A Manslaughter Charge For Drejka, But Did He Stand His Ground?
Pinellas County’s Attorney General has decided to settle on a manslaughter charge against the killer of Markeis McGlockton, Michael Drejka, but it is expected that Drejka’s attorneys will probably use Florida’s 2005 ‘stand your ground’ legislation to defend him. Drejka was involved in a deadly altercation in a car park outside a Clearwater convenience store on July 19, 2018. Drejka, allegedly had a history of aggressive behavior and an interest in challenging drivers when usi
Defenses Against a Charge of Aggravated Assault
Aggravated assault in Florida is a serious criminal act. Under Florida Stat. §784.021 anyone convicted of aggravated assault, a felony crime in the third degree, can be jailed for up to five years and pay a fine of up to $5,000. But what exactly is aggravated assault? What makes assault ‘aggravated’ and are there any ways that a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney can defend someone accused of this crime? Assault and aggravated assault An assault in Florida is any threat
How Difficult is it to Prove That Someone Was ‘Baked’ When Driving?
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles put out a new ad earlier this year to try and stem the number of crashes that take place when drivers are stoned. ‘Drive Baked, Get Busted’ it says, but how easy really is it for police to spot a ‘baked’ driver and how easy really is it for prosecutors to actually get a conviction for DUI? In fact, there are a number of difficulties in prosecuting someone for driving while under the influence of marijuana, some of wh
How Can my Mug Shot be Removed from the Internet Once I have Been Informed of the Expungement of My
Getting your criminal record expunged or sealed is never an easy task. You probably assume that once you have completed all the paperwork and had it approved that that will be the end of the matter. It seems that it’s not as simple as that as there are some unscrupulous businesses preying on vulnerable people like you who have somehow got hold of your booking photo and posted it far and wide on the internet for all to see including your employer. That is definitely not the pu
What’s Behind the Huge Drop in DUI Arrests in South Florida?
Something has happened regarding drunk driving in South Florida and everyone is scratching their heads trying to figure out why. It’s not bad news, in fact, it’s the quite the opposite. DUI arrests have dropped dramatically in and around the City of Miami as well as in Miami-Dade County since 2014. Only 594 people were arrested in Miami-Dade county’s jurisdiction in 2017, down from an average of 1,500 two years previously. In Miami itself, the decline has not been quite so sp
What’s the Difference Between State and Federal Criminal Charges?
States can legally enforce their own state laws, but many overlap with federal laws. For example, when it comes to the manufacturing of drugs it is illegal under both federal and state law. Overall, if a federal law is broken, the penalties are far more severe than when a state law is broken and a period in prison is more likely to be imposed. Because many crimes are considered illegal at both the federal and state level the federal government normally defers to the particula
Can Bite Marks be Used as Evidence?
Most criminal proceedings reach a conclusion based on indisputable evidence. Evidence comes in different forms, including DNA and bite marks. The use of bite-marks as evidence Throughout a criminal trial expert witnesses can be called upon to testify if the defendant left any teeth marks or lacerations on his or her victim. The expert witnesses who are called upon are referred to as forensic odontologists. They decide if there is any similarity between the real teeth of the d
