Four suspects are facing hate crime charges after being arrested in connection to vandalism complaints in Arcade. I spoke to WIVB about these charges and what the consequences could be for the suspects. Click here for the full story.
The United States Supreme Court announced on Monday that they will be hearing a case regarding cell phone privacy and obtaining cell phone records without a warrant. I spoke to WIVB about the case. Click the picture above for more information and click here for the full story.
I spoke to WGRZ about efforts to curb the opioid epidemic in Western New York. Click the picture above for more information and click here for the full story.
New York could become the first state in the country to legalize the use of “textalyzers” in order to curtail distracted driving. Similarly to how a breathalyzer detects if someone has been driving under the influence of alcohol, a textalyzer would be able to detect if a person was using their cell phone while driving. I spoke to WGRZ's Michael Wooten about why I believe using this device may be ruled unconstitutional. Click the picture above for more information and click here for the full story.
The Cheektowaga Town Council held a hearing concerning repealing the town’s sex offender law, which is more restrictive than the state code. The New York State Court of Appeals has ruled the law unconstitutional. I spoke to WIVB about the law’s constitutionality and what options the Town of Cheektowaga police have for enforcement. Click on the image above for more information and click here to read the full story.
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Ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft were recently legalized as part of the new New York State budget. As it stands, the law prohibits Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders from getting the permits needed to drive for one of these companies. I spoke to WGRZ about the proposed bill that would prevent all registered sex offenders of any level from getting ride sharing permits. Click the photo above for more and click here for the full story.
The New York State budget continues to be negotiated but, as of yet, no agreement has been reached. One issue that could be delaying its approval is known as "Raise the Age", which is a push to raise the age of criminal responsibility in New York State from 16 to 18. I spoke to WGRZ about this issue and what it could mean for New York's criminal justice system. Click the photo above for more and click here for the full story.
I wrote a guest column that appeared in the March 27 issue of the Buffalo Law Journal. In “Legally defending a professional license is not just about protecting a career”, I explain several issues related to professional licensing defense, including how nursing licenses are obtained, what could put a professional license in jeopardy, how a professional license can be protected, and what an attorney’s role is in the process. The full article is available on the Buffalo Law Journal website. To read more about professional licensing defense, please visit the Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria website.
On Friday, a two-year-old boy was taken to the emergency room with severe injuries. He was put on life support, which has since been removed. 17-year-old Devon Vanderwege, who is being charged as an adult, was arrested for the assault. I spoke to WGRZ about the charges and how they could change now that the young boy’s life support has been removed. Click the photo above for more and click here for the full story.
Yesterday morning, a passerby saw a 4-year-old girl walking alone near Frankie's Donuts in Niagara Falls. The young girl was brought inside, the police were called, and she was returned to her mother. I spoke to WGRZ about whether criminal charges could be brought against the girl's parents for endangering her welfare. Click the photo above for more and click here for the full story.