Year: 2016
Jails are often labelled mental health facilities because so many people with psychological problems are incarcerated in them. More than half of all of the prisoners in the United States suffer from a mental health problem, according to a 2006 Justice Department study. Among female inmates, the figure is almost three-quarters. Jails are not the…
Police in Dallas are investigating whether to charge Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel over allegations that he hit, kidnapped and threatened to kill an ex-girlfriend in Dallas last month. The Dallas Morning News reported that police in hope to wrap up their investigation soon, but they are not sure whether they would immediately arrest the…
We often associate rising crime levels with big cities such as Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, but newly released statistics for 2015 point to increased violent offending in many of the suburban areas of northern Texas. Statistics for 2015 for North Texas cities with a population of at least 100,000 people reveal “the suburbs are…
A decade ago social media was seldom a factor in criminal investigations. Today, cyber bullying and other forms of online intimidation form a key part of many cases, meaning both prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys need to keep up to date with the world of social media. In a recent article The Dallas Morning News…
Parents regularly take away their children’s cell phones and other items as punishment but it’s rare for such actions to become criminal offenses. However, this is exactly what happened in Texas when Ronald Jackson, 36, was charged with theft after taking away his daughter’s phone. It sounds like a ridiculously heavy handed reaction from the…
Texas criminal appeals attorney Mick Mickelsen discusses the ongoing case of embattled Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton moved to appeal a trial judge’s ruling upholding charges against him last month, and the case is still lingering. Reports now say that Paxton may not know the court’s decision until the spring….
Texas criminal appeals attorney Mick Mickelsen discusses statistics showing the number of execution stays offered by the state’s high court increased dramatically in 2015. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted double the number of execution stays last year than any other year in the last decade new reports say, which comes as a major…
Federal criminal lawyer Mick Mickelsen discusses the recent decision of a grand jury not to indict an officer in the shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice. A grand jury has decided not indict two police officers in connection with the shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice. Attorneys for the officers in the controversial case defended…
Criminal defense lawyer Mick Mickelsen says the motives of the accuser in the case of the embattled actor may be a key focal point in the impending trial. Actor and comedian Bill Cosby was recently charged with sexual assault over a woman’s claim that she was drugged and assaulted in his home more than a…
Texas has launched a massive crackdown on crimes such as Medicaid fraud, mortgage fraud and other so-called white-collar offenses in recent years. However, the high cost of the initiative that was spearheaded by former attorney General Greg Abbot, now Texas, governor, has come under scrutiny in recent weeks. An editorial in the Dallas Morning News…