CIMA Law Group Blog

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard

Earlier this week Johnny Depps defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard started. Depp is suing Heard for fifty million dollars because of an article she wrote in which she exposed her supposed trauma of being a domestic abuse victim. Though she did not name Johnny Depp explicitly, it was widely assumed and accepted it was about him. Because of this mass assumption Johnny Depp’s career and reputation was hurt. Heards lawyers continue to reference Depps use and possible abuse of illegal substances, stating that in those times he was more likely to be violent towards Heard.

Johnny Depp trial LIVE: An overview of defamation battle with Amber Heard | Marca

While the week of questioning has been broadcast across social media platforms, the constant captive audience has noticed the seemingly little things about the trial. Thousands have begun to suspect that Amber Heard’s wardrobe style has been reflective of Depps as a way to play mind games, everything from hair style to suit color has been free game. Many believe that her choice to repeat his previous days clothing styles is being used as a way to mock him, so he feels less control and is more likely to act out in court.

The tone of her Op-Ed is accused- by Depp and his lawyers- to play on the emotions of women and up her social status. The language Heard used painted her as the victim in the whole situation, and tried to connect her with being an advocate for women’s rights issues. For both parties, it doesn’t sound like a safe situation. Between allegations of Heard verbally and physically abusing Depp, and his supposed anger issues related to drug and alcohol abuse. The hardest thing for this trial is to remain on track, and focus on the accused defamation rather than get swept up in the celebrity lives of it all.

This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group Blog. If you are in need of legal help, the CIMA Law Group is a law firm in Phoenix, Arizona, which possesses expertise in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury and government relations.

Brooklyn Subway Shooting in Sunset Park

On this past Tuesday afternoon, approximately 10 Brooklyn subway riders were shot by a man wearing a gas mask who tossed two smoke canisters in the train car to distract a huge crowd before opening fire with a handgun.

While the car filled with smoke, he fired at least 33 times, according to NYPD Chief James Essig, striking 10 people.

Videos captured by other riders show large groups of people panicking, running, and bleeding. A total of 23 were hurt, according to police. Five of the gunshot victims were critically injured, but no fatalities have been reported.

Later that day following the horrific attack, the suspect himself had called in a tip that led to his arrest. A senior law official said that authorities had an image of the man they believe is the suspect and were working to identify him. They also found a U-Haul van that may be linked to the suspect after also finding a key to that van at the subway station.

By Wednesday afternoon, the police department identified him as Frank Robert James and arrested him as the only suspect in the attack. Federal prosecutors charged James with carrying out a terrorist attack on the mass-transit subway system. Investigators were tracing his steps after a video circulated, showing James passing through the subway with a black backpack and a black wheeled case.

NYPD arresting Frank Robert James on Wednesday afternoon.

This situation also caused the NYPD to go under fire for being so overly funded while still not being able to prevent attacks like this. In February, the city announced plans to deploy more uniformed officers in the subway, but it is hard to know whether increased police would have deterred what James did. However, James has struggled with mental health issues for years and better mental-health services may well have prevented the attack. The ongoing investigation could reveal gaps that could possibly have prevented harm.

This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group blog. If you are located in Arizona and are seeking legal services, CIMA Law Group specializes in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations.

The Amish Lifestyle

The Old Order Amish Mennonite Church was established in the 17th century in Switzerland and Germany. The church follows the teachings of Jakub Ammann, a Mennonite leader. Ammann’s teachings differed from the religious leaders he worshiped with at the time. Because of this, Ammann separated from others who disagreed with his views. He started to advocate for the shunning of people who went against church teachings. Soon after Ammann started following his teachings, Amish communities started popping up in Europe. Countries like Germany, Russia, Holland, and Switzerland started having an Amish presence. It wasn’t until the 18th century that the Amish started immigrating to North America. The first U.S. state the Amish settled into was Pennsylvania. Halfway into the 18th century, the Amish started separating into two groups, the “old-order” and “new-order” Amish. The primary difference between these two groups is how they view technology and social change. The “new-order” Amish accept change and technological advances, but the “old-order” Amish do not. Despite there being two groups, most Amish people consider themselves part of the Old Order Amish Mennonite Church. Today, there are over 250,000 Amish people living in North America.

