In Florida, anyone accused of committing a felony is permitted to take depositions of the prosecution’s witnesses. On misdemeanor charges the judge has to decide if there is a good reason to allow depositions before they will go forward. The judge can even allow depositions of people not listed as…
The Duval County School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to suspend without pay Christopher Robert Bacca, an elementary school teacher who faces charges of child sex crimes. Bacca was previously named Teacher of the Year for Windy Hill Elementary School and his fall from grace has been dramatic. He is currently…
Florida State University criminologist Bill Bales knew Florida’s crime rate, like that of the nation, had been dropping for years but he had no idea just how much. Once he sat down to crunch the numbers he was shocked to discover how safe the state has become. Bales said, “I…
Last weekend was just like any other weekend for most Jacksonville residents and Floridians, alike. The aftermath of Beryl had gone and the sun was finally shinning. Most residents made every effort to go outside and enjoy our normal Florida sunshine. However, this was not the case for one 3-year-old…
Casey Anthony was charged with the murder of her 2 year old daughter, Caylee, and later acquitted of all charges. She was, however, convicted of four counts of lying to law enforcement officers during the investigation. She was given time served, but placed on probation for a year. Largely, since…
Recently a Duval County Teacher was arrested on charges of Child Abuse. The alleged incident took place on April 2, 2012. According to the report, Kristopher Hunter, the teacher, kicked the student in the back and also slammed the boy against the wall. The boy had to seek medical treatment…
Jacksonville residents and people across this nation can remember the heartbreaking Casey Anthony case and the devastating death of little Caylee Anthony. Although Casey Anthony was acquitted of the Murder charges, a new Bill was formed to prevent such actions from reoccurring. Governor Rick Scott signed “Caylee’s law” into law…
As a Jacksonville Criminal Defense Lawyer I hear about a multitude of Criminal issues and I am not surprised all that often. However, I have recently been overwhelmed with the amount of inquiries concerning the filing of False Jacksonville Police Reports. This action, when taken, can lead to serious penalties…
A Report just released stated a 3-year-old Jacksonville boy was shot in the shoulder when a gun he was handling went off. According to the Police report the bullet struck the floor then ricocheted off, striking the young child in the shoulder. The boy was taken to a local Jacksonville…
In Jacksonville, the crime of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or a controlled substance is usually a misdemeanor. It can be a felony under certain circumstances. A Jacksonville DUI is a felony if it involves death or serious bodily injury. Under these circumstances, a Jacksonville DUI criminal defendant…