You are here:

Crime & Law Enforcement Issues & Death Penalty/Questions Answered by Expert Darrin Bell

SubjectDate Asked
misdemeanor1/10/2012
  Q: I was recently pulled over by undercover narcotics while smoking marijuana in my car in an empty lot ...
  A: alex, sorry for the delay, i have been ill. give me a minute to check on your state laws, but ...
False claims of child abuse.....1/7/2012
  Q: Some good friends of mine are dealing with a false claim of child abuse after a very small scab was ...
  A: todd, as long as the prerequisite signs are there, there is nothing that can be done.....the law ...
Detective/FBI12/4/2011
  Q: I'm a freshmen in college right now, and I'm planning to transfer next year to another college in ...
  A: sergio, i guess a lot would depend on what you want to do with the fbi....criminal justice is a ...
general harassment question11/1/2011
  Q: I've stumbled upon something disturbing in the harassment section of law and had a question. I see ...
  A: Chelsea, if you have the video of them having a gun, you should present this. if the cops wont ...
Parole6/1/2011
  Q: My brother is on parole and this morning the sheriffs department came to my house for a parole ...
  A: tina, this is a hard one without seeing the conditions of his parole, but at face value if they ...
investigation into the death of my sister4/13/2011
  Q: Bell. My sister died back in 07 and it was ruled a suicide. There are many facets of the case that ...
  A: marlys, i truly do understand, i just wanted to make sure i told you to look inside yourself ...
investigation into the death of my sister4/9/2011
  Q: Bell. My sister died back in 07 and it was ruled a suicide. There are many facets of the case that ...
  A: marlys, i feel your frustration, but as far as pursuing an investigation...i would tell you to ...
harrassment by girlfriend's ex8/4/2010
  Q: My daughter has been in a relationship with a wonderful young woman for the past year. Our family, ...
  A: cooper, check your local courthouse, they should have a family or domestic violence section. ...
Fourth Amendment as it applies to admitted drugged driver7/18/2010
  Q: Bell, Hello. My name is Nicole, I have asked questions on AllExperts prior concerning this ...
  A: nicole, sorry for the delay, i forgot to change my status as i was away. for any accident ...
civil injustice?6/21/2010
  Q: situation: two male officers entered a residential home (of a male age 21 and female age 21) to ...
  A: tammi, it really depends on what the warrant was for. as a true believer in officer safety, i ...
Disturbing The Peace And Resisting Arrest5/31/2010
  Q: I am disabled and had an argument with an employee of a business that I have done business with ...
  A: bruce, it is always difficult to forecast worst case scenario, since no one knows what type of ...
I really need help with a second degree agg asult charge5/21/2010
  Q: please im looking for someone that can help me, i was by my cousin house and he's obbsessed with me, ...
  A: tina, you should be able to get help from the public defender if you can get your babys daddy to ...
abuse2/18/2010
  Q: I have recently been to the police to report physical abuse which happened to me by my ex. Over ...
  A: claire, domestic violence does not stop you from being around kids. allegations would prevent ...
4th amendment, search and seizure, government2/17/2010
  Q: i like your professional opinion on the following: 1) Explain why the 4th AMendment applies to ...
  A: rudy, 1. the 4th amendment can only apply to the government because that is who the constitution ...
domestic abuse2/1/2010
  Q: I just recently broke up with my boyfriend of 3 years whom i met when i was 14. I was very naive and ...
  A: liane, you should definitely talk to an officer and to someone from your local domestic violence ...
parole search1/21/2010
  Q: i have a few questions about how it all works my boyfriend is on parole and when he was released ...
  A: alicia, yes, but you have to really ask is it worth it. if your guy is going straight, he may ...
parole search1/20/2010
  Q: i have a few questions about how it all works my boyfriend is on parole and when he was released ...
  A: alicia, call his parole officer. most states require that the parole officer be present. whose ...
false domestic1/16/2010
  Q: 2 years ago, I had a lot of problems and was angry with my husband. I told the police when they came ...
  A: lauren, unfortunately, there is not a lot that you can do, because so many women recant out of ...
PAROLE SWEEP12/22/2009
  Q: Mr. Darrin, I live in Sacramento, CA. My question involves my daughter and her boyfriend who is on ...
