Category Archives/Archivos de la categoría: Articles

Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act, was approved by a bipartisan vote of 15 to 5 on october 22, 2015. before it can become law, it must pass through the senate, it must pass through the house of representatives and then the president must sign the new law.

There are high hopes that this will happen, but […]

OFAC puts kingpins on the “kingpin list” also known as the “Clinton List” But many people who get on the list are not kingpins—far from it.

Once official word gets around that you are on the list, banks in the U.S. will close your accounts. In fact, banks in other countries may close your accounts as […]

The article below is an excerpt from a New York Post article that was published on November 21, 2015. It was written by Josh Kosman.

A Manhattan federal court judge took prosecutors to task for not helping a US citizen escape an “intolerable” situation in Colombia’s notorious La Picota jail.

Kaleil Isaza Tuzman, a serial entrepreneur charged […]

Emiliano Zapata was an outlaw who came in “guns blazing” at every battle, in every bar, restaurant and house. He had two gun belts and he and his men always went in shooting and yelling “Viva Zapata!” Effectively shooting everything in site.

Recently, there was an article in the New York Times that profiled David Kendall, […]

The Obligations Of A Defense Lawyer To Give You “Effective Assistance”

This article came up as a response to a reader’s suggestion that an office should be established to oversee the performance of lawyers. I don’t think that’s necessary because both defendants who speak up, and judges who are observant can tell a judge all he […]

From a recent New York Times article:

“People who commit violent crimes are not the reason for the exploding federal prison population. Most of the growth has come from drug offenders caught up in absurdly harsh mandatory minimum sentences that bear no relation to the seriousness of their offense. “Mandatory minimums should be reduced or eliminated […]

Good evening:

Mr. Zapp, I would like to ask a question. My case is as follows: I was arrested in a house along with others, and our charges involved a quantity of drugs. My codefendants were sentenced to 72 months. I was charged as an organizer, and got 151 months. My attorney told me that if […]

TTP: Mr. Zapp, it’s been a long time.

David Zapp: It has indeed.

TTP: I’d like to ask you some questions about some past cases that made the news and then ask you about a more recent case.

David Zapp: I’m all ears.

TTP: First off, did you read the article about that huge marijuana distribution ring that was […]

United States v. Anderson, No. 13-4152-CR (2d Cir. Nov. 24, 2013) (Parker, Lynch, and Carney) 

Following a traffic stop of defendant’s car, state troopers arrested defendant’s wife Crystal, a passenger, believing that she had drugs hidden on her person. The troopers brought Crystal to the state police barracks, handcuffed her to a chair, and told her that […]

Jed S. Rakoff, a U.S. District Judge in the Southern District of New York spoke to a Harvard Law School’s conference that examined the responsibilities and roles that lawyers play as professionals and as citizens. This article is taken from what he said. It has been edited, reformatted and added to make it as easy […]

Two things happened this week of note. The United States took on FIFA, an association not particularly known for its U.S. involvement or interest and indicted officials from all over the world. It exercised it jurisdiction because the bribe money was deposited in some cases in U.S. banks. Just that gave the U.S. jurisdiction. It […]

I’ve written about this before but it is worthwhile to do so again to new people know about this golden truth and to remind others in case they have forgotten or been led astray:

“Daniel Richman, a Southern District alumnus who teaches at Columbia Law School, told a reporter, “’When you hear about a former Assistant […]