State Attorney General
State Attorney General: When You’re Facing Criminal Charges, State AG Can Help When You’re Facing Criminal Charges, State AG Can Help
Have you been arrested on a criminal charge? Do you want to know how you should go about clearing your name of all charges? If so, State AG can point you in the right direction. Criminal laws vary state by state, so the consequences of your legal troubles will vary depending on where you live in the U.S. With that being said, you can utilize our database by clicking on the state that you are interested in seeing legal information about.
You can find out what the legal penalties are for the crime you’ve been charged with, find a lawyer through our attorney directory, learn all about tort laws and how to bring a claim against someone who harmed you, and find all sorts of other legal information you need. Learn More About Criminal Laws in Your State
When you’ve just been charged with a crime, or if you are having a legal issue of any kind, State AG is here to help. The state’s attorney general is responsible for overseeing state laws and representing the state in all legal issues. With that in mind, you can think of State AG as your virtual guide for general attorney information. Our goal is to provide information and resources regarding different areas where individuals like you have struggled with a legal dispute. Whether you’ve been involved in a serious car accident or have been charged with a crime and are looking for information on what you should do next, State AG is here to help. What State AG Is All About Dealing with the legal system in any way can be not only confusing, but also burdensome, as it is sure to interfere with your everyday life. We hope to ease your mind by providing you with the resources and answers you’ve been looking for. If you need contact information for local law enforcement and court houses, you can check out our resources. If you are interested in learning more about a high-profile legal battle you heard about, we’ve got it covered. State AG strives to provide you with numerous legal resources and information at your disposal. Here Are Some Topics You’ll Find on State AG At State AG our purpose is to provide informational resources for numerous areas of law including the following:
Motor vehicle accidents
Divorce Workers compensation Whistleblowing Child custody and support Social security disability Employment discrimination Tax law Bankruptcy Surrogacy Criminal charges Maritime injuries Defective products Spousal support Stockbroker misconduct Premises liability
Justice for Delores & Alicia: Executing Bill J. Benefiel The death penalty is a controversial topic across the United States, but for states that do allow for capital punishment, executions continue to occur. Some would argue that these executions are both necessary and a form of justice—as would be the case for the execution of Bill J. Benefiel. Benefiel was sentenced to death on November 3, 1988, for the murder of Delores Wells. But there is more to the story than what happened to Delores in the Benefiel house of horrors. The Horrors of Benefiel House Terre Haute, Indiana: Alicia Elmore, a 17-year-old high school senior, was kidnapped only two blocks from her home by Benefiel. He held her captive for approximately four months where he continually raped and sodomized her, beat her, chained her to a bed, and super-glued her eyelids shut. A little over three months into her captivity, she discovered Delores Wells, a 19year-old girl who, as it turns out, had also been kidnapped by Benefiel and held
captive for 12 days before killing her. Benefiel killed Delores after beating and raping her by inserting super glue into her nostrils. He pinched her nostrils shut and she later died of asphyxiation. He was represented by a defense attorney (such as this criminal defense lawyer in Nashville) and used a not guilty by reason of insanity defense, which was not successful as the jury found him both competent and guilty of the murder of Delores Wells and sentenced him to death. Death by Lethal Injection Benefiel was executed on April 21st, 2005, at 12:35am by lethal injection. He spent the day watching television and was visited only by his attorney. His final meal consisted of four pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, a large pizza, an Italian beef sandwich, twelve cans of soda, and an apple pie. As a death row inmate of Indiana State Prison, he was asked if he had any final words, to which he replied, “No, let’s get this over with. Let’s do it.” Dolores Well’s mother, Marge Hagan, went to the prison for the execution but was not there to witness it. Hagan said, “He was there for her last breath, and I want to be there for his. I want to be as close as I can and know for sure this monster is gone and he will never, ever again hurt anyone else ever again.”
New York Marijuana Laws As marijuana reform continues to happen across the United States, despite the fact that marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, New York State has taken steps to make marijuana available to those who are interested in using it for medicinal and recreational uses in recent years.
Continue reading to learn more about New York’s medical marijuana laws and the most recent decriminalization if marijuana possession that was put into effect in the summer months of 2019.
Medical Marijuana Laws in NY For nearly five years, New York has been a place where patients with serious medical conditions could legally consume and purchase marijuana products.