  A: anna, i am really sorry that you guys have gone thru this, but if they come back, the parole ...
PAROLE SWEEP12/21/2009
  Q: Mr. Darrin, I live in Sacramento, CA. My question involves my daughter and her boyfriend who is on ...
  A: anna, they can come back to check on the parolee, borderline harassment. if your daughter does ...
PAROLE SWEEP12/19/2009
  Q: Mr. Darrin, I live in Sacramento, CA. My question involves my daughter and her boyfriend who is on ...
  A: anna, the search was half and half. parolees lose a certain amount of privacy and their ...
search warrant11/24/2009
  Q: I live in the state of California & last week had my house raided because the cops think i am ...
  A: anna, it would be great if you could forward me a copy of the warrant that they left. they have ...
time served11/20/2009
  Q: My boyfriend is locked up for a charged that happened in 2007.He went to court on the charge but ...
  A: chatcatie, you should talk to his probation officer to find out the best way to resolve this. ...
Search/Seizure?11/8/2009
  Q: I have a friend who lives in a makeshift "apartment." Actually, the building is a large house owned ...
  A: alex, legally speaking, if there are no contracts, he may have a problem. does he have his own ...
invasion of privacy11/4/2009
  Q: Today US Marshals came and took me out of work to ask me questions about a fugitive uncle. I have no ...
  A: rob, ask your mom if she wants to talk to the marshal. the marshal's don't have the right to ...
invasion of privacy11/3/2009
  Q: Today US Marshals came and took me out of work to ask me questions about a fugitive uncle. I have no ...
  A: rob, do you live with your mother? what are they going to indict your mother for? if they have ...
Ethical Delimma10/12/2009
  Q: You are a prosecutor in a jurisdiction that does not use the grand jury system.An elderly man has ...
  A: harri, look at the intent which is always the means for a crime. does he collect any insurance ...
search and seizure10/6/2009
  Q: When can a police officer strip search you? Can they take you off the street and search you without ...
  A: nikki, they can strip search if there is an emergency, if you consent, if they have a specific ...
self-deffence...10/2/2009
  Q: "Okay, So, I was wondering if a boy between 14-15 committed a murderer in cause of self defense, the ...
  A: mai, that is even more confusing. according to what you now give me. b shoots c, a shoots b ...
domestic violence9/24/2009
  Q: My ex-boyfriend hit me and i did not press charges but the state did, is there anything i can do to ...
  A: christine, in a word, no. this is for your protection. studies show that if he hit you, he will ...
seizure of my computer during probation search9/10/2009
  Q: I'm in Oakland Ca. and have 3 year court probation. I was leaving my residence on bicycle and was ...
  A: Christine, Were you arrested? This is very important. If you were arrested and charged with ...
Self Defense Law8/16/2009
  Q: I am planning to purchase my first handgun for self defense. However, I'm not familiar with the self ...
  A: Jackie, You can always use deadly force to defend yourself, but the force must be real and ...
Rental Furniture Arrest8/3/2009
  Q: I rented furniture(sofa, loveseat) for my relative. She was to make the payments. My credit was ...
  A: darren, ufortunately, you do need a lawyer. unless you can get the furniture back, you are on ...
assault7/24/2009
  Q: I'm writing a novel and need to know police procedure for someone entering a private residence ...
  A: kathy, 1. if the perps are present and there is evidence of an assault, the perps are arrested for ...
threats from drug dealers7/21/2009
  Q: Darrin, I am hoping you can provide some advice. Let me give you some background on the situation. ...
  A: pam, without knowing where you are, it is hard to qualify my answer. basically, you have to know ...
Crime Prevention Theories7/5/2009
  Q: Good evening Sir I was asked what steps would I take to control crime in the US. Although it ...
  A: olivia, there is a town in ga, called kennesaw where it is mandatory that all residents have ...
Crime on/off Indian reservation, followup6/24/2009
  Q: This is a followup to my question of 5/18/09. The relevant part of that question is: I'm writing a ...
  A: paula, the fbi can only get warrants from federal magistrates. the city police could but it ...
Dealer liability law-Missouri-criminal investigations6/5/2009
  Q: When a death occurs as a drug overdose, and there is a known suspect that may have supplied the ...
  A: alice, legally speaking, for a drug overdose, no one else is guilty unless the drugs were ...
