Did you know that attorneys are also pet lovers? Some of us even have our dog join us at our office. Here’s a list of attorneys and their beloved pets, friends and coworkers:
Pluto from Tina Willis of Tina Willis Law
Pluto is the undisputed King of attorney Tina Willis’ heart. Tina apologizes to all other pet owners for her conclusion that he is the greatest animal ever to grace planet Earth (okay, at least in her eyes).
On February 10, 42-year-old John Joseph Henry of Taylor was shot in the head after he tried to stop an intruder who had entered his home and was in the midst of stealing property. A neighbor of Henry’s was then interviewed by NBC Channel 4 in Detroit; the neighbor, Jeremy Jones, stated in the interview that Henry “has a big heart.” Jones has now been arrested and charged with assault with intent to commit murder, according to a news article at Mlive.com.
According to police, Jones entered Henry’s home and was stealing when he was caught by Henry and his girlfriend. The incident took place on Wilkie Street. Henry’s girlfriend said that Jones threatened her after he shot Henry in the head, telling he that if she told police anything, he would come back and kill her. Henry was in critical condition at the time of news reports.
When being interviewed by news reporters, Jones also praised Henry, saying that Henry helped him when his car was stuck in the snow by pulling it out. In addition to attempted murder Jones is charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm, home invasion, armed robbery, larceny of a firearm, felonious assault, receiving and concealing stolen property, felony firearm, and discharge of a firearm in a building. Another man has also been charged in the incident, William Wayne Chaffin, who allegedly helped Jones with the stolen goods.
Attempted murder is a very serious charge in Michigan; should Henry succumb to his injuries, it is possible Jones could be charged with murder. The other charges leveled against Jones are serious as well, leaving him facing severe criminal penalties and loss of his freedom if convicted.
On Tuesday February 11, military judge Col. Daniel Daugherty requested prosecutors explain to him how they intended to prove the aggravated sexual assault charges against a former U.S. Naval Academy football player, 21-year-old Joshua Tate of Nashville, TN. Tate is accused of sexually assaulting a female at a party in 2012. The alleged victim was a student in Annapolis, MD. The party was held at an off-campus house in the area, according to the Associated Press.
The alleged victim claimed that on the night of the party, she had drank heavily and did not recall being sexually assaulted by Tate and two other Naval Academy midshipmen. She was told by others who attended the party that she engaged in sex with multiple partners at the party, however Tate is the only one who has been charged.
Another man who was allegedly involved but had charges against him dismissed, Eric Graham, testified that while he witnessed Tate exit a car parked outside of the party before he himself got into the car at the request of a teammate, he believed the sexual encounter occurred between Tate and the woman before he entered the vehicle. Graham also said that although it was evident the woman had been drinking, it was clear that she was coherent and capable of making her own decisions. He also said that he did not see anything wrong with her, and that she was fully clothed. Graham was granted immunity in exchange for his testimony.
Graham went on to tell the judge after being asked to describe her level of intoxication that he was not concerned about the level of sobriety of the victim. The judge asked Graham to rate her level of intoxication between 1 and 10, with 10 being completely sober; Graham rated the alleged victim at a 6 or 7.
The judge believed after hearing Graham’s testimony that the alleged victim was “fairly well functioning.” He was curious as to how prosecutors intended to prove Tate’s guilt, given that it appeared the woman was not too intoxicated to consent to the sexual activity.
On January 11, a Quitman, Michigan man was arrested in Marion County in West Virginia on charges of possession with intent to deliver a schedule II narcotic (cocaine). News reports at The Time West Virginian claim Charlie Stokes Jr. was arrested at a hotel in White Hall, a hotel he had frequented more than 20 times over a four month time period.
Authorities set up surveillance at the hotel according to the complaint, which revealed that deputies observed Stokes, a black man known in the area as Mook, meeting people both behind and inside the hotel. Stokes had brought approximately 3 ounces of crack cocaine from Mississippi to Marion County to sell, according to a confidential informant.
A search warrant was also secured for room 186 at the hotel; upon searching the room, investigators discovered cocaine hidden inside a coffee maker. The complaint stated that authorities found Stokes with three cell phones, a container of hydrocodone pills, a set of digital scales, 1.8 ounces of cocaine, a substantial amount of U.S. currency and small storage bags.
At the time of news reports, Stokes was being held at the North Central Regional Jail on $30,000 bail.
