Georgia Criminal Defense Blog

Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest pleaded no contest Thursday to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge stemming from a March 5 dispute with his wife, the latest in a string of off-court problems, according to an Associated Press news report posted on the ESPN website.

A judge sentenced the NBA player to 100 hours of community service and a 10-day work project. Artest was also ordered to pay a $600 fine and get extensive counseling, including a year-long violence treatment program. He is also to attend a parenting class about the effects of domestic violence on children. The judge modified the restraining order that has kept Artest away from his wife, Kimsha and their three children since last month’s incident at their $1.9 million mansion in Loomis, which is 25 miles north of Sacramento.

According to the change, Artest will be allowed to have “peaceful contact” with his wife and resume unrestricted contact with his children. The judge also said that Kimsha Artest had requested through her attorney that all restrictions on their contact be lifted.

Artest was accused of grabbing, pushing and slapping his wife during an argument. He also reportedly prevented her from calling 911. The couple’s 3-year-old daughter was home at the time. Artest was charged with corporal injury to a spouse, battery, false imprisonment and dissuading a witness from reporting a crime -- all misdemeanors. He pleaded no contest to the first charge, while the others were dismissed, although they could be brought back if he violates the terms of his three-year probation.

Artest’s attorneys told reporters that he was “in heaven” to be reunited with his kids.

Continue reading "NBA Star Artest Sentenced in Domestic Violence Case" »

Posted by Conaway & Strickler, PC | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Domestic Violence

Bookmark:

Pembroke City Councilman Elijah Lewis Jr., 60, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving early morning on April 29, according to a news report in The Augusta Chronicle.

The newspaper reported that it was the city official’s fourth arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence and his second in the last two years. At about 1:30 Sunday morning, Pembroke Police Officer William Kile said he saw a 1990 Lincoln Town Car traveling 26 mph in a 45 mph zone on U.S. Highway 280. Officer Kile said he stopped the vehicle after it crossed the centerline twice.

The officer also said in his police report that he saw an open 12-pack of beer in the car and detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from Lewis. The councilman was arrested after he failed four field-sobriety tests, according to the police report. Lewis was taken to the Bryan County Sheriff's Office, where one blood alcohol test resulted in a reading of .16 and a second test read .15, the article said. A reading of .08 or higher automatically results in a DUI charge in the state of Georgia.

In Georgia, persons arrested for DUI will be subject to additional criminal law punishments including jail time, fines, and community service. Usually, first-time DUI offenders can expect to incur a fine and face probation or the possibility of jail time.

But repeat DUI offenders, such as Councilman Lewis will incur harsher fines, and will almost certainly be sentenced to a number of days in jail. Fortunately for Mr. Lewis, he was not involved in an accident in this case. Penalties would be harsher if the DUI offender was involved in an accident in which someone else was injured or killed. In such cases, charges will be elevated from misdemeanors to felonies.

Continue reading "City Councilman Arrested on DUI Charge" »

Posted by Conaway & Strickler, PC | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: DUI Defense

Bookmark: