LAUGH IT OFF
Little-Known Offenses Committed By Accident WAIT, THAT’S A CRIME?
Most people tend to think of crimes as being premeditated. Criminals may not all be plotting comic book villains, but most people at least have a sense of when they are doing something against the law. However, the truth is that there are some crimes people commit every day without even knowing it.
FORGERY
EASY SHRIMP SCAMPI
As a federal crime, forgery can be very serious. The charge has been brought against masterminds and mob bosses, but it’s probably most frequently committed by unwitting secretaries. You see, technically, the offense is defined much more broadly than deliberately crafting false bank notes. The law applies to anyone who artificially produces someone else’s signature. Signing for something as simple as a package in someone else’s name, even if they’re your boss, friend, or loved one, is a felony. Of all the nonviolent crimes, theft is probably the most associated with plotting. Movies ranging from “Ocean’s 11” to “Home Alone” depict thieves going through the stages of planning their heist (to various degrees of success). But in truth, theft can very easily be a complete accident. Something as simple as mistakenly taking the wrong coat after a party could lead to a legal misunderstanding. Or, as was seen in Arizona last spring, a 4-year-old could grab a toy from the dollar store without their parents noticing, and it could result in the whole family being held at gunpoint by police. This is by far the felony of the 21st century. The ease of access and general perception of lawlessness on the internet has made copyrighted content a nightmare for creators and companies to keep a hold of. You don’t even have to pirate music to have this accusation brought against you. If you ever appropriate an image from the internet that you didn’t have permission to use, you could be running afoul of the law. Small businesses make this mistake all the time when they take popular images and memes to then use on their marketing content. Now, ignorance isn’t a defense for breaking the law, but it can be invaluable to prove your intent was not malicious in these kinds of cases. An experienced criminal lawyer can help you prove your side of the story if you ever find yourself accidentally on the wrong side of the law. THEFT COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT
Make date night simple with this easy shrimp scampi recipe.
INGREDIENTS • 4 tbsp butter • 4 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp minced garlic • 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 tsp oregano • 1/2 cup dry white wine • 1/4 cup lemon juice • 8 oz cooked linguine • 1/4 cup parsley
DIRECTIONS 1. In a skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp of butter with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. 2. Add shrimp and oregano, stirring frequently until shrimp is pink. Remove shrimp from skillet. 3. Add wine and lemon juice to skillet and bring the mixture to a boil. 4. Stir in remaining butter and olive oil and cook until butter is melted. 5. Add cooked shrimp to skillet and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. 6. In a serving bowl, top cooked linguine with shrimp mixture. Garnish with parsley and serve.
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