The Amish way of life is deeply tied to religion and is very different from how people in the modern world live. According to Brittanica, the Amish value community, family, and tradition. The Amish live much simpler lives than those of us who live in cities. Their simplicity is reflected in their wardrobe. Most of the clothing the Amish wear is made in their communities and is unadorned. Their wardrobes are also uniform, with men and boys wearing hats, suspenders, solid colors, and black shoes. Women wear bonnets, long dresses, and black shoes. There is no accessorizing for Amish women, as jewelry is not accepted. As Brittanica mentions, the Amish uniform hasn’t changed from what they wore as 17th-century peasants. The Amish uniform is just one of the many ways the Amish reject the current culture and preserve their traditions. Instead of using cars, the “Old-order” Amish uses horse-drawn buggies and bicycles. The “new-order” Amish accept modern inventions like electricity and phones, while the “old-order” communities reject the use of electricity and any technology.

The Amish holidays and religious practices are unique to the religion they follow. In Amish communities, members of the church are baptized from the ages of seventeen and twenty. They celebrate the Holy Communion twice yearly. This celebration honors Jesus’s last supper. Amish communities have church services that are conducted twice a month, typically on Sundays. These services are normally held in community members’ homes or barns, not formal buildings. Since these services are done in homes, the house rotates weekly. Services are held in either High German or Pennsylvania Dutch. Most Amish communities are fluent in English and Pennsylvania Dutch. According to Amish America, church services have an average of over one hundred people. During services, there is singing, praying, and preaching. The affair doesn’t stop after the formal church service. Communities have meals after the service ends. This meal typically included foods like peanut butter, bread, cheese, and vegetables. Most of these foods are locally made and grown in Amish communities.

This blog post is part of the CIMA law group blog. If you are located in Arizona and are seeking legal services, CIMA law group specializes in Immigration law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations.

The Trickling Effects of New Abortion Laws Across the Country

Trigger warning for those reading, blog post discusses sensitive topics.

The fight for abortion rights has been a constant battle since the Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade (1973). In today’s society, one can see that many conservative states are aiming to slowly ban abortion altogether. For instance, as of this week, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill establishing one of the nation’s most restrictive abortion laws. The law states performing an abortion is a felony, punishable by a decade in prison and a fine of $100,000. In addition, the bill goes into effect 90 days after the legislative session ends in May. Although, like many other states, Oklahoma is awaiting the Supreme Courts’ decision on Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban, which, if the law stands, would overturn Roe v. Wade (1973).

Additionally, the Oklahoma State Senate is considering a Texas-style law (HB 4327) prohibiting abortions at any point in pregnancy and allowing private citizens to carry out the law through civil litigation. One is to note these two new bills have no exception for cases of incest or rape. Abortion rights activists have stated the Oklahoma law is “unconstitutional,” and federal courts have blocked similar laws in Arkansas and Alabama.

Many fear that the Oklahoma law will have a trickling effect and send a message to other conservative states to put similar restrictions in place. Their fear is valid as Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed into law banning abortions in the state after 15 weeks. Likewise, Flordia’s governor has also signed a bill banning abortions after 15 weeks with no exceptions for rape, incest, or human trafficking. Furthermore, South Dakota has a law that restricts access to medication abortions in the state. Texas as well passed a law that prohibits a vast majority of abortions in the state.

With less access to abortions, women must travel to other states, which can be costly. Also, with less access to abortion, women might pursue a much more dangerous option of doing it themselves. According to Rebecca Tong, the co-executive director of Trust Women, people do not see the vast discrepancy between the number of people who need those services and those who get them. White House press secretary Jen Psaki urged Congress to ratify the Woman’s Health Protection Act, which would codify Roe v. Wade (1973).

Moment of Silence

On April 12th Governor Doug Ducey signed a bill which requires public and charter schools to have a moment of silence to begin every school day. Known as House Bill 2707, this says the moment can be used in whatever manner the students and parents would like.

When children go to school, they are put straight to work and are not able to focus on their mental health. Ducey believes this is how you can get children refocused emotionally. It allows them to engage in a moment of silence for a specific period of time everyday. They are able to take this time to reflect, pray, meditate, and simply prepare the day. What they do with this time will be up to the children and their parents.

A previous law only obligated these schools to set time for the pledge however with this they will not be able to take a moment for themselves as well. This bill specifically says that teachers and other school employees are not allowed to suggest what students should think about during this time. Students are also not allowed to interfere with any other students moment of silence.

