Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyer

Methamphetamine continues to be a major problem in Oregon. This highly addictive drug affects not only the addicts, but their families and even our communities. This story from CNN’s Anderson Cooper demonstrates just how heartbreaking this drug can be to the people in our neighborhoods.

Last month William and Tracy Morgan were pulled over when a police officer noticed their children, in the back seat, were not buckled in. What he found was that mother and father were under the influence of meth and had the drugs in the car as well as at the hotel they were staying in with their 5 children.

All 5 children, ages 5 to 10, are now wards of the state while their parents face charges of possession of methamphetamines and multiple charges of endangering the welfare of a minor. What will happen to this particular family is unclear. However, Mr. and Mrs. Morgan will both likely serve some time in jail for their offenses.

This is a single case that represents many across our state. Meth continues to be a problem despite tough criminal penalties. The reason for this is because of its extremely addictive nature. Simply throwing someone in jail will not help them get better. [read more...]

The well-known STOP drug Court of Multnomah County is falling victim to budget crunches that plague the entire country. What separates this court from others, however, was its reputation as one of the first effective alternative drug courts in the country. Officials from across the country and around the world traveled to Multnomah County to see how the court worked.

How it worked was by giving drug addicts a second chance at living a crime free life. People charged with non-violent drug offenses were given an option of completing a probation-like period in order to get their charges thrown out. They pled guilty and then completed the program. If they “graduate” successfully, the case is abandoned.

This is a far cry from regular criminal court where the approach has always been to lock them up and throw away the key. If they were granted probation, they were often only sent a letter to ensure their compliance, according to this Oregonian article. The STOP court really addressed the root of the problem for many offenders, drug addiction. [read more...]

Police forces around the country hire consultant firms to review practices and procedures and give unbiased professional advice on how to improve systems. Portland is just hearing about the newest report from such a consultant firm on their police force.

While this article from the Portland News states the majority of the report from the Independent Police Review was positive, there is always room for improvement and the Portland Police Bureau is no different.

The report pointed out improvements made since the last evaluation, particularly regarding use of force in arrest procedures. Interestingly, many of the shortcomings also are related to use of force, a constant area of problems for forces across the country. [read more...]