Florida Lawyer

April 30, 2012in Florida Criminal Law, Florida Lawyer

Drunken grandparents tow 7-year-old behind their SUV

A pair of grandparents are accused of drunkenly towing their 7-year-old granddaughter in a toy Hot Wheels car hitched to their SUV with two dog leashes.

Deputies charged on Sunday Paul J. Berloni, 49, with DUI and Belinda Jean Berloni, 47, with child endangerment, according to a report by heraldtribune.com.

Paul Berloni told Sarasota County deputies that his driver’s license was revoked and that he had been drinking.

Belinda Berloni, also reportedly intoxicated, said “that she understood that it was dangerous to drag a child behind the vehicle but stated they were just having fun and had been doing this all day.”

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/30/2775463/drunken-grandparents-tow-7-year.html#storylink=cpy

April 27, 2012in Florida Criminal Law, Florida Lawyer

Zimmerman’s lawyer: Donations to website totaled $200,000

The defense lawyer for George Zimmerman said Thursday night that his client had received about $200,000 through donations to his website.

Zimmerman, a 28-year-old neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford, near Orlando, fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin of Miami Gardens on Feb. 26, after confronting the teen, whom he believed to be suspicious. Trayvon was not armed.

Sanford police cited Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” self-defense law in not initially charging Zimmerman with killing Trayvon. Angela Corey, a special prosecutor appointed by Gov. Rick Scott, earlier this month charged Zimmerman with second-degree murder.

Thursday night, Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that at first he had been told that Zimmerman had two accounts: one with $700, another with about $2,000.

But while trying to shut down all of Zimmerman’s Internet presence, his client asked him what to do with his PayPal accounts.

Days before Corey filed her charges, a website called TheRealGeorgeZimmerman.com sprang up. The website, since removed, said visitors could use a PayPal link to donate money to Zimmerman.

O’Mara told Cooper that the account contained $200,000 and $204,000.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/26/2770539/zimmermans-lawyer-donations-to.html#storylink=cpy

April 24, 2012in Florida Criminal Law, Florida Lawyer

Sanford’s city commission refuses police chief’s resignation

The Sanford City Commission refused to accept the resignation of its embattled police chief Monday, saying the law enforcement leader has a spotless record and deserves more time for the city to determine whether he bungled the Trayvon Martin probe.

A month after handing down a no-confidence vote against Chief Bill Lee, the same commission voted 3-2 to keep him on. Lee took a paid leave of absence last month after coming under fire for his handling of the investigation into Trayvon’s killing.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/23/2763913/sanfords-city-commission-will.html

April 23, 2012in Florida Criminal Law, Florida Lawyer

Miami Beach police officer finds burglars in his South Miami home

A band of burglars messed with the wrong South Miami homeowner on Monday morning.

An off-duty Miami Beach police officer returned to his home from work to find a parked burgundy van, said South Miami police Major Rene Landa.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/23/2763735/school-on-lock-down-near-south.html#storylink=cpy

April 17, 2012in Florida Criminal Law, Florida Lawyer

Pregnant store clerk roughed up by robbers as 6-year-old daughter watches

All 6-year-old Trina Khondaker could do was wave her hands and pleaded with the robbers as her pregnant mom was beaten up at work.

On Monday, Deangelo Joyce, 16, along with two other men who are at large, entered Quicke Food Mart in Northeast Miami and demanded cash from store clerk Murshiva Khondaker.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/17/2753355/pregnant-store-clerk-roughed-up.html#storylink=cpy

April 13, 2012in Florida Criminal Law, Florida Lawyer

Prosecutors: George Zimmerman ‘profiled’ Trayvon Martin

Sanford — George Zimmerman went from 45 days of being a hunted man in seclusion to eating Jolly Ranchers and killing time with puzzle books in a 67-square-foot cell.

He’ll be having breakfast at 4 a.m. and getting yard time three hours a week.

A man who seven weeks ago studied criminal justice and dreamed of becoming a cop is jailed without bond on a second-degree murder charge, accused of profiling and slaying an innocent teenager. He faces the prospect of life in prison.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/12/2745357/prosecutors-zimmerman-profiled.html#storylink=cpy

April 12, 2012in Florida Criminal Law, Florida Lawyer

George Zimmerman in court today; Trayvon Martin’s mother says shooting ‘an accident’

Saying she believed the shooting death of her 17-year-old son was “an accident,’’ Sybrina Fulton revealed on NBC’s Today Show her opinion in the case for the first time Thursday.

“I believe it was an accident,’’ Fulton said. “I believe that it just got out of control, and he couldn’t turn the clock back.’’

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/12/2744193/george-zimmerman-charged-with.html#storylink=cpy

April 11, 2012in Florida Criminal Law, Florida Lawyer

Boat with $2M worth of marijuana comes ashore on Palm Beach; Broward man in custody

Police say they have discovered 80 to 100 bricks of marijuana on board a boat that washed ashore this morning across from the Palm Beach Country Club on the island’s north end.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/crime/palm-beach-police-discover-up-to-2-million-2296345.html

April 11, 2012in Florida Criminal Law, Florida Lawyer

Decision in Trayvon case expected by Friday, as Zimmerman goes AWOL from lawyers.

Zimmerman’s lawyers quit the case, saying they haven’t been in touch with him for two days. Meantime, the special prosecutor said Tuesday evening she will announce a decision within 72 hours.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/10/2741248/george-zimmermans-lawyers-withdraw.html#storylink=cpy

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Melmer Law, LLC prides itself on being readily available at all times for their clients and their families. Please contact us below for more information.

Melmer Law, LLC

Mark P. Melmer, Esq. served as a prosecutor here in Miami-Dade County, handling thousands of cases at both the misdemeanor and felony level. For the last 10 years Mark has devoted his practice to family law and domestic violence issues. This experience and insight makes him a formidable advocate.