Civil Rights

Police Misconduct

It is an unfortunate fact that each year people are wrongly prosecuted for crimes they never committed. Sometimes, detectives, police officers, and other law enforcement agents go overboard andd commit acts of misconduct. They believe that a citizen is guilty before they have all the facts. Their belief drives them to get a conviction. They push witnesses to give statements, even if the statements are not entirely true. They take the prosecution personally. And in the end, they sometimes convict the innocent.

Every American citizen is unique in the whole world, because they enjoy the benefits of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Those benefits include the right to free speech, the right to keep and bear arms, the right to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures, the right to be silent, the right to have a lawyer, the right to due process of law, the right to equal protection of the law, and the right to be free of cruel and unusual punishment.

Abuse of Process

Has someone you know been sued by the government or another citizen for a bogus reason? Have you been sued or charged with a crime because someone at a police department or government agency had a vendetta or an ulterior purpose?

If your answer to any of the above is yes, then you absolutely must speak with a lawyer now to find out whether an abuse of process case exists.

Wrongful Imprisonment Explained

Is someone you know serving time for a crime they did not commit? Are they waiting for the day when they might be exonerated? Has someone close to you been put in jail by the authorities under questionable circumstances?

False Imprisonment Explained – Employer, Security Guard, Police

Has your employer held you or a friend in a store room or office for little or no reason? Has a bouncer at a bar done something like that to you or a friend or relative? Has a police officer kept you or a family member or friend in jail just because he could?

Unreasonable Force, Excessive Force, Police Brutality

Has someone you know complained that an officer treated them violently or physically abused them in uniform? Have you or someone close to you been put in the hospital by the authorities under questionable circumstances? Or do you know a family member, neighbor, or friend who was shot and killed by the police without there being a clear reason why?

Wrongful Imprisonment - Jailed And Held Beyond Release Date

Is someone you know serving time in jail and being held beyond their release date? Has the time passed when everyone thought they’d be coming home?

If you answered yes to any of the above, then you need to consult with a lawyer to find out whether a false imprisonment or wrongful imprisonment case exists. These cases require the kind of effort, knowledge, and skill that The DiCello Law Firm provides. Read on to learn about what it means to be illegally imprisoned.

Firearms Misuse And Wrongful Shooting

Have you or someone you know suffered the tragic loss of a loved one due to a police officer’s bullet? Is someone you know recuperating in a hospital after the police mistook them for a criminal? Did a friend call the police or emergency medical team or fire department in their city, only to find that the rescuers became the attackers?

Excessive Force – True Story, Diabetic School Teacher Abused By Police

On September 2, 2004, the life of an Ohio grade school teacher was changed forever when he became the victim of police brutality, excessive force, and a violation of his Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures.

Arrest, Search And Seizure – Basics of The Fourth Amendment In Plain English: Part 1

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

With these fifty-four words, the Founding Fathers of our great Nation gave us the Fourth Amendment. This important part of the Constitution is one of the very best aspects of American law.

Arrest, Search And Seizure – Basics of The Fourth Amendment In Plain English: Part 2

In the prior installment of this multi-part series, we looked at the basics of the Fourth Amendment. We learned that an officer must have a warrant and/or probable cause to arrest a citizen in order for the arrest to be lawful. We now look at situations where an officer is excused from getting a warrant. Here’s a general overview:

Explaining Who Pays a Civil Rights Suit

After successfully representing a client whose family member suffered extreme violence at the hands of the police, I was approached by a family friend who asked why I would sue a police officer, putting at risk the finances of the officer and the entire city.

“That’s not what happens,” I explained.