Dustin Sean White’s shooting death Saturday night has given new life to discussions on reestablishing a teen curfew in Tampa to help stem violence among our areas teenage population (read more here). Dustin had just finished his junior year at Land O’ Lakes High School and was gathered with a group of friends at the Lake Padgett Estates clubhouse following a party where he was gunned down shortly after 2:00 a.m. If you were unaware, Tampa once had a curfew in the late 90’s for teens but the curfew law was struck down by the Florida Supreme Court in 2004.
The curfew discussion seems to be rather pointless considering Pasco has a county ordinance that restricts teens under 18 from being out between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays and between midnight and 6 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. That county ordinance seems to have had little effect on saving Dustin’s life. Hillsborough County does not have a curfew but police are on the lookout for minors out on the streets during late night hours.
If you or a loved one has been accused of a crime please contact Darren Finebloom at 1800-FIGHT-IT or online at www.fightyourcase.com.
Monthly Archives: June 2009
Oklahoma Judge May be Forced to Resign!
A Judge in Oklahoma is coming under intense scrutiny for sentencing a convicted child rapist to less than one year in jail. (See article) What the article fails to address is that the District Attorney in the case is the one who agreed to this deal. Often times sexual assault cases are difficult to prove and the added trauma of putting the young victim through a trial results in a compromise.
The Attorney General’s Office is looking into the facts of this case to determine if there was any wrongdoing on the part of the Judge or the District Attorney in this case. The Attorney General Drew Edmondson who is running for Governor was extremely upset with the sentence. Drew Edomondson said he is disturbed by the “lenient” deal struck last month with Earls, who pleaded no contest to raping and sodomizing the girl, then 4 years old.
If you or a loved one has been accused of a crime please do not hesitate to contact Darren Finebloom at www.fightyourcase.com.