Category: Criminal Defense
Most people have an intuitive sense of what constitutes a crime. For example, you probably know that taking something from a store without paying for it is a shoplifting offense. And while you may not go to jail for running a red light, you may end up with a traffic citation if a police officer…
We often think of hate crimes as offenses of extreme violence, such as the shooting deaths of nine black churchgoers in Charleston last year. But they may not necessarily be crimes of violence. Recently, the International Business Times reported how a senior prank that involved the painting of the words “whites only” on public school…
If you watch any TV show about true crimes or a drama, you’ll often see references to polygraph tests. Given that the criminal justice system relies so heavily on people telling the truth, many people wonder why lie detectors are not used routinely in most cases. However, in Texas as most states, polygraph results are…
Every day at least one potential client asks me, “What can you do for me?” It is natural enough. A person has been charged with a crime; they are concerned about their future; and they are confronted with the expensive prospect of hiring a lawyer to defend them against the charges. Before they make that…
The arrest of teachers inevitably makes news headlines. The Dallas Morning News recently reported on how a Richardson ISD teacher who was arrested last week on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy later told police that he has HIV. The news report said Roger Kessler, 43, told investigators he hadn’t revealed his medical condition…
How to Write a Character Letter of Support to a Judge Prior to your sentencing, you may have friends and relatives write character letters of support to the judge which the judge will consider in imposing sentencing. Because of the sentencing guidelines, the judge does not have a great deal of discretion as to your…
When it comes to the ultimate punishment, Texas sets many unenviable benchmarks. Last month the state made headlines by executing a woman when it put Lisa Coleman to death. The Washington Post reported on how she was the ninth person executed by Texas in 2014. The Lone Star State has executed more people than any…
Texas hit the headlines last week for one of the worst crimes seen in the Lone Star State for some time. A 33-year-old man stands accused of killing six members of his former wife’s family, including four children in a home in suburban Houston. Reuters reported on an appearance in court by 33-year-old Ronald Lee…
Murder for hire cases can be difficult to prosecute as demonstrated by a recent case in Texas in which the Collin County District Attorney’s Office dismissed a felony charge against man from Garland who was accused last year in a murder for hire plot in Allen. The Dallas Morning News reported that Robert Wayne Bass,…
GPS tracking devices were used in stolen phones to track down two robbery suspects in Dallas, according to media reports. The Dallas Morning News reported a robbery at an AT&T store in the 8500 block of Abrams Road, when police are said to have tracked the suspects and apprehended a car. The suspects were accused…