Overcriminalization Victim Bobby Unser - Case Summary

Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser has been an avid adventurer and outdoorsman all his life. But never did he think that his love for the outdoors would land him on a path to being deemed a federal criminal. Since his retirement from competitive auto racing, Bobby has spent much of his time in and around the mountains of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. In December 1996, he and a friend got lost in those mountains while snowmobiling and nearly died, but Bobby’s resourcefulness and determination saved his friend’s life. Bobby suffered dehydration and frostbite and had to be hospitalized. After returning home, Unser soon learned that he faced a possible $5000 fine and up to six months imprisonment. How is it that someone who nearly lost his life in a blizzard suddenly became the target of federal prosecution?

Documents

 

Featured Products

Explore keywords to find information

RECENTLY ADDED & UPCOMING

  1. The Champion
    March/April 2025 Cover

    March/April 2025

    What are the evidentiary implications of field sobriety tests in marijuana cases? Does the odor of marijuana give officers probable cause to search a vehicle?

  2. Amicus Brief
    March/April 2025 Cover

    Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP v. Executive Office of the President

    Brief of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and New York Council of Defense Lawyers as Amici Curiae in Support of Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment.

  3. News Release

    Nation’s Defense Bar Reiterates Opposition to Actions Against Law Firms – Washington, DC (March 18, 2025)

    The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) remains deeply concerned over recent executive orders targeting law firms, most recently Paul Weiss and Perkins Coie, and repeats its call to uphold the right to counsel and the independence of the legal profession. Despite a ruling blocking the action against Perkins Coie, the administration has continued to target law firms representing disfavored clients and positions, threatening the right to a zealous defense.

  4. Live Event
    2025 Forensic Science & Technology Seminar Cover

    2025 Forensic Science & Technology Seminar

    "Making Sense of Science: Forensic Science, Technology & the Law"

    LOCATION: Sahara Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV
    DATES: April 24-26, 2025

  5. Trials, Technology, and the Fourth Amendment: Case Law Review [Engage & Exchange]

    EXCLUSIVE NACDL MEMBER BENEFIT
    WHEN:
    Tuesday, April 29, 2:00-3:30pm ET / 11:00am-12:30pm PT
    CLE CREDIT: not available
    COST: Free