Crime on and off Indian reservation5/18/2009
  Q: I'm asking you this because you answered a related question last year. I'm writing a mystery novel ...
  A: paula, once the fbi enter, it is technically their investigation. they could leave it up to ...
voyeurism5/13/2009
  Q: I live in Washington State and have been harassed by someone in law enforcement for many years. He ...
  A: vicki, without any proof, there are no real options. call a local womans advocate group and see ...
Warrant suppression4/19/2009
  Q: Is there a legal precedent for having a search warrant suppressed when it was issued with the ...
  A: pam, sorry for the delay, my computer was down. now, on to business. a search warrant is based ...
False Doctors Excuses4/14/2009
  Q: I have an employee who is so obviously doctoring old doctors excuses. Is there a legal penalty ...
  A: robin, what he is doing is improper, but no illegal. check your agency policy. your agency ...
underage drinking/smoke pot at party4/2/2009
  Q: I found a pictures of my daughter online, who is not 21 yet, drinking and smoking pot from a bong at ...
  A: robert, i am so confused as to why you would want to remain anonymous about your daughter, but ...
Animal Cruelty3/29/2009
  Q: I live in Pasadena, Texas. I have next door neighbors that fight roosters frequently. I have ...
  A: rosemary, see if there is a peta (people for the ethical treatment of animals) chapter in your ...
scope of probation search3/26/2009
  Q: my niece was arrested for possession and intent to sell. The police claimed that because a visitor ...
  A: marie, in short, the answer is no. unless the person on probation lists that residence as their ...
harassment by a state detective3/25/2009
  Q: About 2 months ago, I noticed that I was quite often being followed by a man in a pickup truck. I do ...
  A: mary, i am quite confused. did this detective give you or your husband any paperwork? what was ...
domestic violence3/12/2009
  Q: my fiance and i got into an argument and he cut me with a knife on my hand, i didn't go right away ...
  A: nichole a preliminary hearing is a hearing where they decide if its worth taking to court. it is ...
domestic violence3/8/2009
  Q: my fiance and i got into an argument and he cut me with a knife on my hand, i didn't go right away ...
  A: nichole, unfortunately, the likelihood of the charges being dropped are slim to none. there is ...
Search and Seizure3/2/2009
  Q: Mr. Bell, I was pulled over in my vehicle late one night for having a brake light out in my car. ...
  A: trevor, using your scenario, i will base my answers strictly on what you have provided. the ...
extradition2/28/2009
  Q: "A relative of mine was charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle in Pennsylvania. He took it for ...
  A: johann, your relative could still be arrested somewhere else and be jailed. they will face an ...
prison2/11/2009
  Q: I was wondering how prison works regarding visiting and phone calls. Is it possible to phone an ...
  A: esther, i do not know of any prisons or correctional facilities that let inmates receive calls. ...
TOBBACCO POSSESSION1/28/2009
  Q: MY SON IS 16 YEARS OLD AND WAS STOPPED BY THE POLICE FOR WALKING DOWN THE STREET WITH HIS FRIEND. ...
  A: machelle, the police either have some type of internal affairs dept. start there and also the ...
TOBBACCO POSSESSION1/23/2009
  Q: MY SON IS 16 YEARS OLD AND WAS STOPPED BY THE POLICE FOR WALKING DOWN THE STREET WITH HIS FRIEND. ...
  A: machelle, you should probably think about some type of formal complaint, unless you stay in a ...
TOBBACCO POSSESSION1/19/2009
  Q: MY SON IS 16 YEARS OLD AND WAS STOPPED BY THE POLICE FOR WALKING DOWN THE STREET WITH HIS FRIEND. ...
  A: machelle, legally, the officer can search incident to arrest. the question is did your son ...
phone tapping1/7/2009
  Q: How would one be able to tell if their phone is being tapped - either home or cell? Is there a MA ...
  A: t, you probably wouldnt be able to tell until it was too late. eventually, they have to tell ...
check forgery/fraud12/27/2008
  Q: my 16 year old daughter is being accused of forging checks. She admitted it all and is paying the ...
  A: nani, sorry i cant be of more assistance, but ask what is the statutory amount for felony forgery ...
FBI procedure in Indian Country12/25/2008
  Q: This is a writer researchIf a murder occurred on the Mille Lacs Indian reserve in Minnesota, how ...
  A: i am not sure how minnesota does it. nowadays, reservation have their own police to handle these ...
Posession of narcotics12/5/2008
