Category : Murder-Homicide
Casey Anthony Not Guilty
On July 5, 2011, an Orlando jury at the Orange County Courthouse found defendant Casey Anthony not guilty of first degree murder, aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter of a child regarding charges filed against her in 2008 regarding the death of her two year old daughter, Caylee Anthony. She was convicted of four lesser misdemeanor crimes of providing false information to law enforcement officers. If Casey had been convicted of first degree murder, should could have faced the death penalty in Florida. Judge Belvin Perry sentenced her to the maximum four year sentence for her misdemeanor convictions of lying to authorities. He denied the defense’s request to combine the misdemeanor counts into one which could have meant that she would have been released immediately. She was given time served and good behavior and is expected to be released on July 17, 2011. An unnamed juror who was interviewed after the decision said the reason the jury found Casey not guilty of the more serious crimes of murder, aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter is that the prosecutors failed to show how Caylee was murdered.
The circumstances surrounding the case began when Cindy Anthony reported her granddaughter, Caylee Anthony missing on July 5, 2008. Casey Anthony was arrested on July 16, 2008 on circumstantial evidence and charged in October of 2008 with first degree murder. In December of 2008, almost six months after Caylee was reported missing, police investigators found parts of the decomposed body of Caylee with duct tape in the woods near the Anthony residence. It was established by the prosecution and admitted by the defense team, that Casey Anthony lied to sheriff deputies about working at Universal Studios, about employing a nanny that took care of Caylee and that the nanny, whose name was Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez took the child (it was later determined that no such person existed, about telling two imaginary people Caylee was missing and about receiving a telephone call from Caylee the day prior to when she was reported missing). Photos were presented showing Casey at a Florida nightclub partying with friends prior to the child being reported as missing.
At trial, Casey’s lead defense attorney Jose Baez claimed that Casey had lied to cover up the family tragedy that Caylee had accidentally drowned in her grandparents George and Cindy Anthony’s pool. He also claimed that Casey did not tell the truth because she was frightened of her father George Anthony, who her attorney Baez claimed started molesting Casey at age eight. Baez also claimed that Casey’s brother might be Caylee’s father, and that the meter reader who found Caylee’s remains may have moved them. None of these allegations were ever proven. Casey’s defense team was able to raise enough reasonable doubt about the duct tape that showed no evidence of Casey’s DNA on it, which prosecutors argued was allegedly used to suffocate Caylee. They also raised doubt about conflicting testimony regarding the odor inside the Anthony car. It had not been established whether it was a decomposing body or trash left in the car. The prosecutors did not clarify why chloroform was so important to the case.
The case became one of the most watched and talked about cases since the O.J. Simpson murder trial and attracted a crowd of spectators and national and international media coverage. In fact, outside the courthouse the day the verdict was read, people expressed their outrage that justice had not been served for Caylee. Casey Anthony could profit from the case by selling her story to publishers, filmmakers or by signing a television contract.
If you are arrested for murder, aggravated child abuse or aggravated assault of a child, these are serious crimes. Depending on your state laws, you could face the death penalty or life in prison if convicted of first degree murder. You should hire an experienced criminal defense attorney to defend you. The attorney can argue such defenses as circumstantial evidence or lack of evidence, mistaken identity, self defense or defense of others to either create enough reasonable doubt to get you acquitted or have the charges dismissed or reduced to a lesser crime.
Dog Owner Gets Involuntary Manslaughter
California has some of the strictest penalties for murder convictions. The California Penal Code 187 defines murder as the “unlawful killing of a human being, or a fetus, with malice aforethought”. There are several different degrees of murder charges you could face in California. The most serious murder charge is a capital murder with special circumstances. You can also be convicted or first degree murder or second degree murder. California murder conviction penalties range from 15 years in a California state prison to life, life without parole for such crimes as hate crime murder or the death penalty for capital murder crimes with special circumstances.
