California Law Enforcement Using MySpace and Facebook to Find Gang Members
Sites like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace are popular among everyone right about now. Regardless of your socioeconomic class, race, and sometimes even age, you are likely pulled to connect to old friends and make new ones through these massive virtual meeting places.
Police and the courts in the Valley, and across the country, are finding that gang members and people involved in criminal activity are sometimes more forthcoming about their personal lives on these sites than they are when confronted one on one.
According to this report from the LA Daily News, prosecutors are able to use such sites in the public forum to establish a suspect’s involvement in gang activity when they might be reluctant to admit it.
People are more open with showing gang insignias and flashing gang signs when they are under the false impression that what they are doing will only be seen by their friends. They fail to realize the potential repercussion of their actions until it may be too late.
Membership in a gang could be a red flag in a criminal case that a defendant is active in what is considered a criminal lifestyle. This could negatively impact you when it comes time to show your good character to the court and particularly at sentencing time.
Many are under the assumption that what they post on their MySpace or Facebook page is private. However, the Internet is about as public as it gets. Legally, there is no expectation of privacy when it comes to photos and information you post on the net.
Because anyone with a connection could have access to it, the courts view it as part of the public domain and fully admissible in court.
We often don’t realize how the small things in life can come back to haunt us when we are in a difficult situation, like a criminal court case. If you are facing charges of drug distribution, for instance, that photo of you smoking a joint on MySpace certainly won’t help your case at all.
Knowing what you are up against before you head to court is crucial. We need to work together to uncover everything that might be used against you before the prosecution does. When you know where the enemy will attack, you can be prepared with a better defense and defense strategies are our job.
Contact me today if you are facing criminal charges in the California system. Our defense attorney are dedicated to helping clients get fair treatment in court, and the best possible results.
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