I am sure you can guess what this will be about. Robert Durst. Good grief. Seems that you can’t even mutter to yourself these days without incriminating yourself. Of course the fact that Durst was stupid enough (or egotistical enough) to agree to have HBO follow him...
Famous Cases
Do Crazy People “Get Away With Murder”?
We all know the way it works. Some crazy nut job goes out and whacks some innocent person for no apparent reason. Sure enough. Out come the legal guns to blast out defenses like Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity or Diminished Capacity. Next thing you know they walk out...
Domestic Violence, the NFL and Constitutional Rights in Criminal Cases
If you are charged with a Domestic Violence crime (or DUI, Drug Offenses, Shoplifting or Murder), you are entitled to representation by a criminal defense attorney, to have a jury trial and cross examine witnesses, and, above all, to be presumed innocent. It is with...
The Chad Johnson Arrest And Unintended Consequences of Domestic Violence Laws
Seattle, Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island Criminal Defense Attorneys Discuss the Potential Unintended Consequences of Domestic Violence Laws. NFL football player Chad Johnson, formerly known as “Ochocinco,” was recently arrested on a domestic violence charge. Apparently...
Trayvon Martin and Justified Self Defense in Washington State
The fact that George Zimmerman fatally shot and killed Trayvon Martin is tragic. It appears that Zimmerman was an overzealous neighborhood watchdog, armed with a firearm, and was looking for trouble. However, although Mr. Zimmerman’s attitude and actions may have been...
Roger Clemens and Perjury
In a piece in the New York Times, Michael S. Schmidt, explains how a baseball icon has been reduced to the status of a suspected felon. Once again, the culprit is Clemens’ failure to simply remain silent in the face of governmental intrusion into his life. Whether he...
Blagojevich and Remaining Silent in a Jury Trial
It is easy for criminal defense attorneys to tell clients that it is better not to testify during a jury trial. Convincing them to take your advice is another story. Just look at Blagojevich. It is human nature to want to explain your way out of trouble. As described...
Constitutional Rights are for Everyone, Including the Right to Shut Up
So, we finally get to the juicy bit. This shows the other side of the bad penny you toss every time you waive the Fifth Amendment and talk to the government, and forget your right to Shut Up. When you try to talk your way out of things, sometimes you make mistakes in...