Capital Murder with Special Circumstances Conviction
Capital murder with special circumstances is the most serious murder crime you can be convicted of in California. You must have killed someone either for financial gain, killed more than one victim, killed a law enforcement officer, firefighter, judge, prosecutor or an elected public official, killed a witness to prevent them from testifying in a case, committed a felony and killed someone which subjects you to the first degree felony murder rule, killed someone under the definition of a hate crime, killed someone in a drive by shooting or killed someone for the benefit of a street gang. You face stiff penalties ranging from 15 years to life in a California state prison, life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.
First Degree Murder
California first degree murder convictions involve the use of a destructive or explosive device that kills someone, waiting for a victim and then torturing them, killing them deliberately in a premeditated and willful manner, or killing them while committing a felony crime under the felony murder rule. Penalties for a first degree murder conviction range from 15 years to life or life without the possibility of parole in a California state prison.
Second Degree Murder
A California second degree murder conviction means you committed any murder which does not fall under the first degree murder or capital murder with special circumstances categories. Incidents such as alcohol or drug related killings are considered murder in the second degree because they are willful, but not premeditated and without malice. Penalties for a second degree murder conviction in California range from 15 years to a life sentence in a California state prison, to life without the possibility of parole if you served time previous for a murder conviction.
Increased Penalties
California murder penalties may be increased to 20 years to life if you use a weapon in a drive- by-shooting causing or intending serious injury to someone. Penalties may be increased to 25 to life for crimes involving a peace officer and life without the possibility of parole if you intended to kill the peace officer, caused great bodily harm or used a deadly weapon or firearm to kill the peace officer. You may be subject to paying fines up to $10,000 and paying the victim restitution. The California three strikes law requires a mandatory prison sentence of 25 years to life if you are convicted of three felony crimes.
Case example:
The First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco issued a ruling of 3-0 on Monday August 23, 2010, to uphold the 2008 lower court ruling of a second degree murder conviction of Marjorie Knoller, a San Francisco attorney, whose Presa Canario dogs, Bane and Hera, fatally mauled and killer her neighbor Diane Whipple in 2001, as she was attempting to enter her apartment. Whipple lived 50 ft. from where the dogs resided. Both dogs were subsequently euthanized. The First District Appeals Court found that Knoller’s conviction of second degree murder was a proper conviction.
The trial court jury found her guilty of second degree murder in 2002. The trial judge reduced the conviction to involuntary manslaughter. She was paroled initially after serving four years on the involuntary manslaughter conviction. Then in 2008, a lower court ruling reinstated her second degree murder conviction and sentenced her to 15 years to life in prison. Knoller was the person in control of the dogs and admitted to being there at the time the attack occurred. She is currently serving her 15 year to life prison sentence for her second degree murder conviction. She resigned from the California State Bar in January 2007.
Knoller’s husband, Robert Edward Noel, also an attorney, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and keeping a mischievous animal that killed a human being, which is considered a separate felony. Noel appealed his conviction and was sentenced to four years in prison. He served a portion of his time and was paroled on good behavior and performance of his work duties in prison. Noel was subsequently disbarred by the California State Bar. He is currently on parole and has no right to further appeals.
Murder is a very serious crime in California. If you are charged with a murder, you should immediately hire a California criminal defense attorney who is skilled and experienced at defending murder charges in California. The attorney can raise doubt in your case and argue defenses such as self-defense, mistaken identity, accidental killing, insanity or illegal search and seizure to get the crime dismissed or reduced.
Montebello California Jury Acquits 17-yr old of Murder
California Penal Code 187 defines murder as the “unlawful killing of a human being, or a fetus, with malice aforethought”. You face serious jail time and penalties if convicted of first degree murder, capital murder with special circumstances or second degree murder in California. Penalties for murder in California range from 15 years in state prison to life or life without parole or even the death penalty. If the murder was a hate crime, you face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
First Degree Murder Conviction
To be convicted of a first degree murder in California, you must have:
· Used a destructive or explosive device
· Waited for a victim and inflicted torture on them
· Killed someone in a willful, deliberate and pre-meditated manner
· Killed someone while committing a felony or attempting to commit a felony under the felony murder rule
You face 15 years to life or life without parole in state prison.
