It's no secret that online profiles and social networking is changing how criminal defense is approached. Between blogs, Twitter, Facebook and Myspace updates, pretty much anyone can know what you are up to at any time. People constantly post unflattering photos: drinking, doing drugs, doing something illegal, being scantily dressed. For years, I have been checking the Myspace and Facebook pages of potential employees, and I am not the only manager or business owner there doing the same thing!
People everywhere have invited the public to share their in private lives. Even if you have set your profiles to "private," and acquaintance or friend that has access to view your profile, information, and photos can always forward that to the wrong person.
It has become increasingly important to criminal defense lawyers to ask their clients about their Facebook or Myspace pages - but keep in mind that deleting these accounts DOES NOT mean that evidence is gone forever!
Just the other day, the Chicago Tribune posted an article about a college student caught violating the terms of her probation on Facebook.
The Columbus criminal defense attorneys at Yavitch & Palmer, wrote on their DUI blog that they often check both Facebook and Myspace as soon as they obtain a witness list to check for possible violations or even evidence in criminal cases.
Think before you post.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
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