Can You Just Take a Polygraph Test to Clear Your Name in NYC?
By Neil Ruskin |
When you’re under arrest and innocent, you may be desperate to prove it. This desperation can lead you to make mistakes. For example, a police officer may offer you the chance to take a polygraph test to prove your innocence. You may leap at the opportunity to do just that. Yet your answer should be…
Read More What is the Crime of Menacing in Brooklyn, NY?
By Neil Ruskin |
New York Penal Code § 120.14, New York Penal Code § 120.15, and New York Penal Code § 120.13 define the crime known as menacing. The crime describes several threatening or stalker-like behaviors which indicate you might be a threat to the victim. Menacing in the first degree is a felony. Menacing in the second…
Read More Understanding the Classes of New York Felony Charges
By Neil Ruskin |
New York has five classes of felony. It is important to understand each class so you can understand the full severity of whatever crime you’re being charged with. The felonies are lettered: E through A. E is the least serious class of felony, and A is the most serious class. Here’s what you need to…
Read More What to Consider When Contemplating a Plea Bargain in New York
By Neil Ruskin |
While a plea bargain should not necessarily be your front line strategy when accused of a criminal case, there are times when it’s going to be your best option. Here are some times when it might be a good idea to take a plea bargain from a New York criminal prosecutor. Deferred Prosecution Agreement A…
Read More What is a Vacated Conviction in a New York Criminal Case
By Neil Ruskin |
If you kept up with the hit podcast Serial some years ago then you’re familiar with Adnan Syed, accused of killing his girlfriend Hae Min Lee when he was just 17 years ago. Now, at 41, he is out of prison thanks to a prosecutor’s request to vacate his conviction. Adnan’s case was in Baltimore,…
Read More What is a Hate Crime in Brooklyn, NY?
By Neil Ruskin |
A recent report stated that hate crimes are up 76% here in the Brooklyn area, as well as in the rest of New York City. Hate crimes are covered by New York Penal Code 486.05. According to the code, a person commits a hate crime when: They intentionally select a target in whole or in…
Read More Will an Ankle Bracelet Be an Option in Your Brooklyn Criminal Case?
By Neil Ruskin |
An electronic monitoring device isn’t exactly freedom—if you’re fitted for one, you’ll live under certain restrictions. It is, nevertheless, better than jail. And New York does use them. Here’s what you need to know about how New York uses electronic monitoring, when it is used, and whether it will be a viable alternative to jail…
Read More Supreme Court Limits the Court’s Ability to Enforce Miranda Rights
By Neil Ruskin |
When you are arrested, you are supposed to receive a Miranda warning. This was established in 1966 in the case Miranda v. Arizona. The words are familiar to anyone who has watched any cop dramas at all. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in…
Read More How to Avoid a Resisting Arrest Charge in Brooklyn, NY
By Neil Ruskin |
A resisting arrest charge can make a bad situation even worse. It can be added onto additional charges, or can hover even when all your other charges are dropped and dismissed. You can also be charged with Obstructing Governmental Administration Defense, or OAG, which is very similar. Worse, there are times when police officers slap…
Read More How to Exercise Your 5th Amendment Rights After Getting Arrested in Brooklyn, NY
By Neil Ruskin |
Every day, NYPD arrests people for all manner of crimes here in Brooklyn. And many don’t know that what you do or don’t do after your arrest can make a big difference to how your case progresses. It is vital that you understand your rights and how to exercise them. Don’t wait for a Miranda…
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Neil S. Ruskin
16 Court Street, Suite 2000
Brooklyn, NY 11241
Local: (718) 237-1547
Fax: 718-875-4011
