Author: Broden & Mickelsen, LLP
It’s unusual for a judge to seek to influence the verdict of a jury, but this appears to have happened in Texas, according to a recent report. A state district judge in Comal County is said to have told the jury God told him to intervene and the jury should return a not guilty verdict…
Texas executed more people than any other state in 2017, but the number of times inmates were put to death was again at a low in the Lone Star State. Seven men were executed in Texas in 2017. The figure was the same as 2016, a year with the lowest number of executions in two…
White collar crimes in Texas can involve large sums of money and lengthy prison sentences. Recently, two men from Texas were indicted in an alleged $1 million real estate investment scam. Earlier this month, they were indicted in an operation that involved expensive cars, private jets, and religious deception, reported AP. U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy…
Inflammatory statements on social media are part and parcel of political debate in 2017. However, in some circumstances, they can cross a grey area into potential criminality. In Texas, a Fort Worth businessman is accused of possible criminality over a Facebook page that took aim at a local police chief. The Texas Tribune reported how…
A crime known as “jugging” often increases during the holiday season. When a person “gets jugged,” someone takes money from them that they just withdrew, such as from an ATM or bank. According to the Houston Police Department, there were more than 735 documented jugging cases in one recent year. Here’s what you need to…
If you have ever watched a television crime or court drama, you know that one of the first things police tell a person when they’re arrested or taken into custody is that they have “a right to a lawyer” and that one will be appointed if they can’t afford to hire their own. This part…
Probable cause is a legal term you might have heard in television legal dramas, crime documentaries, and law enforcement dramatizations. But do you know what it means or how it could affect your interactions with the police? Here’s what you should know about probable cause in Texas. Types of Probable Cause Probable cause is…
A series of sexual misconduct cases has led to a call from campaigners for the closure of all secure facilities for young people run by the state. Advocates from a wide range of groups pulled few punches in their demand for the closure of the controversial facilities. The Texas Tribune reported the groups wrote a…
A Texas woman is accused of mailing potentially deadly homemade bombs to then-President Barack Obama as well Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in 2016 last year. She was arrested due to evidence that included cat hair, a cigarette box and a partially destroyed shipping label. Julia Poff, a 46-year-old woman, is accused of mailing the dangerous…
Movies like The Wolf of Wall Street, The Big Short, and American Hustle may glamourize white collar crime, but the reality is that white collar crimes are extremely serious and are punishable by strict penalties, including prison time. Although Hollywood gets many of the facts right, there is a lot of misinformation out there about…