Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

A former Yankee hero caught a break Thursday when a judge tossed out one of two manslaughter charges and told jurors they could even convict him of simple drunken-driving.

It was an emotional day for Jim Leyritz, 47, who is charged with killing 30-year-old Fredia Ann Veitch in a 2007 crash. He wept into his hands during closing arguments as prosecutor Stefanie Newman said he had time to stop before he slammed into Veitch’s car but was too drunk to react.

She pointed to evidence suggesting Leyritz had consumed 11 or 12 shots of tequila and vodka before he got behind the wheel.

Troubled Yankees hero Jim Leyritz played defense on Monday, claiming he was sober during a 2007 crash that killed a 30-year-old woman.

Leyritz lawyer David Bogenschutz said video and phone records will show Fredia Ann Veitch was speeding and ran a red light.

Leyritz, 46, best known for a dramatic 1996 World Series home run, faces up to 15 years if convicted of DUI manslaughter.

BOSTON – A Massachusetts woman admits that she and her husband intentionally ate glass particles, then submitted false insurance claims.

Mary Evano pleaded guilty Tuesday to a 23-count indictment charging her with fraud, conspiracy and other offenses.

The indictment alleged that between 1997 and 2005, the couple collected more than $200,000 in compensation after filing insurance claims that they had been injured by restaurants, hotels and grocery stores that had served them food containing glass particles.

NEW PORT RICHEY — The deputy asked for his driver’s license, and the driver motioned that he was deaf. It was about 1:30 a.m. Monday on U.S. 19 near Green Key Road. The deputy saw the car swerve all over the road, once going on the median, and pulled it over, according to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. The driver was dazed and slurring, a report states.

The deputy knew sign language and asked the driver again. The driver didn’t understand. Attempts to get information from the driver continued with the deputy asking him to read lips and then writing on a note pad, the report states.

The driver broke his silence.

An FBI official told the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday the bureau has uncovered “massive frauds” in its ongoing effort to fight financial crime.

Assistant Director Kevin Perkins, who heads the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, told the panel “the FBI has continued to uncover massive frauds, including newly identified Ponzi schemes.” New corporate fraud cases are up by 111 percent, he said, while high-yield securities frauds have grown by more than 200 percent.

In June, he said, Lee Farkas, former chairman of Taylor, Bean, and Whitaker, a large mortgage origination company, was charged with a $1.9 billion fraud that contributed to the failure of Colonial Bank, one of the largest banks in the United States and the sixth-largest bank failure in the country.

OMAHA, Neb. — An Omaha financial advisor, whose clients once included pro football quarterack Michael Vick defrauded investors of more than $3 million over a four-year period, according to the U.S. Attorney for Nebraska.

Mary Wong, 46, pleaded guilty to Securities Fraud in U.S. District Court.

According to a U.S. Attorney’s news release, Wong acted as a financial advisor and solicited millions of dollars under false pretenses. Then she failed to invest the money as promised, instead spending the money on her “lavish lifestyle”, and businesses under Wong’s control.

A Las Vegas judge set a new court date for Vince Neil on misdemeanor drunken driving and speeding charges.

Lawyers for the Motley Crue singer appeared on his behalf in court on Monday. No plea was entered.

Judge Joe M. Bonaventure set an Oct. 11 status check for the case, according to a court clerk.

Hacking of Facebook accounts to scam people out of money has become a “major issue” for the social networking site, its head of European public policy, Lord Richard Allan, has told the Guardian.

As a result the site is implementing new ways of detecting when its users’ accounts have been hacked, and is adding warnings if it is accessed from unusual locations or by different methods than usual.

Allan said that hacking was a problem that would be countered by sophisticated methods of tracking unusual user behaviour.

SAN ANTONIO – News 4 WOAI is looking into what’s being done to stop DWI drivers. Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is trying to get lawmakers to allow DWI checkpoints in Texas.

A recent study shows Texas continues to lead the nation in alcohol-related traffic deaths. MADD Executive Director Jennifer Northway says it’s time for Texas to join the rest of the country. Right now 39 states have sobriety checkpoints. 11 states, including Texas, do not.

“The point of a checkpoint isn’t to arrest more people, the point and the success behind one is the deterrence factor,” said Northway.

Paris Hilton is not big in Japan. The socialite and entrepreneur was denied entry into the country by immigration officials because of her very fresh conviction for cocaine possession, and flew home to the United States yesterday, the Associated Press reports. She also canceled her appearances in Malaysia and Indonesia, but told reporters she hoped to return soon.

“Paris is very disappointed and fought hard to keep her business commitments and see her fans, but she is forced to postpone her commitments in Asia,” her rep says. “Paris understands and respects the rules and laws of the immigration authorities in Japan and fully wishes to cooperate with them. Paris looks forward to returning in the future to a country she loves and has been coming to for the past 10 years.”
Hilton, who was detained and grilled by immigration officials for hours Tuesday, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor cocaine possession and obstructing a police officer after she and her boyfriend were busted in Las Vegas by a motorcycle cop who smelled marijuana coming from their car.