  Q: the local police where i live (thomaston, GA) were looking for someone, when they got to my door ...
  A: erica, technically, if you were there, you are guilty. the cops shouldnt have arrested you if he ...
Arresting then releasing without charging12/2/2008
  Q: Why are people arrested then released. So many times people get arrested when probable cause is ...
  A: ty, p.c. is a big thing, a lot of officers dont apply it correctly. it is one of the biggest ...
PC and arrest11/29/2008
  Q: Ok, I like to try and poke holes in the law for no in particular reason. I guess I just find the ...
  A: ty, despite what you may see on tv, pc is not a low standard. pc is a set of facts and ...
Using sites like this against people11/28/2008
  Q: Since I am a CJ student, I spend a lot of time on sites like this. Often I see so many people ...
  A: kev, i guess a lot would depend on what the questionairre asked about or implied guilt on. if it ...
police procedure11/12/2008
  Q: I was falsely accused and since acquitted of crimes by my wife's former spouse. A search warrant ...
  A: bob, who to arrest is a matter of professional opinion, and i am assuming that since you were the ...
Parole11/6/2008
  Q: My 19yr old son will be coming out of 90 day Shock Incarceration next month. He will be required to ...
  A: k, most of them are understanding of the job situation and transportation. they might question ...
Criminal Tresspass Warning9/6/2008
  Q: Is there any way to have a criminal trespass warning lifted? I was recently being harassed by an ...
  A: technically, there is nothing to be removed. have you ever gotten a warning for speeding or any ...
Civil Law vs Biblical Law8/31/2008
  Q: What do you do when you are convinced that a civil law defies God's law? Aren't you morally ...
  A: Dr. In a perfect world, there would only be one law, but we are far from perfect and since there ...
petition to revoke probation /domestic violence8/26/2008
  Q: what happens at a court date for petition to revoke probation? this person has 3 prior convictions ...
  A: mari, what is supposed to happen is sort of like a trial. if this person is on probation and is ...
follwup6/21/2008
  Q: I live in California and my sister is on parole and lives with our parents and I. My parents own the ...
  A: thats good. check again on the firearms issue. getting a safe should be no big deal, but if your ...
follwup6/21/2008
  Q: I live in California and my sister is on parole and lives with our parents and I. My parents own the ...
  A: joe, legally speaking, if all that you are telling me is true, then your sister is not in ...
"Parole Sweep" Search and Seizure6/20/2008
  Q: I live in California and my sister is on parole and lives with our parents and I. My parents own the ...
  A: joe, why did they come to the house? was it the police or parole officers? just based on what ...
US Law Enforcement6/19/2008
  Q: I’m wondering if you could help me at all … I work for a television company in the UK and we are ...
  A: jon, different agencies have different divisions based on what kinds of crimes are most prevalent ...
Seizure of goods6/13/2008
  Q: My daughter and her partners house was entered by the police while her partner was held at the ...
  A: susan, its hard to have a comment without specifics. did the police have a search warrant and if ...
bench warrant5/25/2008
  Q: Does a bench warrant in Florida expire afer 2 yrs? my boyfriend was arrested for an outstanding ...
  A: caterina, bench warrants typically do not expire. he does not have to be read any rights unless ...
traffic ticket5/21/2008
  Q: I recently received my first traffic ticket ever on 05/17/08. The officer followed me for about 4 ...
  A: daniel, sorry for the delay. bring your receipt from the defensive driving class and be prepared ...
fourth degree breaking and entering5/19/2008
  Q: The other night, me and three friends got arrested for breaking and entering into a vacant house. I ...
  A: taysha, sorry for the delay. if this is the first time that you have been arrested, you should ...
County Detention Center5/14/2008
  Q: Our 19 yr old son was just arrested for PWID. It relates to marijuana and this is his second ...
  A: kelley, let me be totally honest with you. there is some truth to the shows about what goes on ...
Moving out /domestic disputes5/6/2008
  Q: First off I want to thank you for your time- as I am not sure you can help me. I reside in NYS ...
  A: sharry, your best bet would be to talk to the foster care supervisor and ask her what your friend ...
a girl minor was searched5/5/2008
  Q: my best friends 16 year old daughter was patted down the other day by a male officer, I thought it ...
