According to Town Manager Pamela Nolan, the Town of Narragansett has already began taking steps to increase the penalties for individuals who violation local town ordinances.  In what has been described as a party that descended into a riot, last Saturday approximately 18 individuals were arrested on various charges during a street party that involved almost 1,000 people.  You can read more about the aftermath of this incident at theProjo.com website.

The Town of Narragansett already has municipal ordinances that prohibit unruly behavior including laws banning disturbing the peace, urinating in public, open container of alcohol, and unlawful or underage possession of alcohol.  Currently, the minimum fines for disturbing the peace and urinating in public stands at $100 and the minimum fines for alcohol violations is $200.  The Town is said to be seeking to increase those fines from $100 and $200 to $200 and $300, respectively.  But, there is already doubt that those increases will go far enough to put a damper on these off-campus URI parties.  In-fact, it seems fairly obvious that those low level fines will do little to prevent or deter these college students from continued partying.

 

 

Every criminal charge needs to be handled with the utmost seriousness and urgency.  If you are a college student and you have been charged with acriminal offense, whether it is a municipal ordinance violation or a misdemeanor criminal offense, this charge can have serious and life long consequences.  In addition to the criminal sanctions you may face for the alleged offense, the University of Rhode Island (like all colleges), is taking quick action to summons in these offenders and subject them to internal school discipline.  This, in my opinion, is extremely unjust as these students have been alleged to violate the law but they presumed innocent until proven guilty.  

 

However, in the school environment the student lacks any serious rights typically beyond a procedural hearing where he is able to tell his side of the story.  It is always in the student's best interest to hire a skilled criminal defense attorney to resolve the criminal case as quickly as possible so that the student may be able to use that to his advantage in the internal school disciplinary hearings.

 

The Law Offices of Matthew T. Marin, Esquire, Inc. 

 If you or a loved one has been charged with a criminal offense or a municipal ordinance violation in Rhode Island, you need to immediately call Attorney Matthew Marin for skilled and aggressive criminal defense representation.  We will begin working immediately to ensure that your rights are protected and that you can put the best defense possible forward.  Attorney Marin is available 24/7 to discuss your case and to schedule a no fee, confidential consultation at one of our convenient office locations.  Contact us today by phone at 401-228-8271 or email at[email protected], or fill out the contact form on our Website.