Capital Murder with Special Circumstances Conviction
To be convicted of capital murder in the first degree with special circumstances, you must have:
· Killed someone for financial gain
· Killed multiple victims
· Killed a police officer, firefighter, prosecutor, judge, juror or elected official
· Killed a witness to prevent them from testifying
· Killed someone while attempting to commit or committing a felony which subject you to the first degree felony murder rule
· Killing someone because of their race, color, religion, nationality or country of origin which is considered a hate crime
· Killing someone by discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle (drive-by-shooting
· Murdering for benefit of a street gang (186.22 Penal Code)
You face 15 years to life, life without parole or the death penalty.
Second Degree Murder Conviction
To be convicted of a second degree murder charge in California, you must have committed any murder that does not fall under the category of first degree murder or capital murder with special circumstances. Examples of second degree murder are when you discharge a weapon into a crowd and kill someone, or you get into an argument or kill someone while you are intoxicated with alcohol or under the influence of drugs. Second degree murders are considered willful, but without pre-meditation or malice.
You can face up to a 15 year to life sentence and life without possibility of parole if you served time previous for a murder conviction. Sentences for murder can be increased to 20 years to life if you shoot a firearm from a vehicle with the intent of causing serious injury, or 25 to life if a peace offer is involved and life without the possibility of parole if you intended to kill a peace officer or to cause great bodily harm to a peace officer or used a deadly weapon or firearm in killing the officer. You may also have to pay a fine of $10,000 and also have to pay victim restitution. Under the California three strikes law, if you are convicted of three felonies, there is a mandatory prison sentence of at least 25 year to life.
Case example:
On June 11, 2010, a Montebello jury acquitted 17 year old Angel Sosa of two murder charges, which included a special circumstance of multiple murders and assault with a firearm. Although the boy was tried as an adult, he was not facing the death penalty because he was under the age of 18 at the time of the murders of 44 year old Juan Garcia and his 12 year old son Albert at a high school graduation party on June 21, 2008. Sosa could have faced life in prison if convicted of the first degree with special circumstances or second degree murder charges.
The defense attorney, Jeri Polen, argued that dozens of witnesses were unable to identify Sosa as the shooter and witnesses identified someone else. The DA, Michele Hanisee, argued that a witness identified Sosa as the gunman and saw him fire a 9 mm from behind a van into a crowd of people beyond the backyard fence of a home located at the 100 block of East Madison Avenue, where the party occurred. The victims who had nothing to do with an earlier confrontation that had taken place at the home died at Beverly Hospital in Montebello. Sosa’s family described the defendant as “the best kid you could want to know and a “pretty good football player”. He plans on returning to high school in the fall.
A murder charge in California is a very serious crime. You should hire a skilled and experienced California criminal defense attorney to represent you. The attorney can defend you by raising doubt and using other defenses such as self- defense, defense of others, accidental killing, insanity, false and coerced confessions, illegal search and seizure or mistaken identity to get the charges reduced or dismissed.
Domestic Homicides on the Rise in NYC
Homicide numbers are jumping at startling rates this month. All five boroughs are reporting drastic increases in gang activity and domestic murders. Shootings in general resulting in serious injury are up over 25% this year from 2009.
Last year New York had the lowest murder rate in history. Now a few short months later it seems shootings are at an all time rise. NYPD feels as if their big success is losing ground.
Fellow New Yorkers sense the rise has to do with smaller police divisions and less officers on the streets. This is of course responsibility to the top secret terrorism operations needed in order to protect New York City. Economic times and lack of police funds this year is another reason for increased violence. Police officials claim more funds are being cut and may only worsen the effects in the city with fewer officers out on the streets.
