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Appeal of Bulger conviction
"The
argument holds water meaning it's a valid argument on appeal and
that's obviously why the Appeals Court feels it's something that
they have to hear and entertain. Whether they're going to determine
that based on the evidence on the record in the lower court --
which is the Trial Court, District Court -- whether the evidence
bears that out is another story."
MBA President Marsha V.
Kazarosian, WBZ NewsRadio 1030, July 27
Kazarosian was interviewed by WBZ NewsRadio 1030 on a hearing
held Monday in which lawyers for James "Whitey" Bulger asked the
federal First Circuit Court of Appeals to grant Bulger a new trial
because he was not allowed to testify and present an immunity
defense at his 2013 racketeering trial. Bulger was convicted of
murder in his first trial and received two life sentences.
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Drivers license suspension for drug
offenders
"We feel that a penalty for a particular offense ought to be
tied into the action of the offense. Taking away someone's ability
to earn a living and provide for their family may not be the
smartest way forward in fighting drug addiction or drug usage. It
doesn't make sense to further penalize folks for certain behavior
that has nothing to do with operation of a motor vehicle."
MBA Chief Legal Counsel and
Chief Operating Officer Martin W. Healy, The Republican/MassLive.com, July
23
Healy was quoted in a story about two bills (H.3039 and S.1812)
which seek to remove automatic drivers license suspension in cases
when a drug offense is not related to a motor vehicle. Currently,
anyone convicted of a drug offense in Massachusetts receives up to
a five-year suspension of their drivers license and a $500
fine.
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Smartphone privacy in Brady
suspension
"Smartphones are something that we've never had in
history before where your entire life is on a smartphone--your
financial records, your personal photographs, your private,
romantic communications. Every inch of your life is on that
smartphone."
MBA Criminal Justice
Section Vice Chair Peter Elikann, NECN, July 29
Elikann was interviewed by New England Cable News on the issue
of smartphone privacy in light of the NFL's suspension of New
Enlgand Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. The NFL upheld Brady's
four-game suspension earlier this week after hearing his appeal.
The case is now expected to head to federal court.
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Of note:
- MBA President Marsha Kazarosian was quoted in a July 23 Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly article
about the Supreme Judicial Court's ruling in Wong v. Luu, et
al., which defined the bounds of a judge's fee-sanction power.
Paul E. White, chair of the MBA's Complex Commercial Litigation
Section, was also quoted in the article saying "In the absence of
clear rules, there is a risk of unfairness to a lawyer who might be
subject [to the imposition of fees] by one judge and not
another."