New Jersey Criminal Defense Blog

A Superior Court judge opted to send a 20-year-old man convicted of sexually assaulting two young boys to an inpatient treatment program instead of handing him down a prison sentence. According to this news report in the New Jersey Star Ledger, Judge John Dangler agreed with Alexander Willadsen’s defense attorney that Willadsen should be sent to a treatment facility instead of getting a 10-year prison sentence, which was recommended by prosecutors.

Dangler reportedly heard testimony from a mental health expert and the head of the treatment facility before coming to a decision. Willadsen reportedly has an I.Q. of 75, just five points above the threshold for mental retardation. He was also sexually assaulted at the age of 11. Willadsen confessed to fondling two young boys over nine months in 2006 when he was 18 and also abused other young boys when he was a juvenile, according to court records. The decision to send Willadsen to a treatment facility was also apparently supported by the victims’ families.

Sometimes in DUI cases, and rarely in sex crime cases, judges will agree to sentence a defendant to spend time at a treatment facility rather than send them to prison. In this case, Judge Dangler must have been convinced that the defendant, victims and the taxpayers of New Jersey will be better served by Willadsen getting help, than making a more hardened criminal of him by sending him to prison for 10 years.

If you or someone you know has been arrested on suspicion of a sex crime, please call experienced New Jersey sex crime attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein for a free consultation and case discussion. We have obtained alternative sentencing for many of our clients. Our goal is to fight for your innocence, to keep you out of prison and to get you the help you need if you truly have a problem that requires professional assistance.

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Two men have been arrested on suspicion of a May 4 murder in Trenton. Patrick McFarlane, 19, and Roderick Armstrong, 20, were arrested in connection with the murder of 44-year-old Richard Mason who was shot and killed at the corner of Kirkbride Avenue and New Willow Street during an alleged robbery, according to this ABC News report. Both McFarlane and Armstrong now face murder, robbery and other charges and each is being held on $500,000 bail.

Of all the violent crime charges in New Jersey, murder is probably the single, most serious crime with the gravest consequences. According to New Jersey state law 2 C: 11-3, a criminal homicide constitutes murder when the person committing the act deliberately “caused death or serious bodily injury resulting in death.” A defendant is charged with murder when prosecutors seek to prove that the defendant “intended to kill” the purported victim.

Murder can be committed by someone acting alone or by two or more people as it is alleged in this case. This incident apparently occurred when a robbery was in progress. The consequences for these violent crimes are extremely serious and could include a lengthy prison sentence, possibly life in prison. A crime sentence usually depends on the nature and severity of a crime. Other mitigating factors are considered at sentencing as well.

Evidence – physical or circumstantial – and the defense are two factors that will probably determine the guilt or innocence of the defendant. It takes an experienced criminal defense attorney to sift through the evidence in a complex murder case. It takes a knowledgeable New Jersey assault crime attorney to build up a strong defense and find loopholes in the prosecution’s case. At Lependorf & Silverstein, we handle each and every case with great care and determination. If you or someone you know is facing criminal charges in New Jersey, please call us today. Your life could depend on it.

Hamilton Township police have arrested a man who they say molested a 12-year-old girl inside a local Acme Supermarket on October 19, 2008. According to a CBS News report, the incident captured on the store’s surveillance camera, happened when the young girl got separated from her mother inside the store. A store employee reportedly saw the man touching the girl’s buttocks and told CBS that clearly “this is a child predator, it was no accidental touching.”

New Jersey sex crime detectives apparently arrested this man, whom they have not yet identified, after examining the grocery store surveillance video and comparing those images to photos on the Megan’s Law sex offender registry. The store’s camera also captured video of the man leaving in a two-tone blue and tan 1990 model minivan, the news report stated.

In any criminal defense, the evidence is a critical element of the case. In this case, the store surveillance video will be treated as the main piece of evidence. Surveillance video has been challenged in many cases, especially those involving robbery, sex crimes or other violent crimes. The most common problem with this type of evidence is mistaken identity.

If you or someone you love has been charged with a sex crime in New Jersey, please call an experienced and knowledgeable criminal defense attorney at Lependorf & Silverstein. We will work hard to make sure and get the best possible result in your case. Call us today to discuss your case and start building your defense.

A Ramsey man was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after he reportedly hit a pole early morning on November 15, 2008 and then left the scene of the accident. According to this news report in the Times of Trenton, 22-year-old Andrew Cronin struck a pole on Franklin Corner Road at Princeton Pike and then left the scene of the crash. Police later located him and took him into custody. Cronin was also taken to an area hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries.

It is illegal in New Jersey to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or above. If you are under the age of 21 it is illegal to drive with any alcohol in your system. If you have been arrested on suspicion of driving with a BAC of 0.08 or higher and have had prior DUI convictions, then you could face stiff penalties and even mandatory jail time. In New Jersey, there are no jury trials for DUI cases. All New Jresey DUI defendants are given the right to a trial before a judge only. The judge usually hears the case, listens to the defendant’s arguments and expert witnesses, and then renders a decision.