However, the ability to actually go to a medical marijuana dispensary in NY wasn’t a possibility until more than 18 months later. These days, if a patient has been prescribed medical marijuana, they can go to any medical marijuana dispensary to purchase various types of marijuana products without any legal ramifications. It should be noted that New York medical marijuana laws prohibit marijuana users to consume their marijuana products through smoking. 2019 Decriminalization and Recreational Use Though the state made efforts to make weed legal for recreational use in 2019, they were not successful. The state was able to decriminalize the possession of marijuana and is on track to legalize marijuana entirely in the coming years, though. Lawmakers have discussed age requirements (21 years +) for the purchase of recreational marijuana and have stated that once marijuana is legalized, users will need to adhere to the same non-smoking policies as those who smoke cigarettes. This means they will not be able to smoke in public places without facing a fine. When marijuana became officially decriminalized in June 2019, anyone in possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana can only be fined, but not arrested for possession. As part of the law, all minor marijuana convictions, meaning those that consist of individuals convicted of having 25 grams or less of marijuana on their person, have since been immediately expunged. This means that those whose criminal records have previously reflected criminal convictions will no longer have this looming over them when they consent to a background check. New York still has a long way to go when it comes to marijuana reform, but with legislators listening to what the people want, backed with scientific evidence of the benefits of marijuana use for select individuals, it is only a matter of time before New York legalizes marijuana for recreational use as well.
Penalties for Drug Crimes in Illinois Being arrested and charged with a crime involving drugs can have a lasting impact on your life, no matter what drug is involved or where you live in the U.S. However, with a number of states decriminalizing marijuana, and even psychoactive mushrooms in some cities, it is easy to be confused in some instances with what the penalties for a drug crime are, especially considering the fact that these previously mentioned drugs and countless others are still federally recognized as being illegal.
After receiving several write-in requests from Illinois residents, we’re going to go over the consequences of a drug crime conviction in Illinois, specifically so these individuals, and anyone else in the area, can have a better understanding of what penalties are associated with Illinois drug crimes. Misdemeanors Illinois has some of the most strict laws when it comes to drug crimes, and most types of drug crimes are considered felonies, as opposed to misdemeanors. Generally speaking, if you have been charged with a misdemeanor drug crime, it most likely has to do with marijuana possession. First time offenders in possession of less than 30 grams of weed will face a maximum of one year in jail and fines of up to $2,500, a class A misdemeanor. Those with less than 10 grams in their possession will be subject to six months in jail and fines not to exceed $1,500, class B or C misdemeanors. Every other type of possession charge that involves another drug is considered a felony. Felonies
The sale, manufacture, or cultivation of any drug is subject to a felony charge. Often, “the type of drug, whether you were selling it, trafficking it, or growing it, and how much is on your person will all have an impact on which class of felony you’ll be charged with,” says one Chicago drug lawyer. For example, the intent to “traffic” even as little as one gram of cocaine could result in a Class 1 felony charge, which is punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison, and fines of as much as $25,000. Life After Conviction In addition to dealing with the legal consequences that come with a drug crime conviction, you’ll also have to deal with the impact the conviction has had on your life. Many convicted felons are unable to find a good job, affordable housing, or be approved for student loans, not to mention the damage that was likely done to your personal and professional reputation. In any case, understanding the devastating effects a drug crime conviction can have on your life should give you pause if you have a relationship with drugs, in any type of way.
The Brooklyn “Dollar Van” High Speed Chase A December 2018 police chase in Brooklyn has since gone viral after video footage in the so-called “dollar van” was shared by passengers. Dollar vans will typically operate illegally in NYC, but in some cases, they are regulated by the city. Interestingly, in this case, it is unknown whether this particular dollar van is illegitimate.
Passengers traveling on the van began panicking after the driver ran a red light and almost hit a pedestrian, right in front of a New York City sheriff’s deputy! There were several elderly passengers on the van, as well as an infant that was being cradled by her mother throughout the chase. The dollar van proceeded to
make wild turns, nearly hitting a parked red car while traveling the wrong way down a one way street. But, the story gets even more interesting. Eventually, when the man pulled over, he hopped out of the van and took off running. As police continued after him on foot, a passenger in the dollar van saw an opportunity to grab a large wad of cash that was, presumably, the driver’s. She then is seen on the video giving one passenger some of the money while another pleads with her to leave the money alone. She then claims that she knows the driver and he is her brother. Despite the high speed chase and pursuit of the suspect on foot, the police have so far been unable to apprehend him, close to six months later. One traffic ticket attorney in NYC said, “If he is caught, he will surely face criminal charges for his actions including possible jail time, have his license suspended or revoked, and face other severe legal ramifications.” It doesn’t appear that the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and he did not communicate with the passengers pleading with him to slow down and pull over. The lack of information about this case, considering all of its unique elements, is intriguing. Why is the status of the dollar van’s regulation still being called into question? Did the woman taking the money actually know the driver, and as her brother? Was she brought in for questioning? What happened to the van itself? And most importantly, who is this mysterious, dangerous driver? The answers to these questions should be carefully investigated in order to determine this individual’s identity so he can be apprehended.