Year: 2016
Society takes a dim view of drug offenders but sentences of life in prison seem unduly Draconian when their offenses didn’t involve violence. This certainly appears to be the view of President Barack Obama whose office has commuted the sentences of two drug offenders from Texas. The offenders whose sentences have been commuted are Douglas…
Allegations of racism in the criminal justice system are nothing new but a high profile case in Texas has led to soul searching at a national level over allegations that a man was sentenced to death because he is black. In April, the U.S. Supreme Court conferenced a decision on whether it will again address…
Dallas criminal defense attorney Mick Mickelsen addresses questions about the effectiveness of a major Texas’ hate crime law. Dallas, TX – Following recent news about a string of attacks in a Dallas neighborhood that are being examined as possible hate crimes, Dallas criminal lawyer Mick Mickelsen has released a publication answering long-held questions regarding the…
Texas criminal defense lawyer Mick Mickelsen discusses the recent decision of the SEC to file securities fraud charges against Ken Paxton. Dallas, TX – The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission recently decided to file securities fraud charges against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in federal court in connection with allegations that he misled investors in…
Texas is seeing a spike in crimes committed with imitation weapons, partly because offenders believe they will receive a lesser sentence if they are caught. It’s a perception that’s false in Texas. If the victim of a crime believes the weapon that’s pointed at them is real it’s sufficient to warrant a first-degree felony charge…
Dallas criminal defense lawyer Mick Mickelsen discusses complexities of criminal cases involving alleged hate crimes. Dallas police are investigating a recent Oak Lawn area attack as a purported hate crime. Local media reports say there has been a string of reported attacks and robberies in the area since last summer, and possibly more that have…
Prosecutors say they plan to retry a former Fort Worth police officer who was recently released after serving more than 20 years of a life sentence for rape. Dallas, TX – A former Fort Worth police officer convicted of the rape of a 13-year-old girl more than two decades ago is facing retrial after recently…
A 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel has determined a Texas prison ban concerning beards and religious headwear is illegal. A three-judge 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel in New Orleans has ruled that an inmate ban on 4-inch beards and religious headwear imposed by a Texas prison is not legal. Recent news…
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been charged in federal court with new charges of securities fraud. Several months after a grand jury indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on criminal securities fraud charges, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has filed new charges against him in federal court for securities fraud. The SEC complaint…
Dallas Police Chief David Brown has boasted in the past about historically low murder rates in the city. It’s a good news message that hasn’t been heard much in recent months as Dallas has experienced a spike in homicides of more than 70 percent year on year. The Dallas Morning News reported how two more…