If convicted, Stokes will face up to 15 years in the state correctional facility, a fine of up to $25,000, or both.
Possession with intent is a serious criminal offense in the state of Michigan. In fact, those charged with possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine in an amount smaller than 50 grams will potentially face up to 20 years in prison. A felony offense, law enforcement and prosecutors are vigorous in their efforts to crack down on drug offenders and put them behind bars, particularly those who possess schedule I or II narcotics and who intend to distribute or sell those drugs. Even more serious is the fact that prosecutors will often attempt to “trump up” charges, turning what would have been simple possession charges into possession with intent charges. This means if convicted, the criminal penalties will be more severe.
A South Bend, Indiana man is facing federal charges in connection with several bank robberies which have taken place in Indiana and Michigan, according to news reports at Mlive.com. 59-year-old Dennis Carl Love was recently arraigned on two counts of felony firearm, one count of carrying a concealed weapon, and two counts of attempted bank robbery. Love was arrested December 27 after police received assistance regarding the suspect from an Allegan County bank teller.
According to federal investigators, Love was observed on December 27 putting on clothes and a “costume mask” by bank officials, who locked the doors and notified police. The bank teller provided police with information which led to the arrest of Love, including a vehicle description and plate number. Upon locating the vehicle, a Plainwell Public Safety officer pulled Love over, discovering a concealed handgun in the process.
Court documents filed in Grand Rapids U.S. District Court state that Love is facing federal charges. Love confessed to a bank robbery in Indiana, one in Berrien County, and an attempted bank robbery in Indiana according to FBI Special Agent Paul Woodberry. A complaint filed in federal court states that the defendant made off with over $6,000 in the robbery of the Honor Credit Union in Berrien Springs in September of last year. Love is also accused of robbing the Farmers State Bank in Leesburg, Indiana in July of last year.
The PNC bank in Martin is where employees became suspicious and locked the door before alerting police, leading to Love’s arrest.
Robbing a bank is a federal crime, which means those accused will face harsh penalties if convicted. While no mention was made regarding whether Love insinuated the presence of a weapon, armed robbery is an even more serious crime, leaving those convicted potentially facing life in prison.
As a criminal defense attorney, I come across a lot of myths and misconceptions daily. Plenty of criminal defense myths focus on easy ways for a defendant to avoid charges. Unfortunately, for most people who are charged with a crime, these myths are just that – myths. Believing them won’t help your case and might even make things worse for you. Let’s debunk these myths once and for all, so that everyone is on the same page.
You Can’t Be Found Guilty if They Didn’t Read You Your Rights
Many criminal defense myths focus on the Miranda rights. You’ve heard it all before – you have the right to remain silent, you have the right to an attorney, and so on. Since reading a person their rights when they’re taken into custody standard, a lot of people think that if a cop doesn’t read you your rights, you can get off scot-free. The reality is a bit more tricky.
In September of 2012, Michael Patrick-Murphy Hamilton was charged with open murder, assault with intent to murder, and two counts of using a firearm to commit both a felony and automobile theft. Jury selection is set to begin for trial on Monday, October 7. Hamilton is accused of killing one of two twin brothers, Robert Marcyan, outside of Hamilton’s father’s Wamplers Lake cottage in Norvell Township.
When an individual is charged with open murder in Michigan, it is left to the jury to decide if that individual will be charged with first-degree or a lesser degree of murder. If Hamilton is charged with first-degree murder and convicted, he will face a sentence of life in prison.
According to a news article at Mlive.com, Robert and Richard Marcyan, who were 49-year-old twin brothers, were asked about doing some work at Hamilton’s father’s cottage, and were there to give an estimate for the work after checking out the property. Hamilton’s father was initially to meet the two men at the cottage, however he did not make the appointment after sustaining an injury. Mark Blumer, Chief Assistant Prosecutor, said that the defendant went instead to meet with the Marcyan’s, and that he had met them on one prior occasion about a month earlier.
While a motive is not clear, Hamilton allegedly fired a gun at the two men, striking Robert Marcyan in the face. Richard Marcyan was not injured. Hamilton’s defense attorney George Lyons said that he may argue his client was involuntarily intoxicated. When an individual voluntarily consumes intoxicating drugs or alcohol, it is not considered a valid defense. However, if the defendant was taking prescription medication and experienced extreme or unexpected side effects, it may be beneficial to his defense.
