Technology has come a long way in recent years, and although police are using new technology to convict DUI defendants who might not have been convicted otherwise — some DUI defendants are also using technology to succeed in their defenses. Here are three ways that DUI defense lawyers are beginning to use technology to help their clients:
Independent video
Smartphones are so ubiquitous these days that it’s not uncommon for a random passerby to record an incident that led to a DUI arrest. There may also be surveillance video footage from cameras owned by nearby businesses that can provide additional evidence. If this video footage refutes the prosecution’s version of the facts, it could help a defendant in his or her DUI case.
Recordings of officer conversations with police dispatch
Many police stations have recordings of all communications between police dispatchers and officers in the field. These recordings could potentially refute an officer’s testimony or provide additional evidence to help a defendant seek a verdict of not guilty.
Smartphone records
Some attorneys have succeeded in their defenses by pulling the smartphone records of the arresting officer. It could help a defendant’s case, for example, if the defense attorney can show that an officer was playing with his or her cellphone during the observation period before performing sobriety tests, it could render the arrest and charges moot.
If you’re currently defending against DUI charges, make sure that you consider all of your defense options and check to make sure you’re using the most technologically advanced defense solutions that could be available to you.
