Long Beach DUI Multiple Offender? Not Necessarily a Problem: Ask Rodney King

If you got arrested and convicted more than once for a crime like DUI in Long Beach, your prospects may be grim, indeed. Prosecutors like to “throw the book” at so called recidivists – people who commit the same crimes more than one time. king_rodney.jpg

As any Los Angeles DUI attorney will tell you, if you are convicted for this crime more than once within a 10-year period, your penalties start to escalate in terms of:

• length of your jail sentence
• amount of alcohol school you need to attend
• duration of your license suspension
• strictness of your probation
• fees and court costs
• and more
But just because you have a DUI on your record does not necessarily mean that you are going to get raked over the coals. For instance, take a look at Rodney King’s situation.

Mr. King, whose videotaped beating touched off the notorious early 1990s Los Angeles riots, was arrested last July in Riverside County for DUI. He was also convicted for DUI in 2004. Police reports suggested that King’s BAC level was 0.06% — just shy of the Long Beach DUI cutoff of 0.08%, as defined by California Vehicle Code 23152(b).

That being said, officers say that they found marijuana in his system as well. All those factors – coupled with his 2004 conviction – could have spelled big trouble for the man famous for his remark “Can’t We All Just Get Along?” But – miracle of miracles (at least as far as King was concerned) – he managed to strike a plea deal with prosecutors that allowed him to escape serving jail time. This wasn’t to say that he got off scot free. In addition to pleading guilty, King agreed to pay court costs and a $500 fine, attend alcohol classes for nine months, endure three years of summary probation, and spend 20 days under house arrest. Given the alternatives for recidivist Long Beach DUI violators, King got a pretty square deal.

Your options change depending on innumerable factors. Did you hurt someone while DUI? Did you cause property damage? Did you resist police arrest? Are you prepared to accept culpability for what happened (if indeed you were to blame)? Do you have prior convictions on you record? If so, what were they for?

Only a qualified Los Angeles DUI lawyer can really help you sort out the best strategies and methods for dealing with prosecutors. In some cases, it makes more sense to fight your charges. In another cases, it might make more sense to aim for a plea deal. To really unpack your best solutions, connect with an experienced Long Beach DUI criminal defense attorney with the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (444 West Ocean, Suite 800 Long Beach, California 90802 Phone: (562) 531-7454). Mr. Kraut is one of the most widely known and respected Los Angles DUI lawyers. He served as a Senior Deputy District Attorney for 14 plus years (after attending Harvard Law School, no less) before switching roles to become an advocate of defendants. His experience fighting on both sides gives him a unique advantage that he can bring to bear to help you.


If you have been arrested for a DUI in Long Beach or you are under investigation for driving under the influence in Southern California, please contact Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Michael Kraut for 24/7 assistance by phone at (323) 464-6453 or toll free at (888) 334-6344 or online.

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