In Rhode Island, a man armed with a potato entered a convenience store demanding money.  I don't know if the store manager saw the potato or not, but he chased the guy down with a bat.  I guess that wasn't enough, so the man then went to a laundromat and tried the same thing.  

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/22/armed-with-potato_n_5193581.html

Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme gave the police new power when relying on anonymous tips.  The highest court determined that the police can rely solely on an anonymous 911 tip call when determining if they are going to stop and search a driver.  This case originally came out of CA in 2008 when an anonymous 911 caller told the police that a pickup truck ran the caller off the road.  The caller described the location of where it happened and the type of vehicle and license plate number.  Police pulled over a truck matching the description and smelled marijuana as they walked towards the truck.  Turns out the truck had 30 pounds of pot in the truck.  The driver was arrested and has been fighting the stop ever since.  This ruling can potentially have awful consequences if members of the public choose to use this as a way to get back at someone they are angry with by making a false report.  

A single mother in AZ had two small children and she was without a job.  She had a job interview scheduled and didn't know what to do with the kids.  She took the kids with her on the interview, except she left them in the car with the window cracked.  It was 100 degrees that day in Arizona.  A passerby saw the kids and heard one of the children crying, called police and the woman was arrested.  An outcry has occurred where single moms and non-moms around the country are trying to help this woman and justifying what she did out of desperation.  Then there is the other side that says, she should have figured out another way to deal with the babysitting issue.  Those in support of the woman have petitioned to have her released and her kids returned to her.  The prosecutor doesn't feel the same way.  What do you think should happen?

A couple in California had a court hearing to face charges regarding possession of CDS.  With no way to get to the courthouse that was in a neighboring county, they decided to steal a car from a car dealership.  What they didn't know was that the car was equipped with a GPS device.  The police tracked the car to find it parked in front of the court house with new plates.  When approached, the woman stated that she purchased the car for $200.  However, the man confessed to stealing the car.  Now, the couple will enjoy new charges of possession of stolen property and possession of CDS since pot was found in the car.  Some people never learn! 

25 Years ago, a man was on vacation with his family in Disney World. However, a witness, who later recanted, placed him at the scene and said he killed his friend.  Prosecutor argued that maybe the man hoped on a flight, flew to NY, killed his friend, and then flew back to FL.  Man was found guilty and spent the last 25 years in prison trying to get out.  He is finally released.  Now 51 years old, he can try to restart his life and recapture what was missed.  Good outcome, but very long overdue for this poor man.  This is why a jury cannot depend on witness accounts alone.

It is one thing if you want to do drugs.  However, when you are sold bad pot, don't call the police to complain that your dealer won't give you your money back.  Do you really think the police are going to help you? In Tx, a woman was arrested after she called the police to complain that her dealer sold her poor quality marijuana and refused to give her the money back. An officer went to her house to listen to her complaint. The officer asked if she had the pot and she innocently pulled it from her bra. She was then arrested for possession.  Did you expect anything less?

The NJ Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously recommended passing a bill called S-385 that would allow more individuals convicted of a DUI the option of having an interlock device installed in their car as an alternative to license revocation.  NJ Law currently requires installation of an ignition interlock device for repeat DUI offenders and first time offenders with a BAC of 0.15% or more.  Bill S-385 would allow anyone with a DUI to obtain an interlock device.  The amount of time you would need to keep the device installed would depend on your BAC and number of DUIs.  Licenses would be suspended for 10 days to allow  time to coordinate the rental and installation of the device.  Those with multiple DUIs will still see a license suspension.  First time offenders with a BAC of 0.15% or more would receive a 7-12 month license suspension, but could apply to have a device installed after 90 days.

A South Carolina nurse gave birth and failed to tell her obstetrician that she was taking morphine.  Additionally, she didn't tell the doctor that prescribed the morphine that she was pregnant or that she gave birth and was breastfeeding.  She also used two different last names when filling her prescriptions.  She knew how to game the system to get the drugs.  The prosecutor argued that she loved her drugs more than she loved her baby.  The baby was found dead at 6 weeks old with fatal levels of morphine in her system as well as levels of Klonopin.  The jury found the woman guilty and she was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

As prison inmate hierarchy goes, child rapists are at bottom.  No body likes them and they are in the most danger.  However, turns out if you are wealthy, you can just avoid the protocol all together.  Robert H. Richard, IV is the future heir to the du Pont fortune.  He was charged with raping his 3 year old daughter.  Yes, his own daughter.  Well, the judge who sentenced him determined, to everyone's shock, that he "will not fare well in prison".  So, instead of serving time for his crime, he was sentenced to probation and treatment.  The judge said that prison life would adversely affect Mr. Richards.  Wouldn't prison life adversely affect anyone?

  http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/crime/2014/03/28/sunday-preview-du-pont-heir-stayed-prison/7016769/