Police officials have long credited the dramatic drop in crime last year to Operation Impact. A scheme when rookie NYC officers are sent out in uniform, in crime prone neighborhoods. With more police presence it is thought crime numbers would lessen. This theory seemed proven true until the past few months. Murder numbers are especially high in domestic related situations. Operation Impact is not meant to discourage such violence, but for gang related crime.
With the sudden surge in crime throughout the city, the NYPD will be bringing on officers from borough task forces to supplement the efforts in intense crime areas.
Jermaine Ruiz 24 of Brooklyn, according to the Huffington Post, is an example of domestic related homicide issues in NYC. He was charged with three counts of murder in the stabbing deaths of his girlfriend, Jessica Ybe, 22, and her 2 and 5 year old daughters. Neighbors said he asked where he could “dispose of heavy garbage that smells badly” (NY Daily News). He confessed to the murders and his own father called NYPD on him. They had 2 other children together who were unharmed and being watched by their grandparents.
The public defenders office has been assigned to Mr. Ruiz as counsel. While no private Attorney has been assigned to this case, he will need a very good Criminal Law Attorney in order to begin a defense with a promising outcome.
NYPD needs to come up with a plan for crime situations such as these. Everyday we hear about children being murdered or sexually abused by relatives or family friends. Gang violence has always been a threat for the city but now their focus needs to shift gears. Tougher enforcement on domestic violence and protection orders is needed. In the end it may result in saving a lot of lives.
Decrease in New York City Murder Rate
According to a Daily News story reported on November 17, 2009, murders are down in New York City. There were 399 murders compared to 452 homicides same time last year, which is an 11% decrease. Even with the number of cases down, the number of cases solved is now only around 50% compared to 70% two years ago and 92.5% in 1998. New York police sources who were interviewed in the article attribute the decrease in the number of cases being solved to the fact that there are fewer police officers and detectives, and there has been more emphasis and focus on fighting terrorism. Police investigators say that red tape, more paperwork and cracking down on overtime is making it more difficult to solve crimes as well.
If you are arrested for murder in New York, you can be charged under New York Penal Code, Article Section 125.25, with murder in the second degree or under Section 125.27 with murder in the first degree, which are Class A-1 felonies. Murder in the second degree is when a person causes or intends to cause the death of another person. A death that results during the commission of a felony such as robbery, rape whether the person is acting alone or in group is also considered murder in the second degree and is punishable with 15 years imprisonment life and a fine up to $15,000. Murder in the first degree is when a person causes or intends to cause the death of a person and that person is a police officer, a peace officer, employee of a correctional institution, a person who was a witness to a crime and the death was intended so the witness could not testify or was retribution for previous testimony of a crime or to preventing or influence the person not to testify by killing an immediate family member, there is a contract for murder between the defendant and another person, the defendant acted in an unusually cruel manner by inflicting torture on the victim, the victim was a judge or the defendant committed an act of terrorism causing the victim’s death. You could face a sentence of 15-25 years in prison, a life sentence without parole or the death sentence for a first degree murder conviction.
Case Example:
On November 19, 2009, the New York Court of Appeals overturned the murder convictions of two men, Danny Colon, 45 and Anthony Ortiz, 39 who have each been serving prison sentences of 19 years for the drive-by-shooting and murders of two men and two others who were injured on December 8, 1989 in lower Manhattan. The incident was said to have been drug related. The two defendants received 25 years to life sentences. The Appeals Court has ordered new trials for the men ruling that the Manhattan prosecutor improperly withheld information from the defense attorneys and misled the jury.
At the 1993 trial in the New York State Supreme Court, the prosecution presented to witnesses, one was Anibal Vera, who was a childhood friend of Colon. Vera testified that Colon confessed to the killings and that Ortiz helped him. Vera was cooperating with prosecutors because he had been arrested for drug possession in 1990. The prosecutor in the Colon and Ortiz cases, Ms. Finerty, told jurors she did not help or have anything to do with the lenient two and one-half year to five year sentence that Vera received for his conviction. However, Judge Graffeo wrote in the recent Appellate decision that Ms. Finerty helped relocate Vera’s grandmother and that she failed to give defense lawyers notes from her interviews with two witnesses who identified other men as the killers. The Manhattan district attorney’s office is standing by the convictions which they claim were obtained fairly.