News reports indicate that following the shooting of the Marcyan brothers, Hamilton fled the scene in Robert’s vehicle. He then ditched the vehicle and stole another as police pursued him before finally using spike strips to stop Hamilton, who was arrested approximately 90 minutes after the shooting.
Even in the most bizarre cases it is critical to obtain the legal support of a skilled Michigan homicide defense attorney. The details around this case seem a bit murky, as there is no apparent motive for the alleged shooting. An experienced criminal defense lawyer will thoroughly investigate the details of the client’s case in order to determine precisely what took place, and to develop the best plan of legal action.
May 1 was designated as Law Day by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958, and has been celebrated on this date each year since. This “holiday” of sorts was created to honor the role that law played in creating the great United States of America, and was first proposed in 1957 by the American Bar Association.
Law Day is defined by the American Bar Association as “A national day set aside to celebrate the rule of law. Law Day underscores how law and the legal process have contributed to the freedoms that all Americans share.” Essentially, Law Day is an opportunity for Americans to increase their knowledge and understanding of the justice system, and to strengthen liberty, equality, and justice under the law.
America is a beacon to other nations today because of our country’s promise of equality. The promise of equality for all people in America is also a pledge which was clearly set forth in the Declaration of Independence. In 1963, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called upon America to live up to the promise of equality during the Emancipation Proclamation’s centennial; this year marks its 150th anniversary.
According to Forbes “The10 Most Dangerous U.S. Cities” list, Detroit ranks #1 for the fourth straight year for violent crimes including rape, murder, assault and robbery of the cities with 200,000 or more residents.
News reports claim that violent crimes in the Detroit area decreased by about 10% in 2011, however the crime rate is still about five times the national average. Reports also claim that as of October 14th of 2012, homicides are up from the same time period last year, about 10%. There were 277 homicides recorded by this date in 2011, and 305 in 2012. In all, there were 344 homicides in 2011. Unfortunately, it appears that at this current rate, that number will be topped in 2012.
The FBI’s Uniform Crime Report statistics from 2010 were used to reach the 2011 conclusion; however, John Roman claimed that these statistics should not be used for comparing violence in the largest cities, as coming to the conclusion of which cities are the most violent can be “tricky” because of differences in economics, urban borders and police reporting standards. Roman is a University of Pennsylvania criminology teacher and a senior fellow at the Urban Institute. The FBI even warns against using the data to compare violence in cities in the U.S., however it remains one of the most thorough compilations available of crime data and statistics.
Michigan criminal defense attorneys realize that violent crimes are nearly a daily occurrence in Detroit and surrounding communities. In fact, just two weeks ago the Detroit Police Officers Association warned citizens and those who come from out of town to enter Detroit “at their own risk,” according to an NBC news report. The association claims that the police force is grossly understaffed, and with violence increasing, the existing staff cannot adequately protect the public. Much of this understaffing problem can be attributed to budget cuts and officers leaving the force due to extremely long work hours with what many feel are inadequate pay.
On Monday, October 22, 28-year-old Sier Laone White of Lansing was arraigned on four felony charges. White went before Lansing District Judge Hugh Clarke after being charged with carrying a concealed weapon, receiving and concealing a firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon and felony firearm.
News reports state that White allegedly fired a handgun on Sunday evening, and that Lansing police responded after reports of shots being fired around 11 p.m. in the 2300 block of Beal Avenue.
When police investigated the report, they found two men walking in the area, who they tried to contact. White allegedly took off running when officers attempted to talk to them, according to police who then gave chase and apprehended White when he was unable to scale a large fence. Police also allege that White tossed a handgun which was loaded over the fence as they closed in on him. Officers retrieved the gun, and arrested White without incident. The man who was walking with White when police arrived was questioned and released.
News reports state that broken glass and shell casings were found in the area where gunshots were heard. No injuries were reported according to Lansing police Public Information Officer Robert Merritt.
White will face a pretrial conference on October 29 and a preliminary examination on November 1, both before Lansing District Judge Frank DeLuca. A $10,000 cash surety bond was set by Judge Clarke.
Michigan gun crime attorneys understand the seriousness of these types of charges, and the consequences individuals often face if convicted. Depending on the circumstances, those convicted may face substantial monetary fines, jail/prison time, and a permanent criminal record. Talented lawyers use their experience, knowledge and skill to prepare a vigorous defense which may be based on issues including whether the firearm or weapon was loaded or operable, whether your intent was to use it for hunting, and more.
Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog
