shot. Officials said they have forensic evidence linking the two to the murders, but have not specified what that evidence may be.

If you are facing criminal charges, it is crucial to obtain a strong defense attorney who will fight for your freedom. Contact us today for your initial consultation.

Officials have accused the business owners of several businesses of practicing medicine without a license as well as selling dangerous drugs after two customers became sick and require hospitalization, officials said.

According to reports, officials set up surveillance and made purchases while undercover after a mother and son were hospitalized when they received injections of a mixture of penicillin and eucalyptus in the back room of one of the businesses. They had allergic reactions to the mixture.

The businesses involved include Excellent Nutrition, J&R Beauty Supply and Vitamin Zone, all near MacArthur Park.

The Los Angeles Times reported nine people were charged with illegally selling dangerous drugs as well as practicing medicine without a license. Each charge carries a possible jail term along with a monetary fine.

If you are facing any type of criminal charges, it is imperative to speak with a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney immediately to discuss your case and your rights. Call today for a free, initial consultation.