Drug Crimes

Dallas Drug Crimes

Drug crimes often involve violence and death. On July 29, 2011, a 24 year old Dallas man was killed in what police believe was a robbery attempt related to drugs. Officials stated that there was obvious drug activity at the scene of the crime. This case may ultimately involve the following charges:

• Illegal possession of drugs
• Drug trafficking
• Murder
• The use of a firearm in the commission of a crime  
• Robbery
• Other charges may be added as the investigation continues.

In a case like this involving drugs and murder, the legal knowledge and skills of an experienced, confident and sophisticated criminal defense attorney is essential in order to obtain the best results possible. Sometimes an individual is present or near the scene of a crime and he or she is charged despite their innocence and complete lack of involvement. If you have been charged with a drug crime or other crime in the Dallas area, please call our law office for a free consultation. This will give you the opportunity to obtain the perspective of a highly skilled Dallas criminal defense lawyer who can help you understand exactly what you are facing.

How to Behave if You Have Been Stopped by Police

If you are stopped by a police officer for a potential drug search, or for any other reason, remember these points:

• Be polite - address the officer as “Sir,”“Officer,” “Ma’am” or by name, e.g., “Officer Smith”
• Do NOT address the officer as “Man,” “Bro” or “Dude”
• Be aware of your tone of voice: a respectful, attentive, sincere, calm tone of voice is almost always best
• Do NOT raise your voice, argue or interrupt the officer – they have a need to show their dominance in all situations. Part of this is because they do need to protect themselves from possible harm from the detainee(s)
• If you are stopped while driving a car, do NOT make any fast, sudden moves, such as reaching into the glove compartment or under the seat for your driver’s license – this may be misconstrued as an attempt to reach for a weapon. If it seems appropriate, you may want to ask permission first
• If you are playing music, turn it off so that you can hear and be heard

These are all common sense ideas. If you behave in a “normal” manner you will usually experience better results than if you behave in an arrogant or disrespectful manner.

Dallas Drug Crimes: Incarceration in Prisons and Jails

The U.S. incarcerates about 2.4 million people. If this incredibly large number of people were together in one state, the total population would be closest in number to Nevada and New Mexico, and in fact would create the 36th largest state! No other country incarcerates as many people as the U.S.: the closest is China, which incarcerates 1.6 million people – although their population is 4 times larger than the U.S., with 1.3 billion people. Despite the wonderful freedoms that Americans enjoy in the “land of opportunity,” the Texas and federal criminal justice system is a maze of police, prosecutors, jails, offices and penitentiaries.

Huge numbers of junior high school, high school and college students experiment with drugs, in Dallas and throughout the country. If your son or daughter – or any other young adult or adult - has been arrested in Dallas for a state or federal drug crime, please take action immediately and obtain the legal counsel you need to help you through the maze known as the criminal justice system. Help is available. We offer a free, confidential consultation to help you evaluate your case. Please do call us now.

Drug Court as an Alternative to Incarceration

Thankfully, in Dallas and throughout Texas there is an alternative to incarceration: drug court. Drug court is a relatively new innovation yet now is implemented throughout the country:

• There are presently over 2450 drug courts in the U.S.
• Drug courts are implemented in every state in the U.S.
• Drug courts are in experimental stages in other countries
• Drug courts originated in Miami, Fl in 1989 to treat crack cocaine addicts
• Approximately 120,000 defendants are treated in drug courts in the U.S. annually

In Dallas and elsewhere in Texas, drug offenders and alcohol offenders are treated in a combined DWI/Drug Court Program. Some of the benefits may be similar:

• Defendant must plead guilty to maximum probation conditions of offense, usually 1 year confinement and $4,000 fine are probated for 2 years during the program
• Community service requirements are waived
• Driver’s license suspended for minimum time, and
• Occupational driver’s license granted