by Michelle Sparrow | Apr 27, 2012 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Law Blog
A federal court has sanctioned Merck & Co. Inc. with a $321.6 million fine for its improper off-label marketing of its drug Vioxx. This fine settles criminal charges and will be shared by the federal government and 44 states, including North Carolina. The... by Michelle Sparrow | Apr 23, 2012 | Criminal Law Blog, Homicide
North Carolina’s Racial Justice Act has done for one inmate just what it was designed to do: A 38-year-old African American inmate is no longer sentenced to death. Because a judge ruled that racial bias played a role in the trial and sentencing of the man, his... by Michelle Sparrow | Apr 20, 2012 | Criminal Law Blog, Drunk Driving
The results of a drunk driving accident are never good. But when such an accident results in the loss of a life it’s truly a tragedy. This was the case in 1996 when a North Carolina man killed two people while driving. He had been drinking alcohol and was taking... by Michelle Sparrow | Apr 17, 2012 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Law Blog
The parents of a 31-year-old Durham man are not giving up on a dispute with the Raleigh Police Department. They believe their son is a “marked man,” even though the two misdemeanor charges against him have been dismissed. The family filed complaints with... by Michelle Sparrow | Apr 14, 2012 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Law Blog
An arrest for a minor offense is usually handled quickly. Most of the 700,000 arrests on nonviolent, non-drug-related criminal charges every year go right to a judge, and the suspects are released immediately. If a judge is not available, though, the suspects are held...