A charge of murder in the second degree or murder in the first degree in New York is a serious crime. It is recommended that you hire a New York criminal defense attorney to defend you. If the crime was committed and there was another person involved or committed in a group and you were part of the group, the attorney can argue a defense that you did not commit it or aid in the crime, that you were not armed with a deadly weapon and had no evidence or reason to believe that any others in the group were carrying a deadly weapon or were going to commit murder or seriously injure the victim. Other defenses that your attorney can argue if you are accused of committing a murder crime alone are insanity, duress or self-defense in order to get the charges reduced and dismissed. The attorney may challenge the testimony of forensic experts such as medical examiners, ballistics, fingerprint examiners, toxicolologists, chemists and crime scene investigators or argue that the prosecuting attorney withheld evidence or violated other procedural rules when applicable to get the charges dismissed.
Mother Accused of Murder Released from Jail
Donna Prentice, 61, has recently been released from the Orange County Jail after her second mistrial caused the presiding judge to dismiss her case. Prentice, who has spent four years in jail, had been charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter for allegedly murdering her 3-year old daughter, Michelle Pulsifer, nearly 40 years ago.
While the jury in her first trial deadlocked 10 to 2 (in favor of conviction) back in 2007, Prentice’s most recent trial, which culminated two weeks ago, again ended in mistrial, with 11 to 1 jurors in favor of acquittal on the indictment of second-degree murder.
On the lesser count of involuntary manslaughter, the second jury deadlocked 7 to 5 in favor of convicting Prentice.
Details of Michelle’s Disappearance, Prentice’s Alleged Crimes
In 1969, Michelle vanished after Richard Jr., one of Prentice’s sons, witnessed his mother taking Michelle out of his room. According to Richard Jr., who was 6-years old at the time, Michelle appeared to be scared and had come into his room to hide.
Sometime between this incident and the following morning Michelle vanished.
Two days after Michelle’s disappearance, Prentice and her boyfriend at the time, James Kent, moved with their two sons to Illinois. Richard Jr. has stated that Prentice told the boys that they were leaving Michelle behind because there wasn’t enough room in the car to take her. However, the family’s pet cats and dogs were taken in the move.
No Criminal Investigation for Decades
Prentice, who had sole custody of Michelle, never filed a missing person’s report with authorities. Consequently, no investigation was conducted immediately after Michelle’s disappearance.
During the next few decades, Michelle’s father, Richard Pulsifer Sr., tried incessantly to get Prentice to disclose the location of his daughter. Eventually, in 2001, Richard Sr.’s sister hired a private detective to locate Michelle.
When the investigator failed to find any evidence of Michelle past 1969, he turned the case over to authorities.
Prentice’s Defense
Prentice has contended that she:
- Gave Michelle to Kent’s mother in 1969
- Never tried to locate Michelle when Kent’s mother died in 1972
- Had been afraid to look for Michelle after divorcing Kent, as he was abusive and she feared for her life if she tried to locate her daughter
While Kent, who was also brought up on charges of killing Michelle, died in custody in 2005, Prentice will not face another trial for her alleged crimes, as the judge ruled that there wasn’t enough evidence to support the charges against Prentice.
(Source: LA Times)
Are you in need of a criminal defense attorney? If so, contact us today to schedule a private consultation with an experienced criminal law lawyer who will fight to protect your legal rights.
Men Charged in Plot to Murder Obama
Two white supremacists have just been arraigned and officially charged with plotting to murder newly elected President Barack Obama and multiple other African Americans.