This was designed in order to allow students to give time to their mental health. This is something that has not be focused on very much in schools which may hurt the way students learn. They are able to reflect or choose something to strengthen their mental health.

This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group Blog. If you are in need of legal help, the CIMA Law Group is a law firm in Phoenix, Arizona which possesses expertise in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations.

Food insecurity

Food insecurity is one of those things that we know exists, but don’t pay attention to because our lives are situated with such privilege. Most don’t realize that there is food insecurity within the United States, almost 38 million Americans suffer from food insecurity. Food insecurity is defined as a lack of consistent access to food in a way that impares quality of life. With the current war in Ukraine, and various other socio-political and economic factors, inflation has hit the world hard, affecting the prices of everyday things like groceries. This rise in price may annoy some but it is worsening the issue of food insecurity.

Basic access to healthy nutritional foods should be universal, but in the United States, it overwhelmingly affects minority communities. Food insecurity ends up being another way in which systematic oppression operates. When individuals can’t find work that provides adequate pay and are forced to work multiple jobs to live, the rise in the price of food places further stress on these individuals. For low income families there is the extra issue of feeding multiple people, and somehow paying for enough food. While there are great programs, like food stamps and food donation centers, there are negative stigmas surrounding being on those programs that often deter people from using them. With some believing that they are a waste of government spending they often ridicule others for having or seeking assistance. With such a negative view on programs that provide so much help, constituents of many states allow it to affect their vote, and state leaders follow that with action.

During the pandemic it has been difficult to find work for many, and though there have been stimulus checks and other government assistance, it has still hit families hard. And because there was so much lash back over the government assistance and debates on how much it should be or if it should exist at all there is a reverse going on within government aid packages. While about 40 million Americans are on food stamps, the program is not keeping up with inflation. Instead, it is being reduced in some states because leaders see dropping them in an attempt to return to normal. This disregards the fact that times are not reverting back to what they were at the speed everyone wants them to, and these harsh cuts can lead to really negative outcomes.

Grocery Store Prices are Increasing

Food prices are on the rise at grocery stores. The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced on Tuesday that food prices have increased 8.8 percent and this has been the largest food increase since 1981. The USDA Economic Research Service also predicted that the rise of costs in foods is not going to stop any time soon, in fact it’s going to increase between 4.5-5%. This food price not only effects grocery store prices but, it also is going to affect the cost of food prices at restaurants. We are going to see a hike in restaurant price within the next year. The USDA Economic Research Service also announced that we can expect an increase of 5.5-6% with restaurant prices.

There are several reasons as to why food prices are soaring. One of those reasons a re environmental issues. There are severe droughts in Brazil currently which is impacting crops going all the way from coffee to soy all the way to wheat. Another reason as to why gas prices are increasing is because of the war going on Ukraine. The war in Ukraine has heavily affected the wheat market and there are supply issues going on which is affecting the global vegetable oil market. There is also a deadly avian flu going around which is affecting the production of eggs which will see a price increase throughout the next year.

Something to consider is that food has been heavily rising but thats not to say it’s going to continue. Tuesday’s CPI report showed that while the costs for products and produce is still rising it might be leveling off within this next year.

Guardian v. Warrior Mindset in Law Enforcement

Whether or not an officer acts accordingly is heavily questioned by the media and the public. The warrior mindset in policing has gained societal disapproval as a result of the events of police brutality that have come to light; however, the warrior mindset is not a new concept. In fact, the popular image of police in America as warrior cops has and continues to be reinforced by movies, tv shows, the media, and public officials; however, this crime- fighter image is a myth. Officers are portrayed as actively pursuing kidnappers, serial killers, and drug lords, but the majority of their work actually consists of dealing with noncriminal matters. This includes the following: traffic infractions, paperwork, noise complaints, patrol, helping people in distress. Police legitimacy and trust among the communities they protect and serve are at an all-time low. There appears to be a deep divide between officers and certain communities, particularly minority communities. Although the role of police officers has changed through their tactics, there is still room for improvement in their mindset because it is dependent on how they react to various types of crime, situations, and interactions with individuals.

What is a warrior mindset?

