Imagine you have done nothing wrong but for a minor moving violation. You have not been drinking. You have not consumed any prescription or illegal drugs. You tell the officer the truth. But then you are arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence. This was the very unfortunate circumstance for not one, not two, but three Georgia women, all arrested by the same highly credentialed, drug specific trained, experienced police officer.[1]
This was the story that Michael J. Boyle shared with a conference room full of defense attorneys and prosecutors of WHY they were all there today. Those three women are not the only ones that end up wrongly arrested, and it is not only happening in Georgia, but in Michigan and in every other state. The only way to protect those from wrongly arrested, and potentially wrong convicted, is to have an attorney with the experience and knowledge to know how to handle the case.
On May 12th and 13th Attorneys from across Michigan gathered in Lansing for the first ever Seminar put on in concert by the Michigan Association of OWI Attorneys (MIAOWIA) and the Marijuana Law Section (MLS) of the State Bar of Michigan. The two-day Marijuana Criminal Law Seminar titled “Everything About Medical Marijuana in Michigan” covered a variety of current marijuana issues including Hot Topics, Search and Seizure, License Restoration, Section 4 and Section 8 Hearings, Marijuana Drug Recognition Evaluations (DRE), Chemical Testing for Marijuana, the most recent Michigan Case Law and Legislative Updates, and Marijuana and Driving in Michigan.
Michael J. Boyle, Partner, and Senior Trial Attorney of the Barone Defense Firm presented on “Tips for Handling a Marijuana DUID Case”. His presentation included Background and Studies in the lack of scientific support and data of Field Sobriety Tests for Marijuana, Defenses for Medical Marijuana Patients and non-card holders, Pharmacology vs Toxicology, and an actual Case Analysis for Gas Chromatography / Mass Spectrometry of Marijuana from the Michigan State Police Forensic Science Division.
Michael J. Boyle was joined by several other prominent and knowledgeable attorneys and presenters from around the State of Michigan and by Keynote Speaker, Retired Judge Mary Celeste of Denver, Colorado. Mary Celeste is now an Expert Witness in the field of Marijuana and Driving, and provided a wonderfully thorough presentation on case law; studies, research and data; DRE, marijuana impact on the brain and driving. Judge Celeste presents around the country to Judges, Court Administrators, and Attorneys.
Michael J. Boyle is trained and certified in Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and DRE. He is one of only a few Michigan attorneys that has completed the 3 Course Program endorsed by American Chemical Society (ACS) for Forensic Chromatography at Axion Labs in Chicago, Illinois. The 3 Courses include Theory and Practice, Solid Drug Dose, and Principles of DUI Drug, and consist of academia comprehension and hands-on use of gas and liquid chromatography as well as detection by flame ionization and mass spectroscopy. He is also a graduate from the renowned Gerry Spence “Trial Lawyers College”.
[1] Drug Whisperer – WZZM