Daniel Cowart, a 20-year old from Tennessee, and Paul Schlesselman, an 18-year old from Arkansas, pled not guilty today to seven federal charges. This long list of felonies includes:
- Threatening a presidential candidate
- Plotting a series of robberies
- Plotting multiple murders
- Possessing an illegal firearm
- Transporting an illegal firearm across state boundaries
If convicted on all counts, Cowart and Schlesselman will face up to 50 years in jail and a slew of fines that will likely exceed $500,000.
The Suspects’ Plans
The various felonies with which Cowart and Schlesselman are being charged were all committed in an effort to exact a national crime spree. According to authorities, these two white supremacists were planning to:
- Behead 14 African Americans
- Murder 88 others throughout the United States
- Gun down Obama in a murder-suicide attack
The number “88″ is a significant symbol in skinhead and white supremacist circles, as it is a numerical tribute to Hilter (The number “8″ refers to the eighth letter of the alphabet “H.” Consequently, “88″ translates to “HH,” which is an acronym for “Heil Hitler).
How the Suspects Were Caught
Authorities were able to intervene before any of the above plans were enacted due to a tip phoned in by an acquaintance of the suspects. The informant turned to the police after witnessing Cowart and Schlesselman shooting at a Memphis-area church primarily attended by African Americans.
While an official trial date has yet to be set, authorities, including the Secret Service, are still investigating the extent of the suspects’ plots and crimes.
(Source: New York Times)
Have you been charged with a crime? If so, contact us today to talk to an experienced criminal law attorney who will ensure your legal rights are protected.
Child Murderer Sentenced to Death Penalty
The Supreme Court of Kentucky has just issued an order that will set forth the execution of Marco Allen Chapman, a 36-year old felon convicted of two counts of murder. In addition to these murder charges, Chapman has also been convicted of one count of rape, one count burglary and PFO II (indicating that he’s a persistent felony offender).
Interestingly, the Court’s ruling may be the final word in the manner, as Chapman filed an affidavit in 2007 asking that public defenders not be able to file further appeals on his behalf. In explanation, Chapman has stated that he wants to die for his crimes.
What Led to His Death Sentence: Chapman’s Crimes
On August 23, 2002, Chapman broke into a home located in Warsaw, Ky., where he brutally stabbed and then slit the throats of Cody Sharon, 6, and Chelbi Sharon, 7. During his rampage, Chapman also:
- Stabbed the victims’ 10-year old sister, Courtney Sharon, several times (the 10-year old victim ultimately survived the attack by playing dead)
- Bound, raped and stabbed the children’s mother, Carolyn Marksberry
Like her 10-year old daughter, Marksberry survived the attack. Chapman left her for dead after breaking a small knife in her chest and then stabbing her with a larger knife.
Following these heinous crimes, Chapman proceeded to rob the home before he fled the scene. Later that same day, Chapman was captured and arrested in West Virginia.
The Controversy: A Defense Lawyer’s Nightmare
While Chapman’s crimes are shocking and indefensible, his act of preventing appeals on his behalf has raised an interesting legal controversy.
Is Chapman incompetent for asking to be put to death? And, if so, shouldn’t execution be out of the question, as Chapman doesn’t understand what he’s asking for? Or, is Chapman’s request sane and rational? If this happens to be the case, shouldn’t he be obligated to fulfill the terms of his sentence, which includes death by lethal injection?
Although Chapman’s defense lawyers say they are unsure of what to do next, given the presence of their client’s affidavit, they haven’t given up. Chapman’s group of attorneys are still working on possible strategies for preventing the execution.
However, barring their success, Chapman is scheduled to be put to death Nov. 21, 2008.
(Source: New York Times)
Do you need a criminal defense attorney? If so, contact us today to talk to an experienced criminal law lawyer who will provide you with the legal support you need to get your charges reduced, if not dropped altogether.
Former Police Lt. Faces 45 Years in Prison
Former police Lieutenant Jon Burge, 60, was arrested in mid-October 2008 on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. Burge is accused of lying about his role in and knowledge of torturing African American murder suspects in Chicago throughout the 1980s.
