Posts by Drew Cochran
COVID-19 Is Making You All Terrible Drivers
The lockdown due to COVID-19 is making for picturesque photos of America’s roads. With fewer drivers and open lanes, people are able to see photos of the Beltway and other Maryland roads that are either free of cars or that show limited traffic. The reduced traffic is affecting the number of traffic accidents too. With…
Read MoreThis Is Why No One Wants to Play Drinking Games with You Anymore
Everyone has that one friend who doesn’t understand when the game has gone too far, you know? He’s always down for one more round of Kings or Screw the Dealer; always looking to do another power hour. And that guy is annoying, which is why eventually everyone eventually leaves the table in disgust. But at…
Read MoreThe Link between Domestic Violence and Drug/Alcohol Abuse
Generally, the victims of domestic violence who may file charges include a current or former spouse, a cohabitant, someone related to the respondent/defendant, a parent or child (or stepparent or stepchild), someone who had child with the respondent, someone who had a sexual relationship with the respondent. Maryland’s statute provide some time requirements that determine…
Read MoreDomestic Violence Victims Include Men
Acts of domestic violence aren’t just confined to female victims. Many women are also charged with domestic violence and abuse in Maryland Nationwide. Males are also charged with abusing other males. Acts of domestic violence and abuse include physical, emotional, sexual, and other forms of violence, threats, intimidation, and unconscionable conduct. The statistics that confirm…
Read MoreCommon Defenses in Domestic Abuse and Domestic Violence Cases
Domestic violence cases in Maryland generally begin with a phone call from the victim to the local police. The phone call then requires that local law enforcement come to where the victim is – usually in a home. Once the accusation is made, then the person the victim accuses of domestic violence is usually arrested.…
Read MoreDomestic Violence and the COVID-19 Pandemic
There are some things that we really don’t want to talk about during these difficult times. Domestic violence is one of them. However, this is something that needs to be discussed, especially with coronavirus pandemic stay-at-home orders in place throughout Annapolis. As unemployment rates rise, more people are at home and more people’s daily routines…
Read MorePutting the “Old” in “Cold” Case
Last year, a Baltimore man died of a gunshot wound. Maybe this doesn’t seem all that interesting or new to you, but here’s the kicker: he was shot two decades ago, and the case is now being investigated as a homicide. The case in question stems back to August 27, 1997, when Keith Cooper was…
Read MoreLooks Like BPD Got Caught with Its Hand in the Sugar Jar
Let’s start here: a Baltimore cop is facing charges after conspiring to sell cocaine from a drug bust, and I may just choke on the irony. The drug bust in question by the Violent Crimes Impact Division happened almost a decade ago but the hammer is finally dropping now. The bust, per the Baltimore Sun,…
Read MoreThe Relationship between Criminal Defense Lawyers and Law Enforcement
Police officers, much like teachers and parents, are not your friends. Their job isn’t to make you feel good; it’s to protect the public. Sometimes those two things – making you feel better and keeping you safe – work in tandem, and sometimes they don’t. Them’s the breaks. The same is true of the D.A.…
Read MoreHow the “Not Criminally Responsible” Defense Works in Maryland
Jarrod Ramos, who was accused of killing five workers at the Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Md has confessed that he committed the offenses. His defense is that he was mentally ill at the time of the trial – such that he should be held – not criminally responsible. According to the Washington Post, Ramos…
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