The warrior mindset refers to the mental tenacity and attitude that officers, like soldiers, are taught to adopt in the face of a life-threatening struggle. This has easily encouraged police to adopt a us vs. them mentality, as well as to regard members of the public as enemies. This mindset is seen throughout the ways in which police officers are trained and the tactics implemented for them to use. For example, officers are trained in military-style academics where they are locked in intermittent and unpredictable combat. The problem with this training style is that 90-95 percent of their training deals with five to ten percent of their job. Training recruits to approach situations as a war benefits no one, and the mission of officers and soldiers are different. While soldiers conquer, an officer’s mission is to protect. Another important factor is that soldiers enter communities as an outside, occupying force. Officers, on the other hand, are members of the community.

Furthermore, police departments across the United States faced backlash for how officers addressed Black Lives Matter protests during the summer of 2020. Officers were heavily militarized with the following: helmets, vests, batons ready in hand, face shields. They presented themselves at the peaceful protests as if they were ready for war. For decades, criminal justice experts have warned that warrior-like police tactics escalate conflict at protests instead of defusing it.

What is a guardian mindset?

In contrast to the warrior mindset, the guardian mindset provides solutions in law enforcement and emphasizes the importance of service and community protection. It is a critical component of the concept of community policing, and it is ultimately what encourages officers to focus on more than just enforcing the law, but also on building relationships with the communities they serve. In other words, the guardian mentality values communication over commands, cooperation over compliance, and legitimacy over authority.

In essence, the warrior mindset is useful for a variety of purposes and situations; however, it should not be the primary mindset driving an officer’s role. Officers must lean toward being guardians in order to repair their relationships with members of their community.

Arizona Abortion Ban

Arizona legislature has proposed the anti-abortion legislation. The house voted to ban abortion after fifteen weeks of pregnancy. This bill will not overrule any state laws in place and will not affect the supreme court decision in Roe versus Wade. Governor Ducey said that it is the states right to protect any unborn child. He added that there is value in every life including any unborn life.

The law does make an exception for medical emergencies for some women. However, with that being said, any medical emergency will require the physician to file a report with the Arizona Department of Health Services. This will have to be thoroughly reviewed to ensure there was an actual medical emergency. There will not be any exception for any case of rape or incest.

Like any bill that is proposed, there comes lots of controversy in the discussion. Some say that it is an attack on a woman’s right to choose what happens with their body. The president of planned parenthood advocates of Arizona say this in an “unrelenting attack.” The Arizona senate has said that the bill is anti- choice and anti- freedom because the ban seems so extreme. Since so many Americans support the right to abortion, the bill is getting a lot of backlash.

Although there seems to be many Arizonans arguing against this bill, some have come forward in support of it. Along with that, other states have passed similar bills. This includes Texas, Idaho, and Mississippi which have all upheld a similar law. Many believe that as a State there is an obligation to protect all life which includes any unborn life. With that being said, those in support of the bill are hoping to get this passed and into effect very soon.

L.A. County’s Attack Against Texas and Florida

As of Tuesday, April 6, 2022, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has unanimously decided to suspend travel to Texas and Florida due to their recent anti-LGBTQ bills. The state of Texas passed an order stating the Department of Family and Protective Services has the right to investigate parents of transgender youth for child abuse. Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay Bill,” on the other hand, does not permit teachings on sexual orientation or gender identity between kindergarten and third grade. Thus, L.A. county and its ban are setting an example to the rest of the United States on how it will not stand for this transphobic and homophobic legislation.

The ban introduced by Sheila Kuehl and Hilda Solis is specifically preventing travel related to county business that is paid for with taxpayer money. The only exception to the ban is if it will “seriously harm the county’s interest.” Additionally, the ban does not apply to private citizens.

Those in Florida have criticized the travel ban, such as Governor DeSantis’s spokesperson Christina Peshawa. Peshawa has stated that Florida has been a destination spot for tourists during strict mandates and restrictions. In addition, according to the Governor of Florida’s spokesperson, the state brings upon freedom and normalcy, which, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, can be appreciated.

For the time being, the ban will remain until Florida or Texas decides to suspend the recent laws. This new order by Los Angeles county is something never heard of before. The board of supervisors are not the only people trying to have Florida and Texas suspend their laws. Celebrities such as Ariana grande have committed to donating millions of dollars to remove any anti-LGBTQ laws from being passed.