Two white men, 64-year-old Gregory McMichael and his 34-year-old son, Travis, are under arrest for the February 23, 2020 shooting death of an unarmed African-American named Ahmaud Arbery, as he jogged through the predominantly white neighborhood in which the Travis’…
CRIMINAL JURISDICTION
Criminal Jurisdiction:
A Criminal Law Blog from a Defense Perspective
2020
Category: Corruption | Federal Criminal Law | federal Sentencing
The term “in the interests of justice” is difficult to define precisely. Prosecutors, attorneys, and judges all have a different perspective of what serves the interests of justice.
On May 7, 2020, U.S. Attorney General William Barr invoked the “interests…
2020
They say humor is sometimes the best medicine, but just like medicine, it may not always be in good taste. As we continue life on lockdown across Texas, many are finding an outlet via social media posts.
While some…
2020
Category: Corruption | Criminal Justice Reform
In 2017, the Equal Justice Initiative issued a report, “Lynching in America: Confronting The Legacy of Racial Terror,” that shows the state of Georgia had 589 lynchings from 1877 to 1950—second only to Mississippi’s 654 lynchings during the same period.…
2020
Category: Cryptocurrency | Fraud
With shelter in place orders still in effect as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the opportunity for online fraud has never been greater.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is warning people specifically about crimes related to cryptocurrency. The…
2020
Category: Coronavirus / COVID-19 | Criminal Law
Law enforcement agencies and state officials around the country are doing their best to maintain order during this unprecedented time. In the state of Texas, this included the declaration of a disaster.
One man in the state of Texas…
2020
A pandemic brings out the best in most people and the worst in some.
In 1918, during the Spanish flu pandemic, Oklahoma City public health Commissioner John Duke was determined to save as many people as possible from the flu…
2020
Category: Guns | Weapon Crimes
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, gun sales have soared. In Texas, the state’s Attorney General has deemed gun stores essential, meaning they can remain open even during stay-at-home orders.
If you’re a Texas gun dealer, you’re probably…
2020
Category: Animal Abuse | Animal Cruelty
With the widespread attention of the recent Netflix documentary, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness, Joe Exotic (given name Joseph Maldonado-Passage) has become an overnight sensation. Donald Trump, Jr. has even asked his dad, the president, to consider the Tiger…
2020
Category: Constitutional Law | SCOTUS
On April 6, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an 8-1 opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas that gives law enforcement greater discretionary latitude in stopping motor vehicles.
On April 28, 2016, Deputy Mark Mehrer was on routine patrol when he…