Asheville, North Carolina, Criminal Defense Blog

Because of the many instances of gun violence across the country, it is understandable for people to become upset or frightened when reports of weapons or gunfire arise. Law enforcement may react quickly to minimize the potential for tragedy. This may result in severe charges for anyone involved. One North Carolina man is facing felony charges after a weapons incident inside his wife's place of employment.

The man was formerly employed by a food plant, which is located across the street from an elementary school. During the Friday night shift, the man came to the plant, entered the break room and allegedly fired his gun. No one was struck by the bullet, but one woman was taken to the hospital for injuries suffered while trying to escape in the pandemonium of the evacuation that followed.

One of the first rights the founders of the United States fought for was freedom from police searches that invaded the privacy of citizens and the sanctity of their homes. While laws now protect residents in North Carolina and across the country from illegal search and seizure, many citizens may not have a clear understanding of what law enforcement may and may not do when they want to search someone's home, car or body. In some cases, police may count on a person's lack of knowledge of their rights in order to overstep their boundaries.

Police may conduct a search to look for stolen items or evidence of wrongdoing. However, they may not arbitrarily search without first having a reasonable suspicion that the evidence is present. In some cases, they must detail their suspicions to a judge to obtain a warrant for a search. However, most searches are conducted without a warrant, which is why the subject of a search must be especially protective of his or her rights.

Apparently, the problems involving youths and alcohol are not restricted to North Carolina. In fact, U.S. researchers are looking closely at a recent international study about the consequences of parents offering alcohol to their teens. While many parents may feel they are doing a good thing by providing a safe place for their children to drink, the research does not agree with this well-meaning philosophy.

Health officials in Australia published a report from information gathered after following nearly 2,000 young people for six years. The children were permitted to drink alcohol at home in varying degrees, from sips to full-blown parties. What researchers learned is that the amount of alcohol offered made little difference. Any children whose parents provided them with alcoholic beverages seemed to have a higher risk of problems related to alcohol use.

Underage drinking laws exist because, in most cases, young people may not realize how alcohol affects them. For some who have only been driving legally for a few years, alcohol adds an element of danger they are not ready to handle. One young man in North Carolina has learned this lesson through tragedy and now faces drunk driving charges.

On the night after Thanksgiving, the 19-year-old man was visiting the home of his 24-year-old friend and the friend's 26-year-old girlfriend. The three allegedly drank numerous malt beverages that the couple purchased. At some point in the evening, the woman went to a nearby liquor store and purchased a bottle of Hennessy, which she reportedly shared with her guest. Just after midnight, the younger man left the house and drove through a residential neighborhood.