A Santa Barbara criminal defense lawyer's commentary on the criminal law, the criminal justice system, Isla Vista, DUI, and a variety of related topics.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Huge win for truth and justice
Yesterday, in a Supreme Court case called People v. McNeal, the California Supreme Court ruled that competent evidence of variability of alcohol vapor in breath to blood alcohol content across the population may be admitted in cases where there is minimal showing of impairment. This has huge ramifications for innocent people. For years I have been telling people the sad story that there is no justice in California for DUI arrestees who happen to produce more alcohol vapor in the breath and were blind to this reality (of course) when they choose the more convenient method of blood alcohol testing: breath (not blood). Driving with any amount of alcohol in your system is to be avoided. However, convicting people 21 and older of misdemeanors who have not actually driven with a .08% BAC or greater, who are not impaired by alcohol, cannot be tolerated. At long last the Supreme Court is on board. Kudos to the brilliant lawyers who brought about this change!
Labels:
alcohol,
breath partition,
DUI,
McNeal,
supreme court
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