People frequently make the mistake of assuming that they do not need a criminal defense attorney unless, and until, they have actually been charged with a criminal offense. Nothing could be farther from the truth – particularly if you are under investigation for a federal offense. Although both the offenses and the prosecution of those offenses are fundamentally similar at both the state and federal level, the investigation stage of a crime is markedly different at the federal level. An … [Read more...]
Issues in Foreign Language Interrogations
Prosecutor Must Provide Defendant with English-Language Transcript of Foreign-Language InterrogationThe Massachusetts Rules of Criminal Procedure require the prosecution, in every case, to disclose to the defense, at or prior to the pretrial conference, any written or recorded statements made by the defendant. In general, the prosecution can fulfill this obligation by providing defense counsel with an audio copy of a recorded statement. No transcript or translation is required, unless the … [Read more...]