In California, you have certain rights when being arrested, charged, and held in custody for a crime. These rights are guaranteed by both the California State Constitution and the Constitution of the United States. Unfortunately, government officials sometimes forget or ignore the fact that a suspect has rights. Official misconduct by both police and prosecutors is a leading cause of wrongful convictions in California.
When we talk about government or official misconduct in California, we mean the intentional and unlawful failure, refusal, or neglect of a government official to perform their legal duty. If found guilty of government misconduct, offenders can be removed from their position, face fines, disciplinary action, jail time, and more.
Examples of Government Misconduct in California
Examples of police misconduct in California can include:
- Excessive force
- Police brutality
- Coercing false confessions
- False arrest
- False imprisonment
- Planting evidence
- Perjury at trial
- Malicious prosecution
- Mishandling, mistreating, or destroying evidence.
Examples of prosecutorial misconduct in California can include:
- Failure to disclose exculpatory evidence
- Introducing false evidence
- Using improper or misleading arguments
- Witness tampering/pressuring defense witnesses not to testify
- Discrimination in jury selection
- Lying to or intentionally misleading jurors
- Using unreliable evidence from informants
- Relying on fraudulent forensic data
Most law enforcement and court officials are hard-working, honest professionals dedicated to maintaining the rule of law and keeping our society safe from crime. But like everyone else, they sometimes make mistakes. However, when misconduct by government officials is intentional and malicious it doesn’t just violate the rights of the innocent. It also wastes taxpayer resources and erodes confidence in the fairness and objectivity of our legal system.
Cases involving government misconduct are complex and challenging. You need an experienced defense attorney with the skills and dedication to fight for your rights. Jim Tanizaki is is a former county DA turned Orange County, CA criminal defense attorney. He knows the rules of conduct government officials must follow to protect the rights of the innocent. He’ll be able to examine the details of your arrest as well as the actions of the prosecutors to ensure they haven’t violated your civil rights. Depending on the circumstances, any violation of your civil rights could result in the charges against you being dropped.
Orange County CA Government Misconduct Lawyer Jim Tanizaki is Here to Protect Your Rights
In the United States, every citizen has certain rights that must be respected. When the police and other government officials fail to respect these rights, wrongful convictions and other injustices can occur.
If you believe your rights were violated by the government and you’ve been wrongfully convicted of a crime, contact the law office of Orange County, CA criminal defense attorney Jim Tanizaki without delay. You can reach us through our website, or call us at (714) 655-7633 to schedule a free, initial consultation to discuss your case.