Florida Criminal Lawyer Blog

A 19-year-old man who was recently arrested and charged as a suspect in a robbery case had the charges dropped after his criminal defense lawyer presented his Facebook profile as his alibi.

The robbery suspect had typed an updated on October 17 at 11:49am, which was the same time as the crime he was accused of. The district attorney subpoenaed Faceboo to verify that the update had been at the suspect's father's home in Harlem. Once Facebook confirmed that detail, the robbery charges were dropped.

This is apparently the first time that a Facebook page has been used an alibi; however, social networking sites have been used as prosecutorial evidence. In one burglary case, the alleged burglar checked his Facebook page and left it open, leading police to the suspect. Social networking sites are also sometimes used in civil cases; for instance, to prove cheating in a divorce case.

Source: His Facebook Status Now? ‘Charges Dropped’, New York Times, November 11, 2009

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The South Florida Sun Sentinel recently published an article about protecting yourself from armed robbery. Most strong-arm robberies (muggings, hold-ups) occur at night and to male victims, although women are a common target for purse snatching.

The safest way to avoid an armed robbery is to avoid going out after dark. But since traveling at night is sometimes inevitable, our South Florida criminal defense lawyers wanted to share these tips from the article:
-Don't carry a weapon that could be used against you.
-Don't take shortcuts through deserted areas like parks or vacant lots.
-Travel in groups! An armed robber will generally target an individual traveling alone rather than a group of two or more people.
-Don't accept rides from strangers.
-Always try to park in well-lit areas and be cautious entering or exiting your vehicle.

If you are confronted, then follow these steps:
-Give the criminal what he asks for. Your wallet, keys, jewelry, or credit cards can all be replaced. You can't.
-Don't make any sudden movements. The robber might feel threatened if he thinks you are reaching for a concealed weapon.
-Contact police as soon as possible.

How to protect yourself from armed robbery, South Florida Sun Sentinel, September 24, 2009

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The Miami New Times reports that store clerks in South Florida have been fighting back against armed robbers. An incident on July 20 at a Honduran grocery store in Miami involved a 20-year-old who held customers and a manager at gunpoint, demanding the contents of the cash register and cartons of cigarettes.

A 24-year-old manager pulled a .38 on the would-be robber, who sustained a bullet to the chest as he ran away. A few steps beyond the store, he flopped onto the wet asphalt and died in what police called a "justifiable homicide." Governor Jeb Bush's 2005 "Stand Your Ground" law backs up that ruling by extending legal protection to victims of violent crime who shoot at their aggressors before trying to make peace.

A few more examples of store clerks turned vigilantes: In 2007, a clerk at a Super Stop in Pembroke Pines pulled a handgun on two armed robbers and killed one. The following month, a clerk at OG'c Corner Urban Wear in Oakland Park shot a 17-year-old robber. The list goes on, but this certainly represents an interesting new trend in South Florida crime.

South Florida Store Clerks Go Vigilante, Miami New Times, August 4, 2009

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