The accusation of Burge’s perjury and former policemen’s misconduct came to light in a 2006 report compiled by Cook County prosecutors. In this report, authorities revealed that Chicago police employed during the 1970s and 1980s regularly beat and tortured a number of African American suspects in an effort to elicit their confessions.
Many of these alleged torture sessions led to hundreds of convictions and death row sentences. However, the recent reports of police misconduct influenced the then-Governor of Chicago, George Ryan, to pardon or commute the sentences of 168 inmates.
An Example of Wrongful Convictions: The Case of Madison Hobley
One of the many wrongful convictions that came out of Burge’s illegal actions was the conviction of Madison Hobley, a 46-year old African American, who was suspected of setting a fire in 1987 that killed seven people, including his wife and daughter.
According to Hobley, Burge and three other detectives “bagged” Hobley. “Bagging” is an act of torture in which an object—in this case a typewriter—is used to cover a person’s head to prevent him from breathing. During this interrogation, Burge and his fellow officers alleged that Hobley confessed to the crime.
False Testimonies Led to Wrongful Conviction
While Hobley has always denied giving such a confession, Burge testified that a confession occurred. Burge’s testimony, along with that of his fellow detectives, directly led to Hobley’s conviction and death row sentence.
In 2003, after spending 13 years on death row, Hobley was pardoned by Ryan and, subsequently, filed a civil rights case against the Chicago police department. During these proceedings, Burge testified that he and his fellow detectives never tortured Madison Hobley in an effort to force his confession.
Multiple Innocent Men Set Free
Hobley ultimately won his case. He and other wrongfully convicted and/or tortured inmates have been awarded over $20 million in damages, which are to be paid out by the city of Chicago.
Although the statute of limitations for charging Burges with torture and police misconduct is up, prosecutors plan on charging him with one count of perjury and two counts of obstruction of justice. If convicted, Burges faces up to 45 years in prison.
(Source: New York Times)
Have you been charged with a crime? If so, contact us today to talk to an experienced criminal defense attorney who will provide you with the legal support you need to get your charges reduced, if not dropped altogether.
Illinois Resident Charged with Murder
Marcus Powell, a 27-year old Illinois resident, has been charged with the murder of Delarrian Davis, 12, who died in a drive-by shooting allegedly performed by Powell. At the time of the shooting, Davis was at home in Madison, Illinois, which is near St. Louis.
Investigators have concluded that Davis was working on his homework when he was fatally shot, as authorities found books and school supplies alongside the boy’s body on Oct. 7, 2008.
Immediately after the incident, police wanted to interrogate Powell, who had eluded them for two days. While authorities have yet to pinpoint or announce Powell’s motive, they do have the suspect in custody and are following through with their investigation.
The Chase to Capture Powell
Powell had been eluding police for sometime before his recent arrest, as detectives wanted to question him for his suspected role in another shooting. The manhunt for Powell intensified; however, upon his alleged role in the drive-by shooting that killed Davis.
In an effort to track down Powell and keep locals safe, area schools closed or were locked down during the manhunt.
Powell surfaced around the St. Louis area Oct. 9, 2008. Following a short chase, police located Powell at a mobile home park. One resident witness stated that over 40 policemen converged on the shed where Powell was expected to be hiding with their guns drawn. Although the witness did hear Powell yelling, it appears that the suspect ultimately surrendered himself without a struggle.
The Evidence
Currently, investigators are still collecting evidence to prove that Powell was, indeed, responsible for murdering Davis. Despite the fact that prosecutors are confident that Powell is guilty, authorities have only disclosed to the public that they have one eyewitness linking Powell to the crime.
The witness, a neighbor of Davis’, reported seeing a man stopping his car in front of the Davis’ home, turning off his headlights and then shooting at the residence. Authorities haven’t stated whether the witness has identified Powell as the shooter.
(Source: CNN)
Have you been charged with a crime? If so, contact us today to speak to an experienced criminal law attorney who will provide you with the legal support you need to get your charges reduced, if not dropped altogether.
