Prior Conviction Deciding Factor for Man Sent to Jail Before Marriage

The article below discusses a situation involving a man who took money and a vehicle from his fiance in an attempt to get some space two weeks prior to his wedding. The man had been under pressure, had recently found his birth mother, and felt troubled. The Court however, citing the fact that 13 years previously he had been convicted of similar crimes, found him guilty.

The full article follows below.

Groom gets jail time for 'cold feet'

Apr 19, 2011

ACCOMAC -- An Accomack County man described by his attorney as having "cold feet" before his wedding will serve jail time for taking his girlfriend's money and car and trying to flee to Central America just weeks before the planned nuptials.

Gilbert Werner, 33, of Chincoteague pleaded guilty to charges of uttering, grand larceny and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in Accomack Circuit Court.

Defense attorney Patrick Robbins said the man was having "second thoughts" two weeks before the upcoming marriage.

Werner took $500 from his fiancé, forged her checks and used her car in a way that was described as "beyond the scope of her permission."

The car was found in Salisbury where Werner left it. Werner bought an airline ticket out of the country in an attempt to meet his mother in Costa Rica, according to Robbins.

He had been abandoned by her as a child and grew up in an orphanage, Robbins told the court.

On the witness stand, Werner said he was going through a lot.

"I had just found my mother," he said. "I just kind of broke down."

He said his then-girlfriend had forgiven him for what he did. "She still loves and misses me," he said.

Robbins said his client had made restitution and even filed his 2010 tax return from jail, where he has been the past 10 months.

Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Francis Suraci presented evidence that Werner should serve time in jail because he had a criminal record. He was convicted of arson and unlawful wounding when he was 19 years old, Suraci said.

A year later, Suraci said, he served time for grand larceny and unlawful wounding.

"He was good for 13 years," Robbins said. He has been working and making "pretty decent earnings."

Werner was sentenced to nine years in prison with all suspended but 18 months.

Copyright http://www.delmarvanow.com/
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have questions about this posting or are interested in Criminal Defense, Divorce, or Immigration Law in RI contact Rhode Island Criminal Defense Lawyer John E. MacDonald at 401-421-1440.

To learn more about The Law Office of John MacDonald, please visit his website at AggressiveLegalServices.com.

Rhode Island Personal Injury Involving Salmonella Outbreak

RI Criminal Defense Attorney's routinely handle cases involving personal injuries to clients through the negligence of others. The case below involves salmonella poisoning through a breakout stemming from contaminated pastries from a local bakery, death resulting.

Rhode Island Salmonella Outbreak has First Fatality; Sickened At Least 39 Others

Personal Injury Lawyers News
by Nicole Howley

Providence, RI — One person has died as a result of salmonella outbreak that already sickened dozens of people in Rhode Island. The exact source of the outbreak is still under investigation, but authorities reported that those who became sick said they had eaten a zeppole and/or baked good made at Johnston’s DeFusco’s Bakery, reported WPRI.

Just one day after the Rhode Island Health Department reported that at least 33 people were sickened as a result of the salmonella outbreak, the news of the first fatality was received.
By Tuesday afternoon, 39 people were affected and 24 of them were hospitalized with 21 being lab confirmed.

"An individual who died tested positive for salmonella associated with the outbreak," said Health Department spokeswoman Annemarie Beardsworth to WPRI.

The victim was identified as a Providence County man in his 80s. He tested positive for the same strain of salmonella associated with the outbreak, but it was not confirmed that the bacteria was the cause of his death. It is also unknown if the man consumed any pastries from the bakery.
Family members of the victim reported that the man had underlying health conditions when he passed away on March 23.

Health inspectors arrived at DeFusco’s, who closed voluntarily, and found pastry cream stored at unhealthy temperatures and baked shells packed in unsanitary boxes, which could have been possibly exposed to contaminated raw egg.

Beginning Tuesday, March 29, the public can contact HEALTH's Emergency Information Line for further information at 401-222-8022 which will be staffed Mon-Fri from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have questions about this posting or are interested in Criminal Defense, Divorce, or Immigration Law in RI contact Rhode Island Criminal Defense Lawyer John E. MacDonald at 401-421-1440.

To learn more about The Law Office of John MacDonald, please visit his website at AggressiveLegalServices.com.

What is Divorce Mediation and How Does it Work?

Divorce Mediation 

Divorce Mediation is the process of resolving conflicts between divorcing parties without the use of an attorney or the court system. Although it is highly advisable that both parties retain their own attorney, it is only for the purpose of legal advice and counsel, and not for presenting a case against one another.

Most divorcing parties undergo a tremendous amount of emotional stress and pain. This stress is translated into powerful emotions like anger and resentment, making the resolution process more difficult on everyone involved; in particular, any children of the marriage suffer greatly by the inability of their parents to resolve their many differences. In the long, drawn-out, and unresolved divorce conflicts that have become typical of our society, and in our desire to inflict the hurt we are feeling during this process upon our partners, our children tend to be forgotten.

Divorce Mediation offers couples a way to resolve their differences, without the high pressure (or price tag) of attorney involvement, thereby allowing everyone to come to terms with any emotions of anger and resentment and arrive at an agreement that is in the best interest of not only any children involved, but also one another.

Before hiring an attorney to handle your divorce matter, consider speaking with a divorce mediator first to see if there is a low-cost, low stress alternative available to you.
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have questions about this posting or are interested in Criminal Defense, Divorce, or Immigration Law in RI contact Rhode Island Criminal Defense Lawyer John E. MacDonald at 401-421-1440.

To learn more about The Law Office of John MacDonald, please visit his website at AggressiveLegalServices.com.