  A: jen, the legal is answer is that it is not illegal, just not advisable. a lot depends on the ...
possession with intent to deliver4/20/2008
  Q: My brother is currently in county prison for DUI. Last January person he was with made deal with ...
  A: Sandy, What happens next is entirely up to your brother. Depending on his criminal history will ...
Statute of Limitations for Attempted Murder4/18/2008
  Q: Mr. Bell, Back in 1994, my mother attempted to commit suicide and to end my life (i was 7 yrs old). ...
  A: Karen, You need to speak to someone in the District Attorneys office to see if they are willing ...
Statute of Limitations for Attempted Murder4/16/2008
  Q: Mr. Bell, Back in 1994, my mother attempted to commit suicide and to end my life (i was 7 yrs old). ...
  A: Karen, If you two are the only ones who know about this attempted murder/suicide, then unless ...
stolen money4/7/2008
  Q: This is my situation. 4 months ago. I asked my friend who's an assistant Gamestop manaager to get me ...
  A: Jake, Send your friend a certified letter telling him to return your money or you will pursue ...
probation violation2/27/2008
  Q: Darrin,I have read your answer and I can assure you that my wife and children are behind me 110%, my ...
  A: erik, i do believe that if they had enough real proof that they would have arrested you by now. ...
probation violation2/26/2008
  Q: the child protection agency & state police say I can return to my home, but my probation officer ...
  A: erik, finally a whole story, thank you. if you can hold out until your court date, i would say do ...
probation violation2/25/2008
  Q: the child protection agency & state police say I can return to my home, but my probation officer ...
  A: erik, you are still talking in code. what was the letter for? does your p.o. tell you that you ...
...datin problems2/19/2008
  Q: me and this girl like each other but she is afraid that if she breaks up with her boyfriend and ...
  A: todd, is it her baby or is it his? i am confused. if she is 16 and he is 18, a paternity test ...
...datin problems2/17/2008
  Q: me and this girl like each other but she is afraid that if she breaks up with her boyfriend and ...
  A: todd, if he is threatening either of you, then get a protective order against him. people say that ...
impound procedure1/30/2008
  Q: My 19 yr. old son died from accidental poisoning last May. He drank from a meth laced bottle of ...
  A: philip, while i realize that this is a sensitive issue for you, you have to step back and ...
trial by jury1/30/2008
  Q: My son is being accused of a crime he didn't commit. He has 2 witnesses that were with him the night ...
  A: joan, look up the crime and the elements needed to prove the crime. look up eyewitness testimony ...
impound procedure1/27/2008
  Q: My 19 yr. old son died from accidental poisoning last May. He drank from a meth laced bottle of ...
  A: Philip, i am sorry to hear about your son. unfortunately, unless you can prove the police did ...
Domestic violence searches12/18/2007
  Q: I called the police because of a domestic violence dispute with my husband. When they got here he ...
  A: m, if it was in a drawer, with a good attorney, it should be suppressed. they should have checked ...
Domestic violence searches12/18/2007
  Q: I called the police because of a domestic violence dispute with my husband. When they got here he ...
  A: m, it really depends on the judge and where you live. they should have searched for him for your ...
Death penalty (high school paper)12/12/2007
  Q: I wanted to ask you, Is it more expensive to keep someone in jail for life or to use the death ...
  A: grace, it really depends on the trial and the health of the inmate before you can really get into ...
Warants/Phone Tapping10/30/2007
  Q: How does the signing of a search warrant works? Also, if the phone conservation is not what the ...
  A: claresa, search warrants are good for 10 days. some conversations can be taped and listened to ...
Trespassing or harassment?10/24/2007
  Q: I worked twenty years for the City of San Diego and was wrongfully terminated in July. My appeal is ...
  A: dwayne, you need to find out if your dismissal involved a criminal trespass warning, if so this ...
search & seizure10/22/2007
  Q: the sheriff dept. tracked shoeprints to our home, my older son is a suspect in a robbery, which he ...
  A: denisye, sorry or the delay. i do not have a form letter. check with the police department and ask ...
Need a warrant?9/28/2007
  Q: If you're having a small party and someone calls the police about a noise complaint, can the police ...
  A: sean, theoretically they need a warrant to enter, unless they were knocking several minutes at the ...
hi9/22/2007
  Q: when are the police who are investigating a person who operates a car, allowed to search the car ...
  A: 1. they can search it if the person is driving or recently exited the vehicle. 2. if the person is ...
Knowlingly charged with Possession of Stolen Property.9/19/2007
  Q: I was recently charged with the above by warrant. I cooperated with the CHP "California Highway ...
  A: now i am confused too. you need to get a copy of the police report to see exactly what they are ...
very concerened6/14/2007
  Q: i have been divorced for about 1 year. my husband at time of marriage took our little girls away ...
  A: 1st, you need to see if you have a volunteer lawyer service in your area to help you. as a parent, ...
Police treatment of a pregnant women in custody5/24/2007
  Q: What are rules/laws regarding the treatment of a nine month pregnant women in police custody? Are ...
  A: without knowing the whole scenario, it is really hard to say from what you have given me whether or ...
self-defence in relation to trespassing4/29/2007
  Q: I'm a law student at uni.of copenhagen, denmark, and I'm about to write paper on the individual's ...
  A: each state has their own set of circumstances regarding self defense. but basically, the law says ...
extradition4/26/2007
  Q: my brother-in-law was arreseted in september here in pennsylvania on a out of state warrrant from ...
  A: in theory no, someone should call virginia and ask what needs to be done about this so that this ...
what is gonna happen4/15/2007
  Q: my boyfriend was charged with i believe intent to sell cocaine and other drugs it was a set up from ...
  A: without knowing where you are or what you boyfriend tested positive for its kind of hard for me to ...
Statute of limitations on an undocumented attempted murder4/3/2007
  Q: Back in 98 there was one instance of domestic violence by me against my wife. She didn't call the ...
  A: jason, if there are no records, there can be no statute of limitations. something has to be on file ...
Self-Defense3/29/2007
  Q: I was involved in a self defense situation, where a man approached me and I felt threaten so I ...
  A: of course, he can still try to file a lawsuit, that is just the way america is. filing and winning ...
Legal questions3/13/2007
  Q: 1)If an out of court identification procedure is unduly prejudicial, does a trial court always have ...
  A: 1. they should if it is unduly prejudicial. 2. depends on what the attorneys object to. 3. ...
miranda2/18/2007
  Q: When investigating a crime, are people to be interviewed read their Miranda rights? Does mirandizing ...
  A: realistically speaking, the only time Miranda should be read is if you think the person that you are ...
incarceration2/2/2007
  Q: My brother was being held for driving on a suspended and was put into a cell for ten days, fed ...
  A: 1st of all it really all depends on the department's response as to why your brother was treated ...
sell to ci(informent)12/30/2006
  Q: i"am going to court. the bases of my search warrant is that they sent and informant to my home my ...
  A: the answer to your first question is yes, this is commonly done to help build a case and depending ...
Probation Violation12/20/2006
  Q: My fiancee' was charged with one felony count of possession of burglary tools and was sentenced to ...
  A: I'm not sure which state you are in, because the laws do differ from state to state. as far as ...

All Questions in This Category

Crime & Law Enforcement Issues & Death Penalty

All Answers


Answers by Expert:


Ask Experts

Volunteer


Darrin Bell

Top Expert on this page

Expertise

i am well versed on search and seizure, self-defense, domestic violence, 4th & 5th amendments, drugs, jails and conditions, tasers, raids.

Experience

i am currently the domestic violence coordinator for my department. i am a field training officer and i have been teaching self-defense, drugs, and search warrants and affidavits at the local academy for the past 10 years, and domestic violence for the past 3 years. i was the assitant to the federal monitor while our jail was under a consent decree, which we successfully came from under.

Education/Credentials
graduated from the police academy in 1989. successfully passed a consent decree. worked undercover for 5 years, narcotics for 6. over 1200 hours of training in specialized areas. certified defensive tactics instructor, taser instructor, completed management and superivision modules, senior deputy modules.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.