Author: Robert Rehkemper

Never Disclose Prescription Medications to Law Enforcement During a Traffic Stop

Winterset, Madison County, Iowa.  GRL has been warning anyone who will listen NOT to disclose prescription medications to law enforcement during a traffic stop.  This most recent GRL NFG demonstrates precisely why this is.  GRL’s client provided a breath sample of .037 but disclosed that he was taking his non-controlled substance medication.  The urine test that GRL’s client consented to confirmed the presence of only the prescription medication.  A young and aggressive officer, fresh off of training for driving while drugged investigations, even with the test results, still charged GRL’s client with Operating While Intoxicated and Child Endangerment.  Thankfully, GRL […]

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OWI Amended Down to Public Intoxication

West Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.  What started as an Operating While Intoxicated, was resolved with an amendment down to Public Intoxication.  GRL’s client was stopped for speeding.  He politely declined to submit to field sobriety testing and further politely declined to submit to the DataMaster breath test at the station.  Lacking evidence of impairment, the prosecution agreed to amend the charge down to a simple misdemeanor, public intoxication.

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Prosecutor Rebuffs Reasonable Resolution, Loses Entire Case. Operating While Intoxicated Charge and License Suspension Beat

Corning, Adams County, Iowa.  Prior to a hearing on defendant’s motion to suppress evidence, defendant offered to plead to an amended charge of Reckless Driving with the requirement of completing the operating while intoxicated weekend class.  The prosecution would have none of it choosing instead to go forward with the hearing.  At the hearing, the Sheriff’s Deputy was caught changing his sworn testimony multiple times.  Ultimately, the court concluded that the Deputy did not have a lawful reason to pull the defendant over and excluded all evidence obtained as a result of the stop.  Prosecutor is left with no evidence […]

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2022 Year in Review

What. A. Year!  2022 was a whirlwind at GRL.  The year seemed like it was in non-stop fast-forward from the very beginning.  Cases backlogged by COVID were finally able to proceed.  Insurance companies that had been sitting on their reserves throughout COVID finally found themselves staring down the reality of a jury trial on civil cases and saw the writing on the wall.  When trials are available, things begin to move.  Move they certainly did. The Civil Division secured over 5 MILLION dollars in verdicts and settlements making a positive impact for GRL’s clients and the community.  Founding Partner Cory […]

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Toxicology Results Released in Fatal Johnston Motorcycle Accident

When a very experienced prosecutor from a county attorney’s office that aggressively prosecutes vehicular death cases dismisses a death-related charge outright, one should stop, contemplate, and ask, what more to this story has not been told?  For Makenna Streff, there is much more to the story than has been reported relating to the traffic accident that took the life of Landon Crabtree.  It is her turn to share her side of the story. Headlines have read: “Woman who caused deadly motorcycle crash to stay out of prison.”  “Iowa mother furious over charges in deadly crash.” They plaster Makenna’s name and […]

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Unparalleled Bobby

Words cannot express my gratitude for the kindness and hard work of Bobby! He literally saved my life (FOUR DUI) and that of my sister with special needs. He has given me a new lease on life! His kind words and professionalism during the sentencing to the judge, in my opinion, is the reason I am able to write this review. From day one, he believed in me! Without his continued support and caring, I would be lost. I will make a new start in my life and show him that his trust was not misplaced! Additionally, McKayla was a […]

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Involuntary Manslaughter and Operating While Intoxicated Charges DISMISSED

Johnston, Polk County, Iowa.  What started as an arrest for Operating While Intoxicated progressed to felony offense of Involuntary Manslaughter, but was ultimately resolved with a traffic citation for Failure to Yield Upon a Left-Hand Turn.  GRL’s client experienced a roller-coaster ride of emotion following a tragic car accident.  Client was initially suspected of being intoxicated but subsequent blood tests established an alcohol concentration well within the legal range.  Because the operator of the other vehicle involved in the accident died, while unable to prove operating while intoxicated, the prosecution amended to charge to Involuntary Manslaughter.  This charge requires the […]

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Officer Still Doesn’t Understand Need to Turn on Squad Car Video

Greenfield, Adair County, Iowa.  For the second time this year, a Judge ruled that an Adair County Deputy’s stop of a motorist was constitutionally invalid when he followed GRL’s client for miles, claiming that the vehicle weaved within its lane but mysteriously failed to activate his in-car video camera.  The Constitution requires that for an officer to validly stop a motorist, he/she must first have a identifiable traffic offense or reason to believe the individual was engaged in criminal activity. The Adair County Deputy has a history of following motorists for miles and then claiming that they weaved within their […]

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Sextortion – What Every Parent Needs to Know

What in the world is Sextortion and why does every parent need to know about? Sextortion occurs when a criminal obtains sexually explicit images of a person and threatens to distribute them if the victim does not provide additional images, sexual favors, or money.  It is a serious situation that happens in our state, our communities, our school, our neighborhoods and our homes.  While smart phones and the internet have made life incredibly more convenient, they have also created landmines for our younger generations to navigate.  We have previously written about Sexting and the legal pitfalls